Transmission Bishkek

Sunset over the Dakotas.

Hi from, Bishkek, how are you? Emerged from my final flight via Istanbul like a glazed donut, scampering out into the 3 a.m. morning through the of the Kyrgyz capital. Bone-stabbingly cold. A few hours sleep, and now I’m all showered up and slightly sunburnt from the day’s activity. Let's see ... a good trip, before it can be considered great, must fulfill certain criteria. I do have hopes for this one. Tomorrow, we drive 400K to Karakoal through the Northwestern Himalayas past the second highest alpine lake in the world—its unusually high salt content making it impossible to freeze. Magnificent, they say. We'll see about that and I'll keep you informed. Ciao.

De-icing in Chicago.

The mighty Bosphorus, bordered by the gleaming Istanbul river-front.

And just like that, the sun dipped on another day. Two sunsets in one trip—total time traveling.

The Celestial Himalayas and a few of our little friends. Note: sheep don't like being picked up. Even the small ones.

Festive T-bar towers, and a view out onto the rolling Kyrgyz plane, where wolves and jackals will stalk you as you wait alone at a bus stop during the dead of night (when they can't get their claws on any tastier prey).