stray

2019-06-18 Day 264 Tue

3 separate visitors this morning. The first two were fishery inspectors and chatted for a while. One showed us pictures of some Americans who had camped down on the water a few weeks ago.

As we started to pack up a third visitor arrived, a army person. He was a nasty piece of work. Very angry, we were not sure why. Anyway he wanted us to leave which suited us fine as we were already packing up. He wanted to see passports and I wanted to see his ID which he showed me. In future I’ll photograph them. He wanted to see visa but we don’t need one. He took photos of our photo page then wanted to take photo of Brazil visa….

As we were leaving he decided he wanted a selfie with us, but we just drove off. He was not a nice person.

Finally started to see some more hills. Kind of clay hills or very hard sand hills. Quite baron but the valleys are fertile with water.

A lot of people out cleaning up road sides with hoes, mostly women. Donkeys are become more numerous and are seen carrying water cans, hay, grass, branches, people. Bee hives are also very prominent, with hives often being located on trailers.

We had decided to try a track to see if we could loop through the mountains. Just north of Denov so headed west.

The road was quiet good and sealed till we turned off towards a waterfall Sangardak Shabsharasa, a lot of work was being done to the road and the river banks. Some guys were just putting the finishing touches to the top of the canal wall. Cement with rocks pushed into it.

We walked along the road to the fall and had a look. Fascinating the way the water exits the rock wall ¾ of the way down.

Met a group of teachers and one guy chatted to us for a while. The first foreigner he had spoken to in english…

We continued along the road to a track then a very small bridge and a deep narrow fast flowing river which we could have forded with some work but we had no conviction the track went very much further anyway, so we found a flat spot and called it a day.

Nice cool breeze coming off the river, actually it was quite cool.

189km

Campsite

2019-06-17 Day 263 Mon

Realising that we could continue on the white road and loop back to the main one saving ourselves 5 km but taking no doubt twice the time. A good decision. Saw these ladies cutting either thistles or a crop.

Taking a short cut we ended up entering the village from the back.

Came across this guy with unique guttering. Running the water down these joined plastic bottles to tanks.

Very friendly guy that told us stuff for 5 mins without us understanding a word!

Drove through the town and were balked at the bridge until we got out and checked the “lack of road” for strength. One side was a bit dodgy so crossed closer to the other side. All good.

The houses are made of dry stacked rocks then rendered….

Around the other side of the lake and back through a check point then onto the main road again. A nice detour.

Saw a couple of Ruskies on bikes. There is a bit more movement in the landscape than the last week or three. Stopped at a river for a lunch and to soak our feet in the very cold water.

Just before Termez we stopped to visit the Buddhist Monastery of Termez. Very different and interesting.

Gold foil left by Japanese Buddhist delegates

Several groups stopped us for photographs... Feels a bit like China again.

Then we ventured into “old Termez” wow what lovely gardens. We wondered around enjoying the gardens then entered a mausoleum. There seemed to be other buildings and a museum but we did not know what so we decided to move on.

It was still over 40℃.

We stopped at a gas station and asked for diesel not here. A friendly guy in a car said follow him. We followed him to two gas stations and found diesel 600som/litre put 40 litres in. Now we can explore the region comfortably.

We dropped by Kyrk Kyz fortress even though it was after 6pm and we assumed closed but no the gates were open so went for a wonder around. Has had some restoration so we can see what it was like. Nice to have the place to ourselves.

All of the buildings have been in mud brick and after a while they just dissolve back to mud.

Heading north we pulled off and camped over looking a lake. The internet aerial was just behind us but we had poor reception. It seems we can have 4g 5bar but still have not enough through put to make a call.

A quiet night and a romantic full moon.

260km

Campsite

2019-06-16 Day 262 Sun

Made use of the internet. It was fast. Got some photos uploaded and some blogs ready for john to edit and post.

Southeast again, Saw the same “tanks” being transported as the other day.

Before arriving in Termez we stopped at a gas station to ask for diesel they had none but the young guy jumped in the passenger seat and I drove us around to another one that we had already driven past. Filled up with diesel for 600 per litre then took the young guy back. We asked if he had water John and the elder guy ferried the water from the well while I held the funnel. The young guy hauled the water from the well into the bottles. When we were full I asked them if we could borrow some of their spacious concrete and shade to exchange tires. All good.

So John and I rotated the tires again. I think they were a bit amazed that I got in and did my part. John and I have quiet the routine going now. It was still hot but not unbearable in the shade. The young lad had trouble with me kneeling on the concrete putting jack in place so handed me a cushion!!!

A bus load of young ladies arrived and were introduced to us. I showed them inside all 7 of us together!! We left the young lad with a roo and headed on out.

An unused aqueduct.

Just before dusk we found ourselves passing unstopped through a military post then past a dam wall and up into the hills. Finding a perch past all the villages on a small track that crested a pass. A lovely quiet spot. But such a long day.

221km

Campsite

2019-06-15 Day 261 Sat

The wind got up in the night and the surf rolled in all of 10" high but quite noisy and raised the level of the water so we were now perched half as far from the water as last night. And the water was all mud colored. A little army colored jeep came in early and checked us our. It came back about 10ish. The wind had died down a bit by now and the surf had backed off. I went out to say hello but they were interested in a guy in the water swimming in with a couple of floats. It appeared that the floats wee holding up a sugar sack of fish and the net. I was not allowed to take a photo but was given four fish for dinner….

I gutted and beheaded the fish then we drove back into Bukhara.

We got stopped at the train crossing for about 10 minutes. They have steel parts in the road that hydraulic up that is another barrier to not being able to cross as well as the boom gate. A little man in his “office” sits there and pushes the buttons or pulls the leaver when a train is coming. Doesn’t seem automated.

We found a paid park in Bukhara. At what we thought was 5000som an hour AU$1. Just feels a little safer leaving the vehicle.

Wondered around visiting a few of the sites. Checked out a few carpet shops again. Just looking and dreaming…. One day. We walked a little from the main tourist area and had lunch opposite the castle.

We paid AU$6 each to enter the castle. Not much of the walled area appeared to be open to public. Saw a few different museums coins, nature.

Back to EC paying our 5000som AU$1 for the 4 hours.

The embroidered silk jackets were beautiful but sadly no room in EC

A lovely spot for lunch

Heading south east towards Termez, the map showed a track leading our to the lake. We would not make the lake but thought we would be able to camp on the track. However the start of the track had shut gates and a no stopping sign on it. We noticed a small flat section down by the canal so went to the nearby house to ask if OK. They were fine with it so we camped below road level next to the canal. Some other guys came by and John went and spoke them. One guy was the guy with the gate key he was letting a vehicle through. They seemed all happy with us being there. No Internet.

Was just starting the dishes when a real aggro guy came along shouting at us from the top of the bank. John went up to him to be told we had to leave right now and we can’t be there. He was very very angry, but indicated the other side was OK and this side had a no stopping sign see, 20m away on the gate. John said we needed 15 minutes to get packed up but he was not happy with that.

Half way through packing up he started yelling again.

He just had to wait, then we needed to turn in the dark which took a few more minutes. We had no idea why he was so angry or way we needed to move.

Across the bridge and down the other side a couple of km’s to perch above the canal at road level.

I was about to climb in the shower when a car stopped beside us and 4 guys got out. One introduced himself as a detective and he had some English, the other a uniformed cop, some-one else and yes our aggro friend from the other side of the canal. The detective was nice and friendly asked what we were doing checked our passports couldn’t or wouldn’t tell us why the other guy was so aggro. The detective was OK with us staying the night and as they left Mr Aggro was still having a go at the cops…….

Finally a shower and a collapse into bed.

He kinda did us a favor as we had good internet.

103km

Campsite

2019-06-14 Day 260 Fri

John had heard lots of animals over the ridge moving our way and we could see 8 cattle moving west over the plains, then our friend arrived back on his trusty steed. He must have been thinking of us during the night as he had a lot of questions for John.

The animals go out for a few hours come home for a drink then venture our again for more foraging. Not at all sure what they find to eat here.

Our friend left again and we packed and drove on down past his home. He lives here 2 week's on and off. Shared with his brother. When we got to his abode there was a flock of some 100 sheep and goats making their way to the water.

We followed the track across the flats and soon came to pavement.

Making our way through a very hot Bukhara I went to Beeline and put another 4GB on our internet. Cost 55000 AU$10.00 John withdrew another AU$200 local cash from within Infinbank.