Pamir Highway: Part Two

View of the Wakhan Valley in Afghanistan

Day Four - Alichur to Langar

Giant hole in the road from Alichur to Langar.

This year Tajikistan has had an unusually high amount of rain, resulting in land slides, erosion and the closure of the road between Khorog and Murgab. Driving in heavy rain can be hazardous but thankfully the weather was clear for us.

After much swerving and avoiding of crevices, we eventually came to the serene Lake Bulunkul. There was no one else was there so we took the opportunity to soak in the beautiful scene and listen to the birds. The lake was very still and reflected the white clouds and blue sky like a mirror.

Although I wouldn't recommend camping here as the place is swarming with mosquiotes, hence why I'm wearing my puffy jacket.

We backtracked to the highway and kept our eyes open for cairns signalling the start of the walk up 'Panorama Ridge'. This is a steep, two hour ascent with mountain views of China, Afghanistan, Pakistan and, of course, Tajikistan.

The hike was not easy as we were up pretty high (maybe around 5,000m) so I was severely short of breath before the walk even got steep. Towards the top, I had to stop every ten metres just to slow my heart rate down. Any secret fantasies I had of one day being a mountaineer were severely dashed along with my ego. I was sorely tempted to turn around on multiple occasions but my pride wouldn't let me. My perseverance eventually paid off when, after two hours of hard climbing, I reached the top and was rewarded with stunning views.

Kevin sitting by a cairn enjoying the panorama.

The descent was significantly faster than the ascent, and after spending some time at the top we were back in the car within 20 minutes.

Before long we called a stop again so we could take photos of the stunning Wakhan Valley. 

The Wakhan River provides a natural border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. It's exciting to be so close to a country that's so inaccessible at the moment. It's also incredibly beautiful. Not only is Afghanistan visible, but the snow-capped Hindu Kush mountain range in Pakistan also be seen beyond the Afghan mountains, as in the above photo.

These views were my favourite section of our journey and I had to stop myself from constantly asking Danier to keep pulling over for photos.

After driving across bare and rocky landscape all day it was a startling change to drive into the very green town of Langar.

The town is really beautiful and you will be tempted to stay more than one night. Unfortunately, the locals are very used to tourists and they will make every effort to relieve you of your money. We had a somewhat bad experience with Nigina Homestay and soon learned we were not the only ones. Another traveller had found the host stealing money from their luggage, and others commented that they just generally felt unwelcome.

However not everyone is looking to take your money and some locals just want to have their photo taken. Like these lovely ladies.

Day Five - Langar to Yumchun Fort

Before leaving town we took a short walk to the cemetery. It's on the side of a hill and you can keep walking up to a bunch of petroglyphs in the caves above. Apparently it is difficult to tell the originals from the more recent graffiti left by vandals.

Our first stop was at a Buddhist stupa (pyramid looking thing) in Vrang. Only a short walk from the road, it was well worth the side trip.

After admiring the view of town and taking lots of photos we headed back to the car. Only to find it less one tyre and Danier with spanner in hand.

'No problem, no problem', he reassured us.

Thirty minutes later the tyre was back on and we were back on the road.

There are many ruins and old forts along the Pamir Highway but Yamchun Fort is supposed to be the most scenic and, I must admit, I was pretty impressed.

To get there it's 6km of very steep switchbacks all the way up. But once you get to the top the lookout is remarkable.

If you keep driving past the fort you reach Bibi Fatima Hot Springs. This is the best hot springs I've ever been to. Even though it's enclosed it still feels really wild and natural. There are several rooms to bathe in (men and women separate, and private or public) but the quality of the spring you get is just a matter of luck. The room I went to was a public one and was built into the side of a waterfall. The hot water cascades down the side of a rocky mossy wall into the pool below where there were many naked women. Women come here to boost their fertility, maybe because many of the calcite rocks in the hot springs look like parts of the female anatomy. I tried to take a photo but because of all the steam and naked people it was rather difficult.

We stayed the night at Charshanbe homestay, the main room of which was set up in typical Pamiri style. It had a lot of character and many carpets on the floors and walls.

Day Six - Yamchun Fort to Khaakha Fort.

We had planned to spend the following night in the town of Ishkashim, but had been recommended a cool homestay that prior to Ishkashim, right next to the historic Khaakha Fort.

We had been told the place was called Intizor, but we didn't quite know what to expect. As we pulled up at the entrance we were a little wary, as it looked a little old and run down. But looks can be deceiving, as it turned out to be the best homestay of the whole trip.

We were greeted by our crazy host, a middle aged man and his young family. Soon after we arrived the son changed into traditional Afghan dress...

And then our host insisted we dress up! How could we refuse...

Kevin, me and Claire.

Our host was so animated and full of life, he loved shaking our hands and slapping us on the back. His poor wife was often shaking her head at his antics and secretly smiling once he turned his back.

Our host family

They were so hospitable they insisted on killing a goat in our honour. I felt bad that the family would make such a sacrifice for us until I witnessed the killing of the goat. Then I felt bad for the goat.

Host after slaughtering the goat. With a trail of blood on the ground.

After our delicious dinner the party really started. As soon as it got dark, out came the boom box and the disco lights. I don't know where they got this equipment from but it felt like we were at a blue light disco from the 90's instead of in the remote Pamirs. Our host hit the dance floor showing us some Afghan dance moves. He tried in vain to get us up dancing too, but we were too stuffed full of goat to contemplate movement.

Day seven - Khaakha Fort to Khorog.

Sadly today was our last day on the Pamir trip. We woke to the sound of rain on our tents. It wasn't much of a sight seeing day as it was cold and wet, so we drove directly to Khorog which was relatively short journey.

Khorog is the gateway to the Pamirs, as most tourists start from here and head east, instead of what we did. There is an organisation in town called PECTA, which has a range of resources to help those heading out to the Pamir.

Danier took us to the Pamir Lodge where there were more cyclists than the Tour de France. It is a busy place full of lots of adventurous types. Lots of tents on the lawn and people sleeping on the balcony. It was a bit hectic for Kevin so he decided to stay somewhere a bit quieter, and closer to town and food.

This was the official end of our journey together. It was a sad goodbye, especially to our driver Danier who was fantastic.

Pamir Highway: Part One

The picturesque Tulpur-Kul in Kyrgyzstan.

We stayed in Osh for two nights before hitting the Pamir Highway with our new travel buddy, Kevin from Canada. 

Claire was still feeling unwell but she seemed to be on the improve, having had a few days of rest in Osh.

As soon as we had arrived at the hostel we had written a message on the white board in the courtyard seeking fellow travellers to share a car and the costs of travelling the Pamir Highway.

On our second day, I was hand washing our clothes in the Biy Ordo Hostel laundry when a guy came in and asked 'Are you Chelsea or Claire?'

This was Kevin. He was also wanting to do the route from Osh to Khorog in a 4WD and was looking for fellow travellers to cut costs. He had a proposed itinerary from Osh Guesthouse which included the Ishkashim Saturday market, which Claire was really keen to see. But to get there in time we would have to leave tomorrow. Eek! We didn't have a fourth person to split costs and the quote was US$1,107.85 for the car, driver (including food and board), fuel, and return fuel costs. We had received quotes from two other agencies which were cheaper, but they wanted us to go to Khorog in two days and we wanted a longer trip.

We decided to go with the proposed itinerary from Osh Guesthouse, hoping to pick up a fourth traveller in Murgab. That way, we could start our adventure as soon as possible rather than hang around Osh waiting.

Day One - Osh to Tulpur-Kul

We were picked up promptly at 6:30am by our lovely driver, Danier, and by the time we paid and loaded our gear in the car it was already 7am. A surprisingly smooth five hours later we had arrived at Tulpur-Kul, a lake at the base of Lenin Peak, which stands at 7,134m. The peak is a very popular climb for mountaineers and apparently one of the easiest 7000ers in the world.

There were two or three yurts by the lake and a couple of tents pitched. I spoke briefly to the campers, and they told us they had been there for a horse festival that had taken place at the lake the day before. We had been told that CBT were organising something but unfortunately hadn't made it in time. The campers said around 1,000 people attended and it was a real culture shock. The local horsemen played polo with a goat's head and the festival ended with a brawl. I don't think Claire was sad to have missed it.

Day Two - To Murgab via Sary Moghul

We rose early with beautiful morning views.

Then we headed to Sary Moghul for a quick look around town and to meet the locals.

Soon we were back on the road and heading towards the Tajikistan border. Other travellers had warned us that border officials may search our bags, phones and Kindles, so I diligently deleted everything off my devices that could have caused problems. Anything religious or political. I'm glad to say I didn't have any porn that needed deleting but if you're that way inclined, make sure it's all gone.

The Kyrgyz-Tajik border is a stunning border crossing. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of it because the men with guns were making me a little nervous. Claire did manage to snap this photo just as we were entering Tajikistan, though.

I'm glad our driver was with us or else I would have been totally confused with showing our passports to several different people within such close distance to one another. And that was just to get out of Kyrgyzstan. Once they stamped our passports, we drove for about twenty minutes before reaching the Tajikistan border. Who owns that land in between? I have no idea.

To my surprise, getting into Tajikistan was just as smooth as leaving Kyrgyzstan. Again, we showed our passport to several different people in close proximity to one another. They stamped it and off we went. I deleted my controversial books for nothing!

The terrain from here to Murgab is incredibly different to Kyrgyzstan. It's rocky and desolate, just like a moonscape. Not at all green like Kyrgyzstan. The Chinese border was on our left for most of the drive. A tall fence with barbed wire sat next to the road blocking China's Pamir mountain range. At several points there were wide gaps in the fence, but I suppose the mountains provide more of a natural barrier than any fence could.

Murgab is the closest thing I've seen to a post-apocalyptic civilisation. The houses are white or mudbrick with low roofs, weak lighting and satellite dishes. As with so many of the houses in Tajikistan, though, while the outside may look stark and desolate, the insides are warm and inviting. Our guesthouse even had a western toilet.

Murgab

Unfortunately, we didn't find a third travel buddy in Murgab to share costs, but I'm glad it was just the three of us. We had to pay more, but we had more space in the car, and could be more flexible with our itinerary only having to please three people instead of four.

Day Three - Murgab to Alichur

Claire's sickness had persisted, so we took the opportunity while we were in a town to go to the doctor. I'm guessing the only doctor in town was at the hospital because our driver took us to the emergency department, which looked more like someone's lounge room. 

The medical resources looked a little dated... or like props from the TV show M.A.S.H.

The doctor finally arrived wearing a white coat, glasses and a moustache. The nurse relayed Claire's symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea and the doctor wrote on a scrap piece of paper the name of some antibiotics.

The pharmacy was across the road, but we had to wait another thirty minutes for it to open. Claire bought her medication, we grabbed some food from the bazaar and then were back on the road.

The original plan for the day was to do a hike in the Pshart Valley, which looked pretty amazing. But the weather was looking a bit wet and the pass was around 4800m so we decided to give it a miss. Instead we drove through the impressive Kurteskei Valley, headed for the Shakhty petroglyphs.

It's a short but steep climb up the hill before spotting this ancient cave painting of a boar hunt.

I'm not that into history or archaeology, so I was far more impressed by the view of our tiny 4WD in the valley from the petroglyph cave.

From here it's a short drive to the Shor-Bulak observatory which doesn't appear to be in use anymore. But it was an interesting site to take a quick look at.

There was a bit of confusion at this point as we wanted to get back onto the highway by doing a loop, but the driver insisted we had to go back to the way we came because he didn't know the way forward. That was ok with me as the Kurteskei Valley was so beautiful I was happy to see it again.

Back on the highway we made a short detour to visit the little town of Bash Gumbaz where there is a Chinese tomb. Unfortunately, the bridge to get there had either been washed away, collapsed or never existed in the first place. Claire and I decided to stay behind and explore the town while Kevin went the remaining 3km on foot.

The town was set below large scree slopes in a treeless valley, and the mud brick houses had low ceilings and no shade.

Even though it looks barren, dry and not dissimilar to a moonscape, I loved it. The was something about the solitude and simplicity of the town that was beautiful.

Kevin returned after an hour and showed us pictures of the tomb which looked like a little mudbrick minaret. Very cute. The day was getting away from us so we pressed on.

After being back on the highway for 30 minutes or so our driver pulled over next to a large pond. We had no idea why we'd stopped. He threw a few bread crumbs into the irradescant blue water and soon a school of fish emerged.

After consulting the Lonely Planet I realised we were at Ak-Balyk, a holy pond and a fish restaurant disguised as a home. I was getting a bit peckish so we decided to splurge and order some fish.

It was heavily fried which isn't usually my preference but it tasted great.

Back on the road again after our next stop was Alichur, where we would be staying the night. There isn't much in Alichur but our driver took us to a lovely homestay that had a yurt in the back yard. It was a very windy night but Claire and I were keen to camp anyway. We had a look around and found some old ruins which offered good protection from the wind and pitched for the night.

The next day we planned to head to Langar, with four days on the Pamir still ahead of us, including the Wakhan Valley. I can hardly wait!

Welcome to Bishkek, baby!

After a one night layover in Bangkok and a brief plane change in Singapore and Almaty, we arrived in Bishkek. We had our concerns whether we would even get this far, especially when checking in at Bangkok for our flights to Almaty and Bishkek.

After giving our passports and plane tickets to the lady at the Astana Air counter we were asked a dozen questions. "Where is your visa?", to which we replied, "We don't need a visa for Kyrgyzstan". Then she asked for proof of where we were staying in Bishkek. Thankfully, I had made an online booking on one of those rare occasions when we had reception in the Kimberley. "This is only for two nights. Where are you going after that?" We explained that we were unsure because we were applying for visas in Bishkek and didn't know how long that would take, or whether we'd even be successful. She asked for proof of our departure from Kyrgyzstan. We didn't have any, but I did have my plane ticket from Almaty to Tbilisi in Georgia for September 27th. After showing her our home-brewed Excel itinerary on Google Docs (which I'm sure impressed her immensely, as she took a photo of it on her phone), she was pleased enough and allowed us to board the plane. She recommended we book some accommodation in Tajikistan to show to Kyrgyzstan Customs on arrival. We quickly rushed to the airport's info desk to find out how to access the free wifi, found a nice spot on the floor (seriously, how can an airport the size of Suvarnabhumi not have any seats??), struggled to get our phones connected to the wifi, then finally booked an overpriced hostel in Dushanbe (capital Tajikistan).

As fate would have it, when entering Kyrgyzstan we weren't asked a single question about how long we are staying, where we are staying, proof of departure, or anything else.

Air Astana flight Almaty to Bishkek.

Once exiting the departure gate in Bishkek we were swarmed by taxi drivers. I was keen to get a local sim card for my phone and had learned there was a provider called Megacom at the arrival gate (the only provider in the terminal, as far as I could tell). Although the man at the Megacom counter was initially a little reserved, he turned out to be a great guy. His name was Maks and he had some family near Lake Issyk-Kol he said we could stay with. He said he thought we were crazy for arriving at Bishkek airport without speaking the language and with no one to pick us up.

After been interrupted several times by a drunk taxi driver (who Maks assured me was harmless, but perhaps not a reliable driver), I purchased a prepaid sim with unlimited internet for 30 days for 600 som, which is roughly $12 Australian dollars. The reception and speed has been great thus far.

We also had to change some money and get some som, as none of the money changers in Darwin had any. Thankfully, with the aid of a calculator, this process was very straight forward.

After much haggling with the taxi drivers we were able to negotiate a ride down from 600 som to 400 som. Local buses stop running to the airport after 7.30pm and it was now after 8pm, so a taxi was our only option for the 30km drive to town.

By the time we got dropped off to our accommodation it was around 9pm and getting dark. After much ferreting around the back streets of where the taxi driver pulled up we eventually found the Bishkek Guesthouse. We had found out about it on Hostel World and booked it based on the price more than anything else. It wasn't until the next day when I was flicking through the Lonely Planet that I found this very accurate description of the Guesthouse: 'Ragged and high in a truly dismal apartment block.' It's actually just a regular three-bedroom apartment that has been converted into a 'Guesthouse'.

The problem is the manager doesn't say no to any potential guests, so people roll out hiking mats on the lounge room floor or wherever they can squeeze. Twelve people to one bathroom was the tipping point for me. Having to hold it in for 30 minutes because you're third in line isn't cool. On the plus side, there were lots of cool travellers and it was nice to hear about some of the things we can expect to see and do in Kyrgyzstan. 

Bishkek Guesthouse apartment block.

Unfortunately, our main purpose in Bishkek is not sight-seeing, but lodging visa applications. Stay tuned to find out how that goes. It's going to be riveting!

1 day to departure.

Sunset at Mirima National Park, just outside of Kununurra.

We survived our three week outback adventure and have spent the last two days in Darwin getting ourselves organised. Or should I say getting myself organised. Claire has already had her vaccinations, told her bank she is heading overseas and has printed off some passport size photos for her visa applications. I, on the other hand, have not.

Little did I know three weeks before departure that the rabies vaccination is administered in three separate doses on day 0, 7 and 21-28. Each costing $125! Will I or won't I?? That is the question. I decided to have the first shot in Melbourne and try my luck with the others. It turns out I happened to be in Kununurra on day 7 and the pharmacy had the vaccination! Win.

After a quick dash to Kununurra hospital emergency department (it wasn't an emergency - it just happens to be where they administer the vaccination), I was injected with my second bout of Rabipur.

Now that I'm back in Darwin, I made some mad dash phone calls to order the vaccination and was finally injected with my third and final shot of Rabipur today. Talk about leaving things to the last minute! All I can say is, I'd better get bitten by a rabid dog to justify the $375 I've spent on this!

Other vaccinations recommend by travel doctors are Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Measles, Mumps and Rubella, Polio, Diphtheria and Tetanus, Varicella (chicken pox), Meningitis and Tick-Borne Encephalitis. Anti-malaria tablets are also recommended for southern Tajikistan. However, I've taken these before and didn't enjoy the side effects, so I'm giving those a miss and just going to risk it.

In Darwin we have been staying with a lovely chap named Tom who neither Claire or I had ever met before, but know of through a friend. He works for the Red Cross in the asylum seeker field and is a pretty awesome guy. Especially because he has allowed two strangers to stay in his spare room in his city apartment overlooking the water. Great way to end our time in Australia. Thanks Tom!

Claire at Purnululu National Park (also known as the Bungle Bungle).

7 days to departure!

Broome sunset.

I wish I could tell you things were more or less on track for our upcoming departure, but alas we are currently four-wheel driving in the Kimberley in Western Australia and the Top End of the Northern Territory. A beautiful place to spend three weeks with our friend Renton before departure, but not an ideal place to prepare for our epic hiking adventure in the Stans. Notice the lack of internet cafes below.

However, we have obtained a one-way ticket to Bishkek and written up a rough 30-day itinerary for Kyrgyzstan, so it's all systems go.

When first undertaking research on Central Asia over ten months ago we fast learned that visas were going to be our biggest headache. Kyrgyzstan is the only country for which we (as Australians) don't need a visa. The capital, Bishkek, is also home to various embassies where we will be obtaining our visas for Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. That is, if all goes according to plan.

So, fingers crossed we will be successful with visa applications in Bishkek or else we're kinda screwed...

Let the adventures begin!

'Where is Central Asia?' I hear you say. It's a good question and before a friend sent me a link to 'Morning views from the tent' by Oleg Grigoryev, featuring a photograph of the Fann Mountains in Tajikistan (pictured above), I had never heard of it. Central Asia (also known as the Stans) incorporates Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. And it is where my friend Claire and I will be venturing over the next three months (except Turkmenistan, because you are required to be accompanied by a guide the whole time, and that's not our style).

'Why write a blog?' you ask. Another good question. Is it because I have an over-inflated sense of ego? Yes. But more importantly it appears Central Asia is one of those 'less travelled' destinations and finding up-to-date information can been difficult. So, I thought I'd help a human out by blogging the facts, fun times and fascinating points for those intrepid travellers out there. Enjoy!