Postcard from Bishkek

 

Christmas is over … at least, in the West … and Boxing Day traditionally marks the opening of “Holiday advertising season” as people’s minds turn to the question of where to go for their next major break.     

Going away on holiday is supposed to be a pleasurable experience … and in most cases it is exactly that … however … travel can itself be quite tiring and stressful.  So, let’s try to take most of the stress out of your journey with a little preparation.  

As the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office says: “Most travelers to Kyrgyzstan encounter no problems” – but the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises travelers to “Expect the Unexpected“.  Occasionally things do happen to upset  plans, (for example, the plane is delayed and you are stranded in the airport for several hours along with huge numbers of other travelers, and there never seems to be enough seating … you loose your passport, ticket, bag or camera … you get a stomach upset, stung or bitten; visa rules change whilst you are en route – or the embassy closes just at the point when you need to apply for a visa … and so on). 

That doesn’t mean to say that they will lead a disaster.

In fact, part of our job as a tour company is to do exactly that: to expect the unexpected; to expect anticipate the unpredictable; to consider what can go wrong and to plan for the unforeseen.

As such “We don’t like surprises” – a surprise means that something has occurred that wasn’t foreseen and usually means a problem  … basically there is no such thing as a “nice surprise” (!).

A certain amount of forethought can help you, (and us), to be prepared and ready to meet most, (if not all, circumstances and can at least help you to feel more confident if and when something does occur which you hadn’t foreseen and hadn’t planned for.

One piece of general advice – if in doubt, err on the side of caution.

For the record: What follows is derived from a number of sources … the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the State Department, Foreign Ministries of Australia and Canada, from Guide books … and from “bitter experience”.  Most of it is common sense, and may well be unnecessary … but “forewarned is forearmed”.

 

Before you leave home …

Study your destination : learn a little about where you are going and plan your visit.  Learn about the local laws, customs and climate.  Learn a few useful phrases in a local language.  Your itinerary may well change – but try to be clear that you know and understand the main points.  Get a good guidebook, and maybe a phrase book.

In your planning, think of:

Itinerary : If you decide to book a tour, rather than travel independently, then consider learning a little bit about where you are going – For example, think about:

• History - in Kyrgyzstan,for example, history did not start with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 – nor with the arrival of the Russians at the end of the nineteenth century – it is littered with various peoples who wandered back and forth across the landscape and it might be helpful if you knew a little about them if you are going to visit places like Burana, Talas, Uzgen.
• Geography –  For example: What altitudes are you going to staying at?, What distances will you travel every day – consider what the roads will be like and how long will it take?
• Program – For example, if the itinerary calls for museum visits and you are not a “museums type person” than consider what you are going to do. How much time will be spent walking in the mountains, in towns?, etc. – consider your physical condition … will you be able to cope?

Accommodation – there are various types of accommodation – available – try to find out what sort you will be using.

Food – especially if you have particular dietary requirements – look at the itinerary and consider if you want to book Full Board, Half Board, Bed and Breakfast, Self Catering (… it may be difficult in some parts of Kyrgyzstan to provide for all variations) … consider what you need to bring with you or may need to buy locally.

Money -  How much are you going to need … and where can change foreign currency or you get extra en route?.

Clothes and Equipment – especially if you are biking/hiking/camping.  Think of temperatures – it can be cold in the mountains – especially at night – even in the height of summer.

Health, Medicines etc. – make sure you have enough – if you have a serious medical condition, will you be travelling far from suitable facilities.

“When in Rome …” – Remember that everything will not be “just like it is at home” – there will be similarities – but there will also be differences. 

Formalities : Ensure that you have a valid passport and visa … Check the passport’s validity dates … It is best to get visas before you travel but if you are planning to get them en-route make sure that you know what the requirements are.  Ask the appropriate embassies for the latest information. Remember that there may be special conditions, which apply to those people who have dual nationality.

Advice : Find out what travel advice is issued by your own Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the regions you are going to visit.

Embassy/Consul : It would be a good idea to make sure you have contact details for your nearest embassy/consul.  Be aware of what a consul can … and cannot … do for you.

Tickets : Round tickets are your best insurance for making sure that you get back home safe and sound – Take care of your tickets, and keep a (separate) note of reference numbers and contact details so that you can contact the airline if you lose them or your plans change.

Insurance : take out comprehensive insurance to cover the possible loss of possessions and illness/injury whilst abroad – Health insurance for tourists is compulsory in Kyrgyzstan.  Like many countries, Kyrgyzstan does not have state funded health services and medical costs can be high.  Get adequate insurance cover for the whole duration of your trip; for any activities you may undertake; to cover the whole period of and all regions on your trip.  Be honest with the insurance company about medical conditions etc.  Check you have details, arrangements and contacts for an emergency; if it covers delays, cancellation, curtailment, liability, loss of possessions; the conditions and exclusions (for example: most do not cover drink or drug related incidents and what are the limits of cover).  If you are travelling as a group or family – make sure everyone is included in the policy.  Take a copy of the policy and emergency contact details with you.  (Please see also the separate section in the “About Us” section.)  Basically if you can’t afford the insurance – then you can’t afford to travel.

Health : Check vaccination requirements and other health issues.  There are no mandatory vaccinations required for Kyrgyzstan … but check with your GP or Travel Clinic for the most up-to-date information.

Medicines/glasses/prescriptions: make sure you have enough for your stay – carry some spare supplies if necessary and think about what documents (doctor’s letters, prescriptions) you may need.  Carry them in your hand luggage.  If in doubt – check that the medicines are legal in the country you are visiting and keep them in their original packaging.  In Kyrgyzstan you can bring medicines for your own use – adequate for the purpose and length of stay – but not so much that it might appear that you carrying them for someone else – or for sale.  If you have a copy of the prescription, that might be helpful.  If you wear a bracelet/medallion etc. indicating particular health problems that require special emergency treatment see about the possibility of translations.  Pregnant women should check their insurance arrangements; if the airline has special conditions; with their doctor before departure.

Travel Sickness: (Motion Sickness) – often belittled by those who have never suffered it, whilst dreaded by those who regularly suffer from it.  (Many journeys in Kyrgyzstan cover long distances and the roads are not always very good – so motion sickness can be a real issue for people visiting Kyrgyzstan.)

Baggage: Try to travel light and remember so that if you have to, you can move quickly and have a free hand.  You will also be less likely to put it down and leave it unattended.  The webpage: www.oratory.com/onebag gives one person’s guide to “How to travel light”.  The list of what to take runs to 19 pages when printed out – but explains the rationale behind the suggestions.  There is a one page (pdf) version available to download.  

Remember to pack :

• suitable clothes – think of local customs/attitudes as well as climate;
• Medicines etc. : make sure you have enough for your stay – carry some spare supplies if necessary and think about what documents (doctor’s letters, prescriptions) you may need;
• adapter plugs for any electrical goods you plan to take with you, shavers, battery charges, …;

Remember – If the airline loses your baggage – you need to think about what you will need to do in this case.  It might be wise to have a change of clothing (at least some underwear) in your hand baggage.  The Airline may offer compensation, and are supposed to deliver your baggage to you – so have a spare copy of your itinerary ready to hand to the company representative (with addresses of hotels etc.)

Label your luggage – both inside and out – use labels that can be covered – so that they cannot be easily read by a casual passer-by.  Use luggage that can be locked.

Remember – If the airline loses your baggage – you need to think about what you will need to do in this case.  The Airline may offer compensation, and are supposed to deliver your baggage to you – so have a spare copy of your itinerary ready to hand to the company representative (with addresses of hotels etc.)

Driving : If you plan to drive overseas – check what documents you need, (e.g. International Drivers’ License) and familiarize yourself with the “rules of the road” for your host country.  If you are taking your own vehicle – check hat documents you will need (e.g. registration, customs, insurance).  Make sure all your documents are up-to-date – check the expiry dates.  Take your keys with you when you leave it – even when you go to pay for petrol.  Take a spare set of keys, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, some spare bulbs and a warning triangle.

Itinerary : make sure that someone at home has a copy of your itinerary in case they need to contact you in an emergency – and keep them informed if your plans change.  If you are on a tour then this should include, where known, a lit of accommodation contact details, but at the very least it should include contact details for the company with which you are travelling   They should also have copies of all your important travel documents  – see below.

Documents:

• Make copies of your passport, visas etc. and have copies of other important documents (such as insurance policy) and carry some spare passport photos.
• Make a note of credit card numbers, travellers’ cheque numbers (cross them off as you cash them) – and leave a copy with someone at home.
• Remember to fill in the “next of kin” section in your passport.
• If possible take a second form of identity (preferably with a photograph) as well as your passport.
• Carry a list of contact numbers.
• Keep the copies and originals separate.
• Also, make copies of your itinerary – complete with contact details, (addresses of hotels, etc.).  Leave one at home so that people (family and friends) know how to contact you in an emergency – and carry a spare copy to hand to the airline representative in the event that your baggage is lost en route.

Remember that if you lose your passport it can lead to delays as it may take time to issue a replacement.  Not every country has an embassy in Kyrgyzstan – and not every local embassy can issue replacement passports.  Emergency Travel Documents issued by an embassy may be restricted to travel back to your home country.  Losses and Thefts have to be reported to the police – and you need to get a “Spravka” (Certificate) to the effect that you have reported the loss, and send this to your nearest embassy – or passport issuing authority – along with your application for a new passport.

Money : Give plenty of thought to money.  Try not to carry more than you need for your immediate needs – but make sure you have enough in one form or another – if you need to get extra, can you? – think about how you might arrange a money transfer (e.g. by Western Union – they may need passwords).  Try not to carry all your money in one form – use cash, travelers’ cheques, and credit cards – but remember that Credit cards are not widely accepted in Kyrgyzstan    Get your money, traveler’s cheques, credit cards etc.  Don’t take all your credit cards – leave some safe at home.  If possible get some local currency before you travel – if not take some small notes (US Dollars are usual in Kyrgyzstan) to change and pay for taxis, tips etc.

Mobile telephones : if you are going to take a mobile telephone with you – make the arrangements for roaming in plenty of time.  Make sure you know what the charging arrangements are.  Check you know what you have to dial to use international roaming and pre-program your phone if possible.  Tell someone how to call you.  Make sure you have a suitable adapter for recharging batteries.  Make a note of the serial number and other details and the contact details of your operator.  You may need to register your phone when you enter certain countries – such as the Russian Federation.   In Kyrgyzstan the availability of mobile phone services does not cover the whole of the country – contact your service provider for details of coverage.

Will : it may be seem morbid … but, just in case, write or update your will – and leave it with family/friends at home …

Special needs : do you need a wheelchair?, special diet; disabled access to hotel rooms;  … have you told people?

Souvenirs : Check what is likely to be available and (more importantly)  what you can bring back with you.

Home : arrange for someone to look after pets, plants, mail.  Cancel the newspapers, milk etc. if you have them delivered.  Make sure you turn off the gas electricity etc.  Think about asking a neighbour to keep an eye on your home – think about informing the police that your home will be empty.

A few days before you leave : confirm arrangements with your agent – and check all your travel documents.  Pack and label your luggage.

 

To be honest … originally, when I sat down to write this postcard, I thought it would just be a short entry with a few words of “fatherly advice”, but as I got more and more involved.  It began, (like Topsy in Uncle Tom’s Cabin) to just grow … and grow … and eventually it became what seems to be quite an imposing list – like preparing for a military campaign rather than a relaxing holiday.

I wondered about editing the list and excising some of the items but, apart from wanting to make it as comprehensive as possible, (which means that many items won’t apply to everyone such as considering the need to request a wheelchair, or considering the necessary documentation if you are not going to be driving …and so on), I decided to it was best to leave everything in.

As it happens, these points are valid for any holiday or journey … not just one to Kyrgyzstan!

 

 

Tags: Tourism