In the hotel reception everyone glowers when you request directions to an urgently needed toilet. She glowers back uncomprehendingly. I point out my bathroom has no water to a hotel supervisor, she glowers at me for interrupting her chat with her friend. I assume this is all the legacy of the Soviet years - it will take a long time to heal these wounds.
Music is the food of the spirit.
In our absence no progress has been made on our proposed Yurt stay, we've been out of touch as Kyrgyzstan has no external phone service worth mentioning. We only have a few hours to organise this expedition. One of my favourite musicians so far is Raushan, the hypnotic exponent of the kobuz. I remembered she had spoken of musicians in the mountains. Perhaps she could help solve our predicament.