On the SilkRoute

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Finally Ive reached the famous Silk Route and over the past 5 weeks have travelled thru Kyrgyistan,Tajikistan and are now in Uzbekistan at Tashkent. The scenery has change as Ive covered these countries, from alpine to desert and to the highest highway in the world, over the Pamirs which border China, Pakistan and Afganistan.

Starting in Beshkek the capital of Kyrgistan, Carol and I spent 3 weeks travelling along the largest alpine lakein the world at Cholpan Ata where I also celebrated my birthday at a home stay with a Borat look a like.It turned out to be a very drunken vodka birthday followed by the worst hangover Ive suffered in along time.Shortly after we travelled south to the old city of Osht hen hitched up the Pamir highway with a convoy of petrol tankers headed for Afganistan.This highway is one of the highest in the world at one point reaching 4600mt,so steep that the petroltankers drove up in reverse to stop the engines overheating. Yes,I have the photos to prove it.A very scarey drive.After 4 days over the highway with snowcapped mountains, MarcoPolo sheep,sleeping in yurts with local farmers and drinking salty yakbutter tea, we reached civilisation again at Khorog which is a small city beyong the black stump. After a first shower in 10days and badly needed shampoo, we then travelled down the Whaken Valley which sreatches 200kms along the border of Afganistan and Tajikistan. The homestays here were basic, sleeping on floorsand eating solely spuds, bread and drinking gallons of chai,but the people wood certainly be the most generous and hospitibale Ive encountered anywhere in the world. It was always a mamoth chore to get them to accept money for the night,and more than once we had to leave money under teapots as the host would say, my family is not like that, we dont need your money, when all around us was extreme poverty.All most of them asked was we post them copies of the photos we took.

The week spent in the capital of Dushambe was unfortunatly spent in bed ill with bad tummy bug so neither of us got to see much of the city and as soon as we had our visas for the next country we headed out, once again over mountain passes and bad gravel roads. Tajikistan does not have one sealed road in the whole country. We also spent a few days walking in the Fan Mountains which border Uzbekistan which have beautiful turquoise lakes which are icey cold but crystal clear. After 3 weeks in one of the most beautiful and freindly countries in the world we then bussed into Uzbekistan and A country of oposite contrasts. Heresitsseems mosts of the people are only interested in relieving u of your dollars and as quick as possible.The food is not that great and the hotels dirty and pricey. Fortunatly the old Silk route cities make up for all this and the blue and turquoise mosques and medressas are fantasitc. Weare leaving tonight for a 24 trip by train to Nukis in the far west of the country to visit where the Aral sea used to be but has now receeded 30klms thanks to the Russians using all the water for other projects and drying up the seabed.

Well Im quickly finishing as time is up and Ill conclude the Silk route in 2 weeks whenI returnt yoKashgar in China.Love to all fromKay xxx

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Comments

[eelco]

Great hearing from you
After 2,5 years on 'the other site', we are the ones reading travel stories, while being home and working. But it's great to read, and inspiring to start travelling again. Cheers, bas and eelco

[Margaret]

You give me itchy feet Kay!
Hi Kay, Thanks for sending me all your TravelBlogs - it's great to hear about your adventures especially in those little known parts of the world. Brian and I are taking the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Beijing next year so we'll see for ourselves some of what you describe. Love from your long lost cousin Margaret xx