Backdate: Kyrgyzstan Karakol - Altyn-Arashan Aug 2019 Day 11

12/8/19 Mon: Literally after one whole day of sickness yesterday, I was pretty much okay by daytime today. We had breakfast at 8.30am, and I only ate a mouthful of the fried egg and had two slices of pancakes at the dining cum living room downstairs.

An hour later, there came our Soviet Military Truck! Sergey was "on leave" today and it was another driver that drove us, together with a guide he'd pick up halfway to Altyn-Arashan (2300-2400m ASL). Our lady guide Gulbachil was only 22 years old! She spoke some English, and took the front seat on the bumpy 2-hours' ride up. 

The path up unmanned and mostly unpaved, so the military truck had to cut through rocky routes. We saw horses and trekkers on the way as well. *Kurmanjan told us it'd take four hours to trek up to the hot spring area by foot.* I sat on the left side of the backseat and had my left arm holding tightly to the handle almost all the way haha... I mean what to do when your bum just lifts off the seat without any precaution right!? I don't exactly have bad motion sickness on jerky car rides but I think Jess and YJ had it tough, especially the latter who was still feeling unwell today.
Altyn-Arashan is a valley and mountain resort, and the 15km hiking trail follows the Arashan river, which is the ones you see in my photos I believe. It is said that there are still 20 snow leopards living in the valley, and if you're lucky while you hike, you could see mountain goats, deers, groundhogs and even footprints of bears or snow leopards. *I did consider the hike up to Ala-Kul lake for the gorgeous views but it's not easy according to Kurmanjan, so I did not take up that option. On hindsight, good choice made for then, but I'd go there if I ever have the chance to next time!*

We reached the yurt camp near the hot spring for lunch but as it was not time for us to eat yet, Gulbachil suggested we go for a walk around the valley first. The weather was very hot, but the it's so scenic you don't need a filter for the photos at all. We saw a calf lying down and Gulbachil thought it was injured so she called for the owner, but turned out he said it was too lazy to move lol. We also saw a "hot spring pool" in the middle of the river built by people nearby, and the water in it was warm!

YJ felt terrible during the walk, and so we went back to the dining yurt for a rest. Gulbachil initially called the driver up to make arrangements for us to leave after lunch (rice and veggies only), and she also gave some medicine for YJ. YJ is a strong girl, so she told us she'd only needed a rest in the yurt while the Jess and I can follow Gulbachil for a short trek around another part of the valley in the afternoon. 

I got a hunch that I needed the toilet before the trek and true enough... 我的大姨妈准时找上门了haiz. *Not easy for ladies when it comes to such business in those toilets of theirs!* I had to forgo the idea of a hot spring dip, while Gulbachil brought us to take a look at it since Jess might consider trying it. Well we saw the "state" of the pool and she immediately gave up the idea haha... *I'm sure I saw other nicer hot spring pools around in Altyn-Arashan online.*

Gulbachil suggested we do a 3 hours' trek around the vicinity, and though I was skeptical of my strength, we decided to give it a try. Yes the surrounding was absolutely beautiful, but climbing those slopes in the warm afternoon was tedious. Not to mention, they're also not "Jess's best friends" haha~

Gulbachil was nice enough to try to find trails with shades for us throughout. We had fun walking on stones in the river paths at some point too.  *Saw cows, goats and dogs on the way too.* We did not make it all the way to the top in the end... only spent 1.5hours out in the wild. I already almost finished my drinking water, so we decided to go back and check on YJ.
Good thing she was feeling better it seems, and as we were waiting for our driver to come pick us up, one of the guide there told me to get on the swing and helped take photos. *I loved swings the most when I was young!* I agree with him that we probably should have chose to stay in the valley for a night or two. *Would have been pretty awesome at night gazing at the starry-skies and listening to the flow of Arashan river.*

Then, it was another 2+hours' of ride down back to our guesthouse in Karakol, and we got back at 6pm. Our dinner was at the "café" (just another building across our rooms) the owner operates I guess? It costed us 1400 soms in all for the meals. We talked a bit with another local guide who could speak English and a bit of mandarin too. Sergey was chilling out with some other guides at a shelter in between the two buildings, while the three of us stood outside the café for a short chat before we call it a night.