A French traveler walked from Issyk-Kul to Baikal in three months
In April, travelers from France decided to walk from Issyk-Kul to Baikal.
Initially, the French guests Mark Rossi, his sons Jemmy and Tom, and their cousin Hugo Subtil came to Kyrgyzstan with the desire to get to know the country, visit the picturesque Issyk-Kul Lake, and conquer the Enilchek Glacier.
The idea of walking from Kyrgyzstan to Lake Baikal belonged to Jemmy Rossi. It came to him after visiting Issyk-Kul, which they went to the day after arriving in the country. His brother Tom supported him, and later Hugo joined in. The travelers wanted to feel like caravaners on the Great Silk Road.
During the expedition, they aimed to collect folk legends and get acquainted with local customs.
- Of course, Mark and I were initially skeptical about the initiative of the French guests, - admitted one of the organizers of the walking tour Sergey Dudashvili. - The journey is long and not safe. After all, they will have to go through three countries, but the youthful spirit of adventure won out, and Mark agreed to let the guys go, on the condition that they would stay in touch at all times. We, for our part, will take all necessary measures to ensure the guys' safety.
To make traveling easier, Jemmy, Tom, and Hugo even started learning Russian. As they admitted, it is widely spoken in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
- Based on my own experience as a traveler, I am sure that you will be understood in any country with the language of smiles, - joked Hugo Subtil. - We want to try to be a bit like caravaners on the Great Silk Road and live for five months without cars and offices. It’s important to remember that in any country there are many good people, and even if they don’t speak the same language as us, they will definitely help in difficult times.
The unusual expedition, as its participants hoped, was supposed to last five months. After Kyrgyzstan, their route was planned through Kazakhstan, where they intended to stay for a month. Then the French planned to travel through Mongolia, where they would spend about a month and a half getting to know the local attractions. The rest of the journey would take Jemmy, Tom, and Hugo across Russia.
The travelers intended to finish in Irkutsk, from where they would take a train to Moscow and then return home to Paris.
However, only Hugo Subtil managed to complete the task, having walked several thousand kilometers between the two famous lakes, with about three thousand kilometers done alone. Two members of the French team dropped out earlier due to health issues.
According to Hugo Subtil, his brothers sustained injuries on the way: one twisted his ankle while descending a mountain in Altai, and the other was bitten by a wolf in Tuva. The injuries were minor, but the French decided not to take risks, and two participants of the trek went home.
The hardships and incidents with his brothers did not break the determination of the third participant to reach Baikal. Hugo admitted that at first, walking alone through the taiga was a bit scary, but he overcame his fear and enjoyed the journey.
The travelers initially planned to visit Mongolia, but later changed their route. The border turned out to be closed due to a quarantine for swine fever. So, they came up with the idea to reach Baikal through Tuva and Buryatia, which the tourists did not regret at all.
The boys were amazed by the beautiful and unusual places, as well as the local residents. In an interview, Hugo tried to explain who the Khakas, Evenks, and Buryats are in a politically correct way. Not knowing the right words, he ended up saying “Buddhists” - and for good measure, he showed a few photos on his phone.
The “Buddhists” impressed Hugo and Tom (who were still together in Kyzyl and Choygan) with their hospitality - they were easily invited into homes, fed, provided with lodging, and supplied with provisions for the road. Since the route changed, they had to walk through the taiga, where encounters with wolves and bears awaited the travelers.
The most dramatic episode for Hugo during the journey was losing his phone. While crossing a mountain stream, the gadget fell out of his pocket.
As for equipment and cargo, the Frenchman travels light. He carries only a tent, sleeping bag, a small hatchet, and food supplies for a few days. All together - no more than 70 kilograms - otherwise, he explains, it’s hard to walk.
- I can walk about 50 kilometers a day - provided the road is decent. But in the taiga, of course, I moved slower. There are some truly wild places where no human foot has stepped - it’s very difficult there.
Hugo bought necessary food supplies at roadside shops. When he got lost and it became clear that food might run out, he gathered pine cones and fished.
He acquired survival skills a long time ago. Before arriving in Kyrgyzstan, for example, he crossed the desert in Australia with Tom and Jemmy.
When asked how his family feels about this lifestyle, Hugo replied that they are all like that.
This is not the first visit to Russia for the young men. They have already been to Moscow, St. Petersburg, and many other cities. They wanted to see Baikal with their own eyes after reading the book by their compatriot Sylvain Tesson, “In the Forests of Siberia.”
The three months spent in Russia helped the brothers master the Russian language. Hugo Subtil shared that he understands almost everything said to him in Russian and can maintain a simple conversation.
Baikal, which Hugo had heard a lot about, amazed him with its unique beauty. He spent several days on Olkhon “like an ordinary tourist.” No extreme - a guesthouse and full board. Then he returned to Irkutsk, boarded the “Vladivostok-Moscow” train to see Russia once more - this time from the window - which had surprised him so much.