Blogs from Khorog, Tajikistan, Asia - page 2

KHOROG. MONDAY 21.5.14 At last I can report a positive day! I slept until 7.30, then woke with concern that I had missed breakfast, which would have been a major disappointment as it was delicious, the best yet. Later, I decided to go downtown with one of the new riders from Kashgar, Robin, a pleasant overly clever woman of mid 30's. The Tuk Tuk style van to travel 5 Kms was 3 Som, about 60 cents total. I could get used to these expenses. The road borders the river separating Afghanistan, this northern view looks quite interesting. Saw plenty of walled villas, and couldn't help but wonder who lurks behind them! Arrived in town on market day, standard country market. Got an interesting photo of a policeman and his hat, who was happy to pose, as ... read more

Before I enlighten you about my wedding propositions I wish to wind back a few weeks to my time in Uzbekistan, where I last updated you on my cycling adventure.Leaving Khiva behind I cycled east to the famous city of Bukhara. It was here that two British Army Officers Stoddart and Conolly were beheaded in the Emir's Ark during the 1800s. British and Russian Army Officers sent out to explore the routes traversing Central Asia including the Khyber pass etc affectionately called this spying "The Great Game". The author Peter Hopkirk writes a fascinating book about the subject, where Britain and Russia competed against one another for commercial trade and Central Asia effectively became the buffer zone between the 2 powers with Russia to the north and Britain as part of the East India Company to ... read more