Dear Earthrounders and Guests.

Following the wonderful meeting in Kyrgyzstan, here we have a brief review of the event.

Day 1 Sunday 01 June 2025:

Arrival and transfer to Novotel Bishkek City Center Hotel and Welcome Dinner.
Fifty four earthrounders, would be RTWers and guests timed their arrival over a couple of days prior to the start of the Conference.
Each party had been welcomed at the airport and presented with a goodie bag containing useful items including a name badge printed with the daily programme of events.
The Welcome Dinner held at the Supara Restaurant, was hosted by Mr Daniyar Bostonov, head of the Civil Aviation Agency of Kyrgyz Republic.
We were all welcomed in various speeches to start the evening.
It was an impressive, magnificent display of hospitality. Tables laden with plates of fruits and nuts, platters of salads, meats, and fish, bowls of soups and different breads.
During this feast there was a show of traditional dancing, costumes and singing, and music that started off low and haunting, building up over the four hours to a dynamic and intense flourish of flutes, horns and stringed instruments.
Truly a memorable night.


Manas Airport greeting


Novotel Bishkek City Center check-in


Supara Restaurent Welcome Dinner


National Dancers


Examples of National Dress

Day 2 Monday 02 June 2025:

Transfer to the conference centre at Baytur Resort & Spa, Issyk-Kul.
Four 15-seat mini-buses had been arranged for the five hour transfer to the Lake at Issyk-Kul.
Stops en-route to visit: the Burana Historical Complex, Bishkek Wings, to meet the Director and students at the first and only private flight school in Kyrgyzstan, and lunch.
Spectacular scenery through the mountains to reach Issyk-Kul, the second highest Alpine Lake in the world, with its crystal clear salt waters.
After check-in, supper was available. It had been a long day.


Burana Historical Complex


Burana Historical Complex


Bishkek Wings Flight School


Mountain views


Baytur Resort and Spa, Issyk-Kul

Day 3 Tuesday 03 June 2025:

First full day of Conference held in a large yurt in the grounds of the hotel complex.
After introductions by all present, a message from Claude Meunier was read on his behalf. This was the first meeting Claude had missed.
The members of the Board were also introduced.
"The History of Earthrounders" followed, presented by Margi Moss, Flemming Pedersen and CarolAnn Garratt.
Meeting host, Soiuzbek Saliev and Jonas Juknus gave an insight into their successful RTW in 2016 in a Mooney Ovation.
Three pilots/crew flew themselves to the meeting and they each presented details of their journeys:
- Jens Thamer and Berthold Droege in their DA50
- Tom Grossgart, with wife Natalie, in their Aerostar
- Flemming Pedersen, with wife Angela, in their Mooney
Each commented on GPS failures with suggestions to hone skills on alternative methods of navigation.
Break for lunch.
Evgeny Kabanov presented a comprehensive overview of MAK Aviation Services.
Bob Bates' presentation concentrated on the crossing of Russia during his and Barry Payne's 2024 RTW in a Comanche: applauded for their combined age of 162 yrs 259dys!
They had used MAK Aviation Services and confirmed all Evgeny had said.
Bob passed on an invitation from Bill Finlen and Jenny Shead to visit Boonah, Australia: YBOA, avgas and engineer available. Bob also extended an invitation to visit him in Papua New Guinea.
Break
A slight change to the published schedule on flying in other parts of the world.
- Tom Grossgart: Flying in Europe
- Robert Delaurents: Flying in Arctic and Antarctic
Open discussion on whether or not to use sponsorship
Four Russian attendees in two planes arrived at Issyk-Kul airport late in the afternoon; they had had problems with permissions! Each introduced themselves followed by a short presentation by Andrey Ivanov of his 44 day RTW in an amphibious Aerovolga
A long but productive and informative day.


Outside the Conference Yurt


Inside the Conference Yurt


Translator Mary with Soiuzbek Saliev and Jonas Juknus

Day 4 Wednesday 04 June 2025:

A full-day's excursion to Kyrchyk Jailoo and introduction to Kyrgy ethnic culture.
A VIP welcome to the site of the World Nomad Games with a special demonstration of some of the events: archery, use of falcons, golden eagles, hunting dogs, jousting, spear throwing and amazing horsemanship skills.
We are all invited to attend next year's games!
A masterclass in cooking borsok, building a yurt followed by a very special lunch in a highly decorated large yurt normally reserved for visiting presidents/dignitaries.
Speeches of welcome from our host Daniyar Karagulovich Arpachiev, First Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic in the Issyk-Kul region, with an explanation that all the food had been cooked by our host's wife and daughters using local organic ingredients.


Kyrchyk Jailoo welcome


Yurt building kit


Our host at the World Nomad Games


Lunch feast


Photo' break before we left the mountains

Day 5 Thursday 05 June 2025:

Harry Anderson opened the morning with a zoom presentation of his second world trip in 2019 concentrating on the journey through China and Central Asia.
Dierk Reuter presented on his exploits in a R66 from Utah to Cape Horn and the use of Starlink Mini.
A break was followed by an open discussion on Insurance and the merits of Avgas/Jet A1.
At mid-day all adjourned to the beach to form a "T" and wave as Tom and Natalie did a flypast in their Aerostar.
A free afternoon with a visit to the nearby Hot Springs.


Visit to the Hot Springs


In the bar!

Day 6 Friday 06 June 2025:

Brian Lloyd's very informative presentation on HF do's and don'ts, Satphone and Starlink.
The two crews of the Russian planes were departing so Brian's presentation was interrupted for a visit to the beach to wave as they flew over.
At the end of Brian's zoom call, Soiuzbek introduced Genaddy Gryaznov, Director of a local aircraft facility which undertook Diamond aircraft maintenance and also calibration flights.
Break
Art Mortvedt's presentation covered "Alaska Welcomes Earthrounders"
Pavel Romanenko showed two short videos of a Fly-in at Penze City held last year and extended invitations to all to attend next year's event between 22-24 May.
Patrick Elliott gave a short presentation on the confusions of Flying in the UK
CarolAnn Garratt introduced the "Global Frigate" project - flying a glider around the World as a frigate bird. Any help or suggestions for contacts please contact CarolAnn directly.
Open discussion on the use of Safety equipment.
Flemming Pedersen gave a short presentation on Flying in the Middle East.
Day rounded off with a fun evening aboard the Alykul Ship on Lake Issyk-Kul hosted by Marat Mataimov and his wife Barchin and Venera Kasialieva.
Another wonderful dinner, a chance to watch the sun set over the mountains and to learn a few local dance moves.



Departing Cessna Cutlass


Thom with the Ladies and their shawls


Supper on the ship


Sunset over Lake Issyk-Kul

Day 7 Saturday 07 June 2025:

Return journey to Bishkek calling in at the Issyk-Kul State Historical Cultural Museum Reserve to admire the many petroglyphs.
The site was formed and moulded by glaciers/rivers and is purported to be sacred and beneficial for health.
The journey was broken for lunch and then a technical problem with one of the mini-buses.
There was sufficient space to decant from three into two buses and continue onto Soiuzbek's home where we were welcomed by his family and treated to a delicious supper.
Finally back to check back into the Novotel Hotel.



Issyk-Kul State Historical Cultural Museum-Reserve


Petroglyphs at Issyk-Kul State Historical Cultural Museum-Reserve


Entrance to Issyk-Kul airport

Day 8 Sunday 08 June:

Walking tour of Bishkek led by Pavel ending at the National Museum.
Free time until the final Gala Dinner held at Uluu Too Zeta Restaurant.
Dressed in our finery, enjoying another sumptuous repast, we were entertained throughout the evening with fun quizzes, dancers, jazz band and a fabulous guest singer.
Argentina was announced as the venue for the next meeting to be held in March 2028.
Soiuzbek ceremonially passed the Earthrounder flag to Margi Moss in the absence of the Argentinian hosts before receiving a glass globe and plaque to commemorate this very successful and enjoyable meeting.

Enormous thanks must go to Soiuzbek, his wife Gulzat and family members Aman, Nursultan, Aiganysh and friends for all their hard work in ensuring such a memorable visit to their welcoming country.
Thanks too to the many sponsors for their generosity.
The translators - Lika, Didana and Azamat (Mary) also deserve our praise for helping throughout the event and diligently attempting to keep the group in order when on outings!
Students from the Aviation Academy, who met some of the groups on arrival at Manas Airport with welcoming traditional bread, also assisted with translations on the transfer to the hotel.



Views around Bishkek


More views around Bishkek


People's Friendship Monument


Gala Dinner Ladies


Gala Dinner Gentlemen


Reception at the Uluu Too Zeta Restaurent


Traditional handover of the Earthrounders flag

Like their arrivals, attendees timed their departure over many days and left with fondest memories of their stay and many generous souvenirs!