In 1997 I undertook an expedition to collect walnut seeds from the wild walnut-fruit forests of Kyrgyzstan.
Journal entry: Saturday 3rd October 1997
Just as we thought things were going very well – last night we were told that our hosts needed to make a phone call. Ordinarily this would not be a major event but here at Gava, this means a round trip to the nearest phone that will take at least six hours! Peter and I asked if we could work alone in the forest but our hosts are nervous of us being unaccompanied, so we stayed at the farmstead.
![Rahmonali asleep on the soro Rahmonali asleep on the soro](https://gabrielhemery.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/03oct97.jpg)
At least this gave me time to catch up with some more data entry, and I wrote a good part of my report for the Royal Forestry Society (one of my sponsors). I had plenty of ‘help’ from Mamajan’s grandson Rahmonali, who seems to have taken a liking to me today. We sat on the soro [an outside area used for eating, resting and sleeping outside in the summer] and I read all my books with pictures for him until he fell asleep at my feet. The complete language barrier didn’t stop us having a good time together.
We were fed fried potatoes and an egg each for lunch; a real treat. Apparently I have been referring constantly to food over the last few days. For some reason, coffee and jam doughnuts seem especially appealing. I think that our eggs today were as a result of a casual remark I made a few days ago, about whether they eat eggs and that I liked them. Our hosts try really hard to look after us.
We have one more day collecting seed here before we leave Gava for Sary-Chelek. Apparently all arrangements have been made for our transport to Bishkek on the 8th October. Other news: we were told today that in fact the clocks have not change afterall (see previous post)- so we’ve just lost an hour! I was just beginning to get used to waking naturally at the right hour.
Gabriel Hemery