оҳиста суст, жай жай...Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan- Chadbar Valley (Somewhere on the Gunt River) to Marjanay Jailoo

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Day 15
Chadbar Valley (Somewhere on the Gunt River) to Marjanay Jailoo (Summer Pasture Spot)

Sleeping altitude 3840m

Highest point altitude 3940m

Feel utterly fatigued this morning, really sluggish. Initially I wonder if it's the river water that we are washing everything in but ultimately decide it's probably altitude related. I have absolutely no appetite for breakfast (like in Nepal as we were ascending), but make myself eat something as we have a big day ahead. We are aiming to camp past Yachikul Lake, it involves an overall 400m further altitude gain. Yashikul is a freshwater lake in the Upper Gunt Valley, 3600 hectares with a max depth of 52m and is in the "Bulunkul and Yashikul Lakes and Mountains Important Bird Area". The area is a combo of grassland, desert, wetland and rock habitats. Birds of note include Himalayan snowcocks, plovers, gulls, choughs, sulphur-bellied warblers, etc. I am sure it'll be spectacular. We leave in full sun, it's already after 09:00.

I spend the first part of the morning behind the donkey and very flatulent horse, quickly learn to keep some distance. I do get to get in front of the smelly horse when Chamarat suggests I might like to lead it for a while. I look more confident in the photos, I had my fingers crossed it wasn't going to bolt on me. We reach a small river crossing after an hour or so, this involves getting on the horse to cross. The donkey scores all of the luggage while Chamarat takes M across on the horse- I get to mind the donkey, then the loaded donkey goes over with Chamarat and the horse- I don't look after anything. Then... M looks after the loaded donkey while C comes back over for me. We could have probably waded but OMG it was exciting and a bit fun! Freezing water, so clear. Pharlap doesn't get re-loaded, Mustang doesn't seem to notice. The scenery once again is utterly spectacular in its starkeness with the river dotting by. We end up at a second river crossing- much wider and deeper this time. It entails another horse ride, even more exciting than the first. I try to be cool and not to hang on to Chamarat too tightly, only the bits where the horse sort of lurches forward in deeper pockets of rock and water.

Post-exciting river horse riding we are now hiking steadily upwards, the pace is decent. "Gill, do you want to ride the horse"? Nope... I actually like the exertion, and I think it may help with acclimatisation. Mohammed decides that he'll ride. Get in some serious hills over the next half an hour when Lake Yashikul presents itself. WOW! Such a deep blue. We hit 3880m at midday. Whilst the hills are slow and hard work, the descents are super steep and we get down really quickly. Love it! The three of us make our way down independently to a dam area where we're going to take a break. Super fatigued. I boil water for tea, C boils eggs. We picnic on the gravel in the blazing hot sun. Bread, jam and 4 eggs each (I manage 2). Find a sliver of shade and have a little lie down, we break for an hour an a half. Four Russians and 2 donkey guides plus donkeys appear- they have slept at a shelter hut overnight, they are young, fit and well kitted out but look unhappy, by contrast I am not any of these things - I'm raring to go again.

M rides the horse all afternoon as we essentially walk a dirt road. The lake is still present for a time, I try to think cool water thoughts. It's so quiet, so vast and so deserted. Two hours of walking later we encounter a local in his car and that's it again for the rest of the day- no one. I'm really happy for C and M to go ahead, when I catch up with them I keep walking, I think now M is getting the idea that I really like to walk alone. At 5pm we are still walking, M is still riding, we are now at 3940m. M tells me we're just going a bit further around the corner and starting a short descent... it's actually another hour and a half. I resort to my headphones for the last 5 kms- a 20km plus day, We finally set up camp in a cow pasture in the almost dark. It's exposed, dark, cold and windy, but beautiful all the same. Really stuffed but better than this morning, I feel like I have earned my fatigue. Eat half a bowl of noodle soup before hitting the sack. A starless sky, lots of cloud and getting colder. Fall asleep about 8:30 to the sound of the howling wind.

Sleep exhaustedly well!

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