Friday 28th June 2013<\/p>\n
Across the Highway and down into the Pamir Valley<\/p>\nngg_shortcode_0_placeholder\n
Woke up on top of the world. 9 degrees outside. Still amazed that yesterday we were over 3,000m and still looking UP at mountains. We didn’t all male it to breakfast, three of us drank black tea, and two of us ate fried eggs and home baked bread. I love the way they sprinkle sadly crystals on during cooking, which crunch unexpectedly. No shower, quick splash with water.<\/p>\n
Whilst packing, a gaggle of people surround us. Including two 14 year old boys. “Good car”. I am thrilled that they want to try out their English and let me take photos. We pay and the whole family crowd round for a photo shoot. Wonderful people. Shoira writes her name and address and we thank them for their warm welcome and hospitality.<\/p>\n
We can now see the stunning views. We are over 4,000m on a wide plain surrounded by mountains. There is one road, and several little tracks leading off to who knows where. The village has houses and yurts. This is the summer farm, in the winter everyone moves down off the mountain. They live a hard life. Again at this Home Stay there were UNICEF posters about healthy living.<\/p>\n
See some animals. Sheep, cows, something that looked like cuddly foxes with rodent teeth. and something that dived into a burrow on our approach. I wonder which of them we ate last night? There are birds as well. Frost still lies on ground.<\/p>\n
Trundle at a more leisurely pace today. We could even male the crossing into Kyrgyzstan today if the crossing is open when we get there. We pass 20m from the Chinese border today, and can see that great country through the barbed wire fence. 160km of the highway left.<\/p>\n
Going to have a down day in Kyrgyzstan. The cars need some tlc, and so do we. Tim will make some changes to the Landy for our next big trip. These tyres will be shot when we get back, so will be changed for ones which are better in the wet. Also, the suspension will be stiffened, so we won’t bounce around as much and things won’t get shaken loose. This morning he had to re screw the radio, the head light housing and the back door. We have also lost the beautiful brass screw which holds the cooker shelf up. The water container leaked, due to its lack of a washer. That was why our fleeces and clothes in our day bags were wet. Cling film solves that problem, sorry, challenge. We also need to start applying for our Chinese visa.<\/p>\n
Still more climbing to do, the a long slow descent into the Pamir Valley. The people here are some of the poorest in the world. Pass some shaggy cows, yaks maybe? Thought they were bigger. A car thunders towards us, strapped to the roof were three live sheep. Yurt nestling in sheltered spot below cliffs. Groynes built into side of road to stop erosion. If I put my feet on my handbag, it makes a perfect lap for my ipad. Now have both cameras on the go. Tim asked Hilde to show him how she gets her photos on the blog. They will work together on our down day. Her blog is mainly pictures, our is mainly words. We do intend to put a very small amount of photos on soon.<\/p>\n
Overtake mini bus full of people going to KZG. Yesterday Atle though he saw the little 4wd car from CZ. Hope it was them. Hilde has a wonderful book about TJ. Tim skimmed through it after dinner last night. Three big no no’s for otravelers. It is offensive to blow your nose on a handkerchief in public, it is offensive to weary shorts – even men, and no indiscrete display of flesh. Oopps. We have offended our hosts on all three counts.<\/p>\n
How did the first traders navigate accurately? I am watching us moving alone a road on the ipad. Ahead there are several mountain passes. From the mapping it is obvious that we take the first one and the M41 will turn that way. But how did these great people of old know? It was a shame not to have chance in Samarkand to go to the observatory. Although there is only a small amount of the telescope left, it would have been fascinating to have heard some of the history of astronomy, and the great minds who worked out the night skies. You could see the sky last night, from the outside long drop. I suppose when it rains, then it rains.<\/p>\n
Really pleased with the way we have packed the Landy. The drawers have worked well, and the netting, although the holes are too big. Tim has lashed stuff down, to stop it flying out over us. Maybe put a car rug under the dri bags to stop them falling through. Another good reason then to buy a big blanket, we may need it to keep us warm sleeping in the roof tent in Mongolia.<\/p>\n
First road check of the day. They go in as a double act. Will they need a bung today? No. Looked at main visa, cursory glance at GBAO, really impressed we where’d driving LRs. He put on his hat, several sizes too big, and his smile was as wide as his peak. I can see Murghab ahead. Will stop if we see anything interesting. Looking for 1m length, small diameter steel to mend arial. That’s interesting??? Men wear tall felt hats, usually white with black designs on. Surprised the other two didn’t stop and buy some.<\/p>\n
Unidentified bird of prey. Tufts of scrubby grass in the dark sand. Still frost. Rocks all shades of browns and reds. Road to our right goes 36km, then stops. Low cloud to our left, spots of rain. Clearer ahead. As soon as Tim comments on the high quality of the roads, we crash down another pot hole. Just think it in your head from now on.<\/p>\n
Just photographed the mountains in CHINA. They look the same. But thrilling to think we will be there in a few weeks. We will follow the border for a while. Now beginning the final ascent to the second highest road in the world, along the Ak-Baital (White Horse) pass. The road closes in. Tiny snow flakes. Reach the top. 4671m on out sat nav. We get out and take celebratory photos. It is really cold and windy. Jump back in. All down hill from here, for 70 km to Kara-Kul the highest lake in Central Asia.<\/p>\n
Just met David, a German who has been walking for 16 months. He started out with two dogs, but one died in Greece. He have covered some of the tracks we have, but he has tried to get into Pakistan and Japan, but they wouldn’t let him in with the dog. He is now heading down to Afghanistan, and hopes to be let in. His skin was burnt, his lips blistered, his glasses held together with string. How long will he continue he does not know. He speaks very highly of the local people. He must have incredible belief in himself and trust in others. What a man. He asks about our trip, and can’t believe we are doing in in 10 weeks. “You must be driving very fast”. We are. Should have asked him how to spell Auf Weidersain.<\/p>\n
Yellow and pink flowers mingle with frost. It’s like driving over corrugated steel. Drive slowly and it shakes you apart, drive quickly and you float over it but can lose control easily. We do a mixture. This slows us down. Even going slowly we are slewing all over. Atle and Hilde disappear along a road running parallel, we join them and make faster progress. Find the thin steel wire wrapped around the skull of a Marco Polo sheep ( we like to think). It’s a Heath Robinson affair, but it works.<\/p>\n
Closest yet to border. Jump out and photograph each other next to it. Hope this hasn’t scupper end our chances of a visa. Tim photographs local flora. Round the corner, Atle and Hilde have stopped to help someone with clutch trouble. They are speaking Russian, but I don’t know where the registration is from. Discover it is KGZ. Strong winds are blowing dust into the car, through the closed doors. I declare an official bad hair day, and put my new hairband on. Very fetching. We are still extremely close to the border. Tim phones Martin on the sat phone. He is on M6 travelling home, it is lashing down and 6 degrees. New hairband. Gets in way of arms of glasses. Slight adjustment needed. Good we can have a stop\/start day.<\/p>\n
Not only do we have tarmac, but there are dotted lines down the middle, for 100m. We have a pow wow, and will try to cross border today. Not sure which time we are on, not sure times of border crossings. If we manage, we will spent 2 nights in Osh. Go for it.<\/p>\n
Ahead lies Lake Kara-Kul. Just had the best time. Drove off road and onto beach. Tim and I paddled and he skimmed stones. The water was wavy and cold, but the wind had quite a chill factor. Successfully climbed back onto road, low range 2nd gear. Takes your breath away playing at this altitude. The lake is dead, and no body was swimming in it. Someone has stolen a lot of upright posts from the border fence, and at one point a set of metal gates were wide open.<\/p>\n
Next road check right by Chinese border. Off they trot. Tim comes back for a bottle of water, and Atle comes back for a yellow foam pad. A girl cyclist is not well at all. What a shame. She had a high fever, and the guard was looking after her until someone came along who could give her a lift. The foam was to protect her bike on the top of the car which would take her back. The girl was French, and very impressed that the water was in a Volvic bottle.<\/p>\n
It’s snowing. Weather closing in. Clouds descend. 2.6 degrees and blowing a hoolie. Soon out into sunshine again. Suddenly hit the washboard. Surface again. So drive off road. Get to unofficial border crossing, not really sure what time it is, not really sure if we can get to Osh tonight. We are all tired, smelly and hungry. Man comes along and opens door, smoking. Very rude. Asks where we are going, and did I like Pamir. I said I really did, the people were very friendly and looked after us. Good, he said, I am Pamir. Lovely man, ripped us off for $10, asking for non existent form. Customs asked if we had any heroin or guns. Next lot waved us through, we drive round a shed to the next stop. Here takes longer. The boss soldier takes them into hie office. It has glass in its windows. The foot soldiers look bored and cold. Their office has polythene at the windows. Tim comes out, challenge number 2. They should have been given a form that both Hilde and I completed in duplicate, and kept one copy. At the time we asked if the men should have one and were told no. They are being fined 200 sommi each. Not sure if we can scrape that together. Tim says he doesn’t want dollars. In the end we scrape together 340 sommi and chuck in$10. We are stamped out of TJ, and drive past two offices made out of upturned oil cans. Tim said in the first office, behind the curtain where the guards sleep, there must have been over 200 bottles of vodka. Gets very cold and lonely up here.<\/p>\n
Welcome to Kyrgyzstan.<\/p>\n
Drive 20k to next border control. Just a sandy track. Atle informs us it is -3.2 degrees. Slow, winding road down. Look up places to stay in Osh. Stray Gorod apartments seem the best deal, as we want to stay two nights. There is a thunderous daily Jayma Bazaar, one of Central Asia’s busiest markets. I fancy that.<\/p>\n
Might not make it tonight. Still border control to get through and then another 217km. The Hildefender is too cold now, Atle fiddles with something under the bonnet. Weather worsens and road becoming wet and slippery. Tim has decided that it might be time to take of his shorts, and put his thermals on as it is minus 0.4 and snowing. Might have to do the same myself. Road washed away, have to ford river.<\/p>\n
Arrive at border crossing. This has brick built offices, with glass in all the windows. The office was spotless, and well organised. We get stamped in. Mo e on to customs. Officer comes out swathed in long technical coat. Tim and Atle stand freezing and shivering. He asks about guns and drugs. “You look nice people, off you go.” No visa needed, no fuss.
\nThe quickest of the lot. However, we were the only people.<\/p>\n
Already the countryside looks greener, David the German had said that. Wild horses gallop away from us. I am wrapped in a car rug, toasty warm. As usual, wet is seeping into both foot wells. Bliss. Hawk-like birds of prey on every second telegraph pole, backs to the wind, shaking water off their feathers. Hard to identify them. Can’t believe we were paddling in the sunshine a few hours age. Suppose it’s all to do with geography.<\/p>\n
People are living in gers and shepherds huts. Cant tell whether trucks or horses would pull the huts. Animals are being herded into pens for the night. We decide to push on to Osh, might as well drive through the bad weather and hope it is better there tomorrow. It also means we have the luxury of a lie in. Hilde finds somewhere with sparkling bathrooms, and to top it all, a washing machine. Head for there then. Must be warming up, the snow has turned to rain.<\/p>\n
Not read up much about KYR, but it is meant to be one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Tim says it reminds him of Switzerland. It is also becoming a destination for tourists, so we will have seen it early on. The M41 is still the Pamir Highway. Surface is good so far, and lorries lumber along. Man walking in bare feet, carrying his shoes to keep them dry.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of sheep being herded across the road, by man on horse. Greatly skilled. Something falls from cargo net, Tim can’t believe it after all his lashing down. Also, this is probably the best bit of road we have been on all day. Sky looking a bit brighter ahead. Six old ladies standing in a circle under six umbrellas, nattering. I think we are now 5 hours ahead of home. Won’t get dark as early, I think. Every so often, Atle slows and put on his hazard lights. Animals are wandering aimlessly down the road – dog, sheep, cows and a donkey. Whatever next? Oh, a stretched Hummer.<\/p>\n
Just done over 10,000km. First police check point just waves us through. We haven’t got any local currency or insurance yet. Dropped over 3,000 m, and all the plastic water bottles are imploding. Can see the Uzbek border on the map again. Can’t go back in, haven’t got double entry visa.<\/p>\n
Arriving in Osh at just before 10pm. Many shops and markets are still open. Osh is the second largest city in KYR. Car with no lights on undertakes. Pass a building with Marry Line in blue flashing lights. Shoes full of sand from lake.<\/p>\n
Welcome to Kyrgyzstan cont…<\/p>\n
We jiggle about a bit trying to find the Guest House, a few dead ends. Eventually see a large, ex soviet hotel. Hilde and I go in. Maybe it was lost in translation, but I don’t think so. Basically, she took one look at us in our disheveled state and decided we could not afford the best rooms, as the others were all fully booked. We had the best rooms.<\/p>\n
Met in the bar, very late. Ordered pizza takeaway. Took over two hours. Discussed the last few days. Although the scenery was stunning, we were disappointed with the driving on the Pamir. Seen You Tube clips which seemed to indicate it was more rugged than we found it. Felt a little like a damp squib. Too tired to eat pizzas, put them in fridge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Friday 28th June 2013 Across the Highway and down into the Pamir Valley Woke up on top of the world. 9 degrees outside. Still amazed that yesterday we were over 3,000m and still looking UP at mountains. We didn’t all male it to breakfast, three of us drank black tea, and two of us ate […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tajikistan","category-central-asia"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3bX1q-fM","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapetim.co.uk\/mongolia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/978","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapetim.co.uk\/mongolia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapetim.co.uk\/mongolia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapetim.co.uk\/mongolia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapetim.co.uk\/mongolia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=978"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapetim.co.uk\/mongolia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/978\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1744,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapetim.co.uk\/mongolia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/978\/revisions\/1744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapetim.co.uk\/mongolia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=978"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapetim.co.uk\/mongolia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=978"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapetim.co.uk\/mongolia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=978"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}