The Banya,

It had been for days since I'd last had a shower, thank God for the miracle properties that enable merino wool mask body odour but there are limits!

We had just walked 20km I the rain over the Otis range descending from over 3800m, I was hyperventilating as my body desperately tried to acclimatise to the altitude. I was covered in dark brown viscous mud head to toe, my boots were leaking and my knees aching from the downward assault.

We arrived at Karakol base camp. Having washed in glacier river for the previous two evenings which left any exposed flesh on fire for an hour the chance for an alternative would be leapt upon! Our guide informed us there were hot showers (as you will see, his English needs a spit of work). We waited 90mins for the water to heat a young kyrg piling wood onto the log stove in our yurt base camp. With a fellow mud encrusted hiker we enter what look like a former soviet trailer. We pry open the warped door to be attacked by a wave of steam!

Dropping our clothes and armed with bar of soap wee stand stark naked in a long narrow wood panelled chamber. Through the steam we make out a glowing red burner with two taps attached, two larger rubber buckets and a saucepan. Just beyond lies another warped door. Filling a tub my equally amused buddy starts to wash. Feeling momentarily British and rather naked waiting my 'turn' I try the next door and find the smallest sauna in history, the wall separating the 2 rooms is half constructed of the same glowing boiler. With just enough space to lie down I await my slot in the stifling heat. 10minutes pass, on the point I'm about to pass out the splashing stops. I head for the door and burn my hand on the METAL handle.

I grab my now bar of melted mush and cover myself with the soapy coconut goodness and rinse with the aid of the saucepan in the boiling water pushing the chill from my bones. I heaf back to the first room where my Russian host suggest I take a turn in the plunge pool, he informs me he has even broken most of the ice! I sheepishly thank him for his efforts, pay my 450somme and leg it bag to my sleeping back through the pelting rain.