A really nice quiet night but warming quickly in the morning, so we moved early
and stopped beside the river to catch up on a few things and have
lunch. A few guys had been swimming off the bridge and came to visit.
We packed up, parked on the bridge and went swimming with them. At their encouragement we dove off the bridges support to their amazement. I had a swimming
race with a lithe 17year old, certainly technique played more than
it’s share of the part. It was a tie but I am so unfit…. John had
an underwater race with him and JA won by 4 meters or so, until the
reeds made him surface.
We
moved on, arriving at Uchquduq (what a great name) to learn that
there was no diesel but some at Zarafshan another 90km south East.
This is a nose Bolt!!
Just
before Zarafshan the road was being resurfaced. We had never seen it
done like this. Flat pools full with tar catching all the animals
that moved in the night so sad to see.
We
found a restaurant which was amazingly fancy gilded ceilings and flash
seats. Had a good lunch and had enough for a doggy bag. Dinner!
We
managed to buy diesel in Zarafshan - 60 litres at 600som or AU$1.20/litre.
These horses were magnificently "dressed"
We left the main road and wandered into a archeology site but recent history. The town had this great cemetery.
Continuing
south we wanted to get to lake Ayakagytma but the roads all came in
from the east which was to far for tonight.
I
had the idea of following train tracks, it took us a while to find
the beginning of the track but then we were off at speed. We took the
better road and veered away from the tracks which deposited us nicely
above but west of the lake. We sat outside in the gathering dusk
enjoying the desert view and cooler breeze.
Upon
hearing donkey snorts and footsteps we awaited the visitor. The guy
and donkey came over the rise ahead of us, hobbled his untrusty steed,
and came to talk to us. He chatted with John a while then took his
leave. He comes from the house below.
307km
307km