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Published: April 22nd 2009
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It was a nice afternoon stroll coming back from the world’s second highest Botanic Garden. I was heading to my accommodation in the busy little Pamiri town of Khorog. That was until I walked along the river and saw four Tajiki soldiers walking along the bridge.
Khorog is the capital of Gorno-Badakhshan region (Pamirs) and borders Afghanistan. It lies in a valley surrounded by four peaks with a river flowing through the middle. It’s a picturesque setting in what is really an unhospitable part of the world.
Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. But from1992-1997 civil war broke out between this region and Dushanbe in a similar way to the Basmachi from 70 years earlier. Striving for independence as an Islamic state, it has gained an autonomous type existence. If you come here with just a Tajikistan VISA you won’t be allowed in. This is where the GBOA permit comes into play.
The War in Afghanistan has increased development in the country and here a new University will open to a city regarded as Tajikistan’s smartest. Some locals dress European to a point and it does seem as far away from nomadic
life Tajikistan can get - from the surface.
Because of this time of year there is not too much you can do (March). The locals look at you like you are stupid for arriving at this time and it was here I met someone the locals thought was even more crazier - A Swiss bike rider who cycled from Switzerland to this point. Cyclists are some of the great characters you meet traveling and it’s generally when you are at the ‘out there’ destinations you meet them. He was going through the same torturous process that I was going through back in Dushanbe. He was 7 out of 11 days into waiting around for paperwork. When we first started talking he said, “Oh I am so glad to see you. I am so happy to speak English to someone. I’ve been so bored I haven’t even wanted to leave my room.” It took him 6 days to cycle what I covered in the 24 hours from Dushanbe. (So really that’s 13 days!)
Unlike Dushanbe this place is heavily posted with guards in every road out of town. So for him he was stuck. On my last day I
met a Scottish couple and the four of us would be the first Pamir tourists for the year.
There isn’t too much to do when Navrus holidays drag on for days. This meant no information again. The Pamir’s problem for single travelers is that it’s too expensive to do anything. Roughly speaking you are looking at $100us a day if you leave the city - minimum. But at this time of year that doesn’t matter as most roads are closed. That’s why to fill in the day I went up the town mountains and to the Botanic garden.
I wasn’t expecting much but just the thought of seeing a forest of twigs in a botanic garden was too much for me to not go. I have to say I was disappointed to see some trees with leaves but the view gives another aspect of the city and the Pamir Hwy tunnel to prevent land slides affecting the road.
I was with the Swiss man who went back by cab. I decided that I’ll walk back and meet up with him in 3 hours. I said, “I should be there - after a half hour wrong turn... That’s
guaranteed.”
The river goes straight through the middle of the valley so through the city. Bridges occasionally cross the river and they provide postcard angles. So as I was walking back to town the road went away from the river. For me that’s not good enough so I went down a side street and ask in my shitty Russian if it is okay to walk there and was told yes. It led me to a dead end but on the river. I thought I’m not walking up that hill again so laziness leads me to the 4 soldiers on the bridge. I’m thinking “Oh Fillintheblank!”
The stairs leading off the riverbed went close to the bridge. I walked up and went the opposite direction to the soldiers trying to act normal. That direction was leading to the offices so yells and whatnot from the soldiers followed. Suddenly 6 soldiers are around me and it was confirmed I had entered a military zone right in the middle of the city.
They confiscated my passport in which I raised my voice. They grab my arm and try and drag me away in which I raised my voice again. It
was clear these guys were looking for a bribe in which by this stage a higher ranked guy came. I delayed it long enough and made enough noise to get him involved. This is always the best move because the higher ranked guy has been there done that and now doesn’t need to get bribes.
He takes me over the bridge and to a concrete room amongst the main offices. I said “Nyet I’m not going in there.” Other officers are there so I entered. They go through questions translated by one guy who had okay English. I say “Sat” (Garden) “Eetee” (Walk) Pamir Lodge. There was no sign.” Guy said “Yes we are planning to put a sign there soon.” That was reassuring but still I had to go through my bag. My small camera is checked of its contents where a photo of the Financial struggle on corruption was found. “Dushanbe?” he asked. Than they get to my big camera “You Correspondent?” “You been here before?” “You been to Afghanistan?” “NoNononono” I’d say.
They then find out I have been in Dushanbe for 10 days. So I had to tell them why (because of their shithouse
setup with permits etc.) At this stage they call up the guys in black suits to come along. Whilst waiting, there was the video in my camera of the Reclining Buddha dive from Laos. It was at this moment I felt the mood changed and I was confirmed I was not a journalist. I was staying at the cheapest place in town with a pit toilet. A reporter would not live in conditions like that.
Most people had left and the translator points out a picture behind the desk. It’s a faded out old picture. “You know who that is?” “I don’t know, Lenin?” “Its Tchiovsky (what ever his name was) he was the head of KGB” I thought great thanks for that information. Maybe he said that because I didn’t seem too worried (externally.) When I went through my bag I found my keys to the locks for my backpack. I said “Oh yes! I’ve been looking for them all morning!”
Another great call I made in there was when a lady came and chatted to me and I said “Look I haven’t come to Tajikistan to be here and talk to you guys I have come
to see what is out there in your beautiful country.”
So the black suit men came and jotted down my information again and I was let go with a series of handshakes with people I’d never seen before - all the way to the heavily guarded post near the main road. I just can’t believe this happened. So many times I get these annoying shitty little inconveniences. Never the Hollywood moment.
I soon realised that I was getting remote when I tried to leave here. 11 hours over the course of 2 days I waited in an ex-soviet van waiting for it to fill up so we could leave. This was the largest city of the region to the second largest (Murgab). This meant we left at 5pm; meaning most of the Pamir Hwy was a black piece of paper in front of my face. One of the most spectacular scenery the world has to offer and I had a blank vision of black. Clearly that and the footsteps into the military zone was the cause of my complete insensitivity with the pregnant woman just days before. Would I do it again? (Take the front seat from Dushanbe
to Khorog when a pregnant woman is on board?) Now, I don’t know.
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Quentin
non-member comment
I have to say I very much enjoyed reading your article. It's funny because I actually met "the crazy swiss biker" Sébastien in Murghab early april!