Crossing Over from Kyrgzstan to Tajikistan

[Written on 23 July 2009]

kenneth and i survived the 12 hour army jeep ride from osh to mugrab yesterday. it was rough and bumpy pretty much all the way along the pamir highway but the changing landscapes were spectacular. when leaving kyrgzstan, we were treated to fields of wildflowers and gushing streams as we rode across the fergana valley. there were plenty of alpine lakes, salt beds and ginger coloured marmots scurrying across gravel rocks (they looked like garfield the fat cat!).

we saw some dodgy things take place between our driver, the kyrgz border guards and the tajik border guards but we will elaborate further once we are out of central asia! the lonely planet describes the pamir highway as 'the opium highway' to give you a clue.

tajikistan's landscape is surreal... like a different planet! parts of it looks very similar to taliban territory which we have seen on the news! one of the most majestic views was one of karakol lake glistening in a baby green hue set against semi-dessert mountains with the snow capped pamir mountains amd the hindu kush ranges all the way across pakistan in the backdrop. we will upload photos as soon as we find a place with unlimited internet!

we are now in a town called mugrab which is embedded in the pamir mountains and it looks like what we imagine bethlehem town to look like! we are both suffering from mild altitude sickness (headaches, shortness of breath, constant weeing, loss of appetite) due to being over 3600 m above sea level. the highest pass we went through to get here was over 4000 m above sea level. we are staying at Surab's Guesthouse which functions more like a homestay. there are 5 spanish cyclists also staying at Surab's - all P.E. teachers. no surprise as you'd have to be super fit to conquer the harsh pamir region by bike! Surab has a wife, 4 lovely Tajik daughters and a little son of about 7 years. Tajiks have lovely olive skin (some with green eyes!) and look like a cross between Afghans, north Indians and Persians/Iranians. the homestay has been ... interesting. we are sleeping in a room with a raised stage with two mattresses laid out on the floor for us. in another section of the room is a small table upon which we are served our meals whilst we sit on the floor on a rectangular mattress. we understand that this is a typical pamiri home. the pit toilet isn't too bad (better than in mongolia) but the bath area which is without any lighting and looks like a torture chamber takes a bit of getting used to.

the mugrab bazaar is pretty strange. the vendors all sell their goods from steel shipment containers - traces of the soviet era. i am guessing this is due to the dust which is prevalent up here and also the cold. i did manage to get some fantastic shots at the bazaar. mugrab consist of about 40% kyrgz people and 60% tajiks.

we are now trying to organise transport to get to khorog via the beautiful wakhan valley tomorrow. another 10+ hour drive awaits us but the scenery between the hindu kush and pamir mountains promises to be well worth it according to the european tourists with whom we are crossing paths.