Quote:
Originally Posted by worth
Any tips would be great. I don't have visas for any of those countries, I plan on getting them in Bishkek. I think language barriers will be the biggest problem. I don't speak mandarin or russian or any of the other languages mashed up in central asia and am traveling alone, so won't really have anyone to translate for me.
I plan to study some Russian basics while in Bishkek.
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Language will definitely be a challenge, but not an insurmountable one. In China, very few people speak English. This is especially true of people in industries where a smattering of English would make your life far easier (ie, taxis, restaurants, train stations, etc.) Of course, perhaps Beijing has improved in this respect post-Olympics. I recommend writing out your destination etc in Chinese characters in order to show to train station attendants and taxi drivers.
Speaking Mandarin in Xinjiang wouldn't help you much in Kashgar anyway as the Uighurs' Mandarin was even worse than mine when I was there.
Beijing is a handy place to obtain visas as essentially every state in the world has a significant embassy there (although the ease of obtaining said visa likely depends on Beijing's relationship with that particular state at the relevant time.)
I can't recommend taking the bus from Kashgar to Gilgit, Pakistan (at least) enough. Its one of the most spectacular drives in the world (the highest paved road in the world apparently.) It passes through the Hindu Kush only several hundred kilometres from the base of K2.