Travel in... Kyrgyzstan

Apart from a map of where it is (between China and Kazakhstan), five tips for the Switzerland of Central Asia

The Silk Road - the ancient series of trade routes between China and Europe - passed through Kyrgyzstan

1.  Pack a torch for those trips to the loo (not just at night). Kyrgyzstan is a country of yurts, yaks and yoghurt - all of which combine on the breathtaking high mountain pastures (or jailoo) that are the reason most visitors come to the country. The best way to appreciate the jailoos is to stay in a yurt, a traditional round felt dwelling nomads use while grazing their cattle, sheep and - you guessed it - yaks. The yurts are almost unchanged from their original construction: some may boast a solar-powered light inside, but other than that there are no mod-cons. Toilets are hole-in-the-ground outhouses some distance from the yurt. Outside of the capital, Bishkek, Soviet-era legacy electrical wiring may mean the torch comes in handy in the cities too. 

2. Take a break from being vegetarian. Local cuisine reflects the traditional Kyrgyz nomadic culture: boiled carbs served with carbs, lots of fatty meat and bread. Examples include manti (meat-filled dumplings), beshbarmak (noodles with five types of meat) and shashlyk (grilled kebabs, where one chunk can be pure fat). Food originating from the Uzbek community - like dimlama (boiled meat, potatoes, cabbage and onion) and plov (fried rice) - has vegetables, but meat is still an essential ingredient. If you're invited to a local host's house, often the honoured guest will be given the meat bone to finish off. Refusing such an honour is irredeemably rude. 

A big bowl of plov - everyone digs in

In the summer months, however, the markets are full of delicious in-season fruits like cherries and watermelon. There are also no end of dairy-based products - most have a salty, sour taste. No trip to Kyrgyzstan is complete with trying the slightly alcoholic kymys, fermented mare's milk. Sip it. You have been warned.

3. Bring sunscreen. While it may feel deceptively balmy during the summer months up in the mountains, the sun is strong and you'll need protection while you're out in it enjoying all that trekking. Kyrgyzstan may not have the abundant oil and gas resources of its much larger neighbour to the north, but it does have exceptionally beautiful scenery. This makes it an ideal destination for hiking and horse-trekking in the summer and skiing in the winter. You can do a three day hike from near the capital to the high mountain pasture Lake Song-Kul or go horse-trekking near Lake Issyk-Kul. There's a reason they call it the Switzerland of Central Asia. 

4. Wear a wedding ring - if you look younger than 24 years old. And that's a Central Asian 24; women here tend to age faster as they take on domestic chores and lots of child-rearing (abortion is the preferred method of birth control). Bride kidnapping is thankfully getting rarer, but most women are expected to be married by 24. Although the Soviets introduced education for women, a woman's lot is still tough. Even in the cities, women are expected to move in with their in-laws and do all the domestic chores for the whole family. A (demonstrably, daily) clean house means she is a good daughter-in-law and she will be expected to prepare and serve feasts and tea for guests to the house. Be prepared for questions about your husband and kids. 

A park in Osh - the second largest city

5. Take a Russian phrasebook, or a friend who speaks Russian and can read cyrillic. The younger, educated generation are learning English, but Kyrgyzstan remains in the Russian sphere of influence (Kyrgyzstan is the only country to host both American and Russian military bases). The country has Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Tajik communities - they'll most likely speak Russian to each other. In the western areas of the country, near the Uzbek border, deadly riots have taken place between Kyrgyz and Uzbek communities; it is wise to speak Russian rather than each of those languages to avoid giving offence or be seen to take sides.

Travel in... Colombia

Enjoy the Latin American spirit that stretches from the Andes to the Caribbean

 

Zona Cafetera - but the best coffee goes for export

1. Dust off your Spanish  With over 193 million Spanish speakers in the South American neighbourhood, it's no wonder that penetration of the English language hasn't got too far in Colombia. Apart from the returning emigres from the US, the level of English is quite low even in some of the main cities. Basic phrases will help you appreciate the hospitality and warmth of the Colombian welcome. The exception is Cartagena, where the locals are used to American cruise ships plying the Caribbean routes, and you will be greeted like an old friend. 

2. Bring patience, bus journeys are long  and prone to delays. Colombia is vast and its varied climates will make you want to travel to all the different regions - from the hot highlands of Cali and the lush Zona Cafetera (coffee region), down to the Caribbean coast. Getting around them all, however, is challenging. Be prepared for long coach journeys: take snacks and plenty of water and good humour - essential for when winding, mountain roads become impassable as trucks snarl up the only (single carriageway) roads between the main towns. Beware of travelling by bus or coach in rainy season when flooding is common and 7 hour journey times can easily double. Consider taking the deluxe coaches - you'll be grateful for the toilet facilities if you get stuck, or take the cheap internal flights if your budget will stretch. 

3. Take your push-up bra if you want to blend in! Like Brazil and Venezuela, surgical enhancement is common and inexpensive. To avoid feelings of inadequacy when next to ladies with perfectly shaped posteriors or back-straining boobs, take your push-up bra and shake it like a local at the salsotecas. Then just relax and admire their confidence, even if Colombia boasts about being home to the world's most beautiful women. 

No chicken fillets here

4. Pack your walking shoes  Not only are there plenty of walks across the country, including the awe-inspiring and eerie Cocora Valley cloud forests, but you'll also want to walk off all those carbs. The variety of cuisines in the cities is not matched outside them: culinary choices tend to be heavy and delivered in generous portions of grilled meat and rice. Examples include the arepa - a bland, maize-based dough that can be baked or fried (sometimes filled with an egg for breakfast, cheese or meat); and the bandeja paisa, from the Andean region - an overload of fried beans, rice, plantain, arepa, avocado, egg, chorizo and beef or pork. Despite the country's fame for quality coffee, most of the good stuff goes for export and you may be disappointed to find yourself staring at a cup of Nescafe.

5. See Colombia, old and new  The old haunts of the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar are now firmly on the tourist route: you can take a tour of one of his derelict mansions near Guatape and there's a theme park based at Escobar's former private zoo. A reminder that someone is still benefiting from the drugs trade is present in the new, palatial narco-mansions built on one side of the steep valley surrounding the city of Medellin (once the heart of Escobar's drugs cartel). For modern Medellin at play, drive to the high vantage points on the outskirts of the city at dusk for a vista of the city lights and views of hordes of teenagers re-creating "The Fast and the Furious". You'll see young Colombians on their motorbikes racing each other and drinking and socialising - with lookouts posted for police patrols. But for a sign of how much things have changed, note the reckless youths arrive wearing thin jackets with numbers clearly printed on them - their motorbike licence numbers. Not so rebellious after all.

Travel in ... Burma (Myanmar)

Rose tells us her experience and advice for what to wear, food, trains and monks in Yangon (Rangoon) and Mandalay, Burma. 

listen to ‘Travel in Burma’ on Audioboo

How to travel for work... Top 5 tips

How to travel for work on Vimeo. This post contains a video.

How to dress... for work in equatorial locations

Travel in ... Armenia

Five top tips for travelling in the country where they claim Noah parked his Ark

Getting your five-a-day is surprisingly easy

1. Dress chic in Yerevan All those diaspora visiting family and bringing their American dollars back to the motherland mean that Armenia’s capital is cosmopolitan. The scene is very much pavement cafés during the day and languid drinks in bars or clubbing in the evening. The level of English in Yerevan is high – expect a warm welcome and impeccable English from younger residents. Armenia has a continental climate: summer is hot, winter is freezing and chic is for all seasons.

2. Take a scarf or shawl for all those churches Claiming to be the first country to adopt Christianity, Armenia has three UNESCO World Heritage churches not to mention countless other monasteries perched in picturesque settings. The younger women in Yerevan may not always cover their shoulders, but outside the capital make sure to cover yours and avoid shorts or short skirts.

3. Be surprised by the food For those expecting a diet of grilled meat and flat bread, you will be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to get your 5-a-day. Home to the apricot and cherry, Armenian cooking can be varied with high quality fruit and veg, nuts and grains. There are plenty of restaurants serving tourists barbecued meat and unadventurous salads, but be picky and you will find restaurants with a more appetising array of choices. Don’t forget the de.li.cious pastries. 

4. Get your cash in Yerevan On the whole Armenia feels safe and non-threatening for female travellers but, apart from the fact there are far fewer ATMs outside the capital, withdrawing cash in other parts of the country often means visiting isolated banks with poor lighting.

5. Take your driving licence Armenia is approximately 1.5 times the size of Wales with beautiful verdant gorges to high, mountain plains. The best way to cover this small and naturally diverse country is by car; signs between major towns are generally good and in English and Armenian. But beware the potholes and cars avoiding the potholes - drivers will go to great, swerving lengths to avoid them and just one vertebrae-crunching experience will show you why.