And I thought that I was a workaholic
The “Camel Cheese Crew” from “What took you so long?” are here!
I wrote a few weeks ago about the project – they are making a series of films about pastoral lifestyles around the world through the theme of Camels and in particular cheese made from camel milk. On their travels they are passing through having been to Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan and are on their way to Uzbekistan searching for herds of camels and nomadic camel herders. Then, after a flying visit to New York for a presentation it’s off to Africa and the Middle East.
You can see some of their reports of what they have found so far on their various webpages, (http://www.whattookyousolong.org/, http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/353808285/what-took-you-so-long-to-find-camel-cheese), facebook (http://www.facebook.com/WhatTookYouSoLong#!/WhatTookYouSoLong) and twitter (https://twitter.com/wtysl) accounts, as well as many blog entries and various news articles. One short film has already been shown on Mongolian national television.
Alicia Sully, Philippa Young and Sebastian Lindstrom finally rolled into Bishkek on Tuesday – only a couple of weeks late – but, then, this is Kyrgyzstan and I am used to delays and having to make changes in plans. As I said, they were supposed to be here a couple of weeks ago, but there was the chance to zoom off to Western Kazakhstan, near the Aral Sea, to find some large camel herds there – an opportunity not to be missed – and then there were the ever present problem that bedevils many travelers along the silk road: visas. Not only do visas cost money – they also take time to acquire, but fortunately they were able to find plenty of things to do in Almaty whilst waiting for their Uzbek visas to come through.
Finally, on Tuesday, accompanied by someone from the BBC who is based in Almaty, they managed to make it to Bishkek.
They’re not having much luck here with finding camels here in Kyrgyzstan, so far, because, although we do have some camels here, sheep are the predominant livestock followed by cows and goats … and yaks. However, they have tracked down some on the outskirts of Bishkek, kept by an ex-pat Australian who works in the gold mining industry. Apparently, “Bela kisses people and Maria has two comfy humps!”.
I am impressed with their work rate – I thought that I was a “workaholic” and enjoyed “being busy” but, believe me, I pale into insignificance beside them. It is amazing how much they have managed to cram into their short stay here, and a lot of it arranged “on the hoof”, as it were. A quick visit to the American University, for example, and they found themselves book to deliver a guest lecture and show some of their video from a precious project in Africa to an Anthropology class.
After a full day Wednesday – up until two o’clock updating their various blogs and on-line accounts of their adventures, we met in the lobby of the Silk Road Lodge at seven thirty for their first meeting of the day, which was followed by a lightning tour of the main Osh market on the West of town in search of local dairy products: milk, smetana (sour cream), airan (yoghurt), and, of course, cheese. I am not sure if they managed to find the local delicacy of horse’s milk and it is probably too late in the year for Kumys or Khoumiss – fermented mare’s milk. (Because the weather has turned distinctly chilly, they also needed to look for something warm for their trip into the mountains … and, like most visitors, there’s always the search for souvenirs.) After that it was off to the university for the lecture and then a trip to a smallholding in a village outside Bishkek, and a couple of meetings – all before we met up again for a light snack for supper.
It’s a good job they seem to have boundless energy and enthusiasm.
Friday, the trio zoomed off into the countryside in search of some more that we’ve heard of which are kept by real nomads. Five hours up to Naryn and a chance to search for more camels – even though they were more likely to find horses. Still there is apparently a herd of fifty or so, but as they are in the border zone their schedule was pretty tight, it proved too difficult to complete the formalities, (get the necessary permits), in order to go and see them, so it was off to Son Kul to see the few up there. Then off to the second largest livestock market in the country … I’m not sure that there will be any camels there – but you never know.
It seems that the news of their visit has traveled ahead of them, this from Alicia: “Everyone in Naryn knows that we are looking for the one or two camels who came down from the mountains early this year…. ”
The plan was then to go down to Djalal Abad, along one of the most spectacular roads in the country … but it’s snowing in Naryn and the road has closed – it is usually open for only four months of the year and closes when the first snows fall. So, it’s back up to “plan B”, (or is it plan C, or D or E? – the plan is constantly changing) – back to Bishkek and down South on a bus.
Then they have to face another problem that bedevils travelers along the Silk Road – another border crossing, this time from Osh into the the Ferghana valley and Uzbekistan before they travel up to the other side of the Aral Sea.
Bishkek