Foto: Staying overnight in a yurt (bron: Ronald van der Veer)

Kyrgyzstan - On the western side of the lake, the road turns off. In the small village, we are already expected. A car drives ahead of us into the mountains. Just outside the village, I pass a landfill and a cemetery. Then the dirt road leads deeper into the valley. On the green fields, I see several groups of yurts. I get out at a group of tents nestled against the hillside. The family greets me warmly. Four yurts are available to sleep in. I had imagined the tents to be a little less primitive. These yurts are truly authentic. I chat with the family and show them my little photo booklet from the Netherlands. I have to take pictures of several people. In the evening, a cold wind picks up. It gets chilly. The camp lies at an altitude of 2,600 meters, and you can definitely feel it in the temperature. I quickly put on my sweater and jacket. As dusk falls, a truck arrives carrying a yurt kit in the bed. Everyone helps to set up the new yurt—including me! I hold one side while everything is lashed together with ropes. Now I really feel how cold it is. The frame is standing, but not to everyone’s satisfaction. A discussion follows, and the ropes are undone again. I call it a night and head to my own yurt. I crawl into my sleeping bag with several blankets on top. Outside, the rain begins. I hear the drops tapping on the yurt roof. Although it’s only nine o’clock, I fall asleep quickly.

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