I
woke about 6am with the thought that I had not paid the Prado’s
rego in Australia. With the limited internet connection it took me more than one
hour to check that a payment had not been set up then to set one up
with added complications of switching my anz shield code to my new
phone…..
I
managed to get a set of photos on one page of the blog over the next
hour while chatting to john Yeo and completing a DuoLingo Russian
lesson.
We
left about 10, just after two motorcycles went past followed by the
side car.
The grave yard had this hair tied to the poles. Looked a bit like scalps the Indians used to take.
It
was a lumpy but interesting drive to the border.
Huge
river flats full of blue gravel that are feed by a small narrow
stream… Not sure that either of us understood that.
The
Fence to keep a zone free area to the Chinese border was in most part
intact but for a stretch past the town it looked like some of the
poles had been pilfered for a better use.
The
exit from Tajikistan was easy and I managed all the paperwork. I was asked to leave my boots at the door but as it was warm in the first
office it didn't matter. His sleeping quarters were in another room
and a kitchen was curtained off.
The
whole area was very sad looking with broken down buildings and very
uneven road which obviously gets very muddy.
A
brand new row of about 10 solar panels was being installed so maybe
their life will improve. It seems on our travels that the staff at the
border crossings get very little comfort.
The
second” office” was cooler but the hut did have a smoking chimney
so his living quarters were warm.
Up to the pass and the two posts. The Goat is in Kyrgyzstan and the map in Tajikistan
The way down can be quiet slippery if wet.
Through
and onwards or should I say downwards from here 4285m altitude it is all down
hill to Osh the capital about 230km away.
These two lads were trying to stop vehicles and invite them into the Homestay for chai.
A
very rough road down to the Kyrkystan checkpoint some 15km. We had to
wait in line to get through so we had lunch a hastily thrown together
potato salad. We were behind a couple of Swiss who had cycled to
Kazakstan then bought a van and were touring about.
Our turn, passports stamped then we entered the offoiceforthvehicle. John had to do this as his name on the rego. All done the guy was joking lots then said we had to hand the paper into the russian customs when we left russia as kyrkistan,kazakstan and russia have a customs union agreement. All good till he said w ehad one month to exit Russia, we baulked and said we needed 3 months and he laughed and said we had a year.
Yurts yaks goats and rain.
I
woke about 6 with the thought that I had not paid the prado’s
rego. With the limited internet E connection it took me more than one
hour to check that a payment had not been set up then to set one up
with added complications of switching my anz shield code to my new
phone…..
I managed to get a set of photos on one page of the blog over the next hour while chatting to john Yeo and completing a duolingo Russian lesson.
We
left about 10, just after two motorcycles went past followed by the
side car.
The grave yard had this hair tied to the poles. Looked a b it like scalps the Indians used to take.
It
was a lumpy but interesting drive to the border.
Huge
river flats full of blue gravel that are feed by a small narrow
stream… Not sure that either of us understood that.
The
Fence to keep a zone free area to the chinese border was in most part
intact but for a stretch past the town it looked like some of the
poles had been pilfered for a better use.
The
exit from Tajikistan wass easy and I managed all the paperwork. I wa
sasked to leave my boots at the door but as it was warm in the first
office it didnt matter. His sleeping quarters were in another room
and a kitchen was curtained off.
The
whole area was very sad looking with broken down buildings and very
uneven road which obviously gets very muddy.
A
brand new row of about10 solar panels was being installed so maybe
their life will improve. It seems n our travels that the staff at the
border crossings get very little comfort.
The
second” office” was cooler but the hut did have a smoking chimney
sohis living quarters were warm.Up to the pass and the two posts. The Goat is in Kyrgyzstan and the map in Tajikistan
The way down can be quiet slippery if wet.
Through
and onwards or should I say downwards from here 4285 it is all down
hill to Osh the capital about 230km away.
These two lads were trying to stop vehicles and invite them into the Homestay for chai
A
very rough road down to the Kyrkystan checkpoint some 15km. We had to
wait in line to get through so we had lunch a hastily thrown together
potato salad. We were behind a couple of Swiss who had cycled to Kazakhstan then bought a van and were touring about.
Our turn, passports stamped then we entered the office for the vehicle. John had to do this as his name on the rego. All done the guy was joking lots then said we had to hand the paper into the Russian customs when we left Russia as Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia have a customs union agreement. All good till he said we had one month to exit Russia, we balked and said we needed 3 months and he laughed and said we had a year.
Yurts yaks goats and rain.
Of
down the bumpy road all the way to Sary-Tash. We changed our Tajik
money into local at the gas station then they let us use their wifi.
It started to rain the first for a while.
John
downloaded the contour lines for kyrg and I rang Muff. We had a good
chat and caught up on the gossip.
I
spoke to a Spanish guy looking for a lift to Tajikistan he told us of
a good spot to see - Lenin Peak.
Plans changed and we left drove the 25km west then
south 20kms on a two wheel track - a fast one and the smoothest road for
the last 2 weeks!!
A
beautiful camp just by the lake in rolling hills at the foot of the
unseen mountains. It was still drizzling and cloud/mist was covering
the mountains and Lenin peak.
