Blogs from Tajikistan, Asia - page 6

July 22 - Pamir Highway trip Day 11 - Murgab to Karakul Today we had breakfast at 8am and our new driver, Baatr, arrived in a flashy red jeep. We paid Dish and he took off home. He couldn't come with us because his passport expired. It will only take him six hours to get back to Khorog, while it's taken us about a week to get here from there. We had to wait for our new driver to come back, as he had gone home for something, I think. He picked us up around 9:15am and then we hit the road. We drove first on a slight detour to Pshart Valley, just outside of Mugrab. We drove in for about an hour, and it was quite beautiful. It was a dirt track, but it was ... read more

July 20 - Pamir Highway trip Day 9 - Langar to Bulunkul Woke up with a bad stomach and was in the bathroom every hour from 5-8am. Good times. I found out later that the others also felt a little bad, but not as much. Must have been something from the homestay. Ate the porridge for breakfast, and a little bread. We left at 9am and the initial part was a really bouncy unpaved road. I was sitting in the back and it felt particularly bad, with my stomach. The others realized they had forgotten the beers they bought last night, and they had to go back to retrieve them, so I got out of car and waited. Didn't want to experience that two more times on the round trip. While I waited, I bought a ... read more

July 18 - Pamir Highway trip Day 7 - Yamchun to Langar Not so good sleep again, but that is normal. I woke up before 7am but the others slept on until at least 8:30. We had breakfast around 9am, and again, there was a bit of a misunderstanding. Three of us had ordered porridge, with one getting fried eggs (but no sausage), but in the end, we all got everything. Not bad, though. We left a little after 10am and I got the front seat for a change. Good views. We were supposed to stop in Yamg first, but the driver passed it and we ended up in nearby Vrang. Here we hiked a short distance up to see a Buddist stupa. The views from up there were really good. Next we headed back to ... read more

Geo: 37.0044, 72.373Sunday 17th July Cathy's birthday! Cards distributed.......this time two years ago we were "luxuriating" in the Affina Hotel Manhttan! I cannot think of more of a contrast....... Up at 0500hrs to avoid the crush for the single "bucket and ladle" powered shower for 15 people........one or two of the group are stirring as we sit sipping our morning beverage........"Oh good morning what a lovely view" Cathy chirrups to "Mystic Meg"............a tight lipped "I'll look at it later".....is the short terse reply. Today Mystic Meg is going to solve the Islamic uprising and general strife in the Middle East by throwing a "specially charge" "Mystic CRYSTAL" in the general direction of Afghanistan...........that should do it me thinks. ....to be frank this is a genuine gesture and if the wor... read more

July 15 - Pamir Highway trip Day 4 - Rushan to Jizeu valley Last night I had another bad night of sleep. Every single night has been the same. I wake up a lot and have trouble falling to sleep again. I also sometimes have the sensation in these new types of mattresses that some tiny insect is crawling on me, under the covers. But I see nothing and feel nothing when I brush it away. And there are no bites. No idea. I also had some stomach pain and at 3:30am had to make a bathroom/outhouse trip. Constipation over, but more of a 180 reversal. What is happening? We said goodbye to the Belgians at breakfast and we headed out at 9 am. Our driver (the 2nd) dropped us off at 10:30am at the start ... read more