Hi Volks

I understand you all. The question for save or realistic travels in 2022 is reasonable. (so far as I interpret it) closures "due to Covid" is at some countries political motivated, at least for KZ and RU. Europe-Russian conflict at the moment adds to it as well for border crossing between there.

There is obviously limited security for travel planning in 2022 especially for intercontinental overlanders, but in regions with many borders like Central Asia or Causasus you have to look how they create their own "micro climate" within their borders.

I lived for 6y. in Kyrgyzstan and am getting quite relaxed on uncertainty. If you're an experienced traveler you know about such countries with it's "in-the-moment-cultures" it's always now or never. I am used to say "You don't know unless you go - this is Central Asia". :-)

But there is good hopes with some legitimate reasons, at least within Central Asia where I used to live. Please have a look at my FB channel. I am not allowed to post sales adverts here but it should be ok to leave my FB link for the quest of this chat and border crossing: https://www.facebook.com/ZorroMoto

Hope that helps assess the case for Central Asia with the recent post. I am quite positive for 2022 with more travelers.

Let's keep good hopes up! :-)
- Dave

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www.zorromoto.com|Motorbikerentals, tires, oils
Osh / Kyrgyzstan / Central Asia

Thanks for your feedback ZorroMoto.

Kyrgyzstan appears to be the more open/relaxed of all the Central Asian countries when it comes to screening incoming visitors.
Last night I hosted a friend of mine who had just returned from a 3 week stay there. He found the overall atmosphere very laidback with very, very few locals wearing masks or behaving differently than before the pandemic.

He met a handful of ' island-hopping ' Westerners flying from one open country to the next. Supposedly they were about to fly en masse to India to escape the heavy snowfalls

And I concur : Covid-19 and domestic politics in authoritarian States can lead to a pretty toxic mix indeed

L.

All hopes unpinned.

My last ride took me from the Caucasus to Western Europe via southern Russia and the whole of Ukraine, which grew on me pedal stroke after pedal stroke...

L.