2017/09/08

Day 41: Langar - Khorog

One should have much more time for such a journey. There are so many things left unanswered. I would love to stay here and there and get more in contact with the people. The people are very friendly, all cheerful waving when you're passing by.

At the breakfast I'm talking with a Japanese guy, who's travelling with the taxi. Hitch-hiking is not possible here, there are too few cars driving through the Wakhan Valley. After breakfast, I chat with Stephen, one of the guys who participates at the Mongolia Rally. He collects a small video statement from me, about which route I have driven and so on. And then a small French car has to be manouvered across the small creek, which is crossing the road to the hotel.

I fuel up at the next "gas station", this time from buckets or canisters with the use of a funnel - hope the gas is ok. Perhaps I would have made it to the next bigger town without refueling since I also carry a 3l-canister. However, only a few kilometers ahead I use that spare gas to fuel up a vehicle, which is on the roadside and people there gesture to me, that they are out of fuel. But I suspect that it is rather a scam to get fuel for free, because they don't offer to pay for the fuel and I run into the same situation a second time this day. My second good deed for the locals today is to help to fix a flat tire with roughener and glue for the patch, as well with the use of my small compressor.

I got the info that there are hot springs nearby. On the road up there you pass an old fortress, which is very picturesque. At the source I have pay 10 Som, probably 60 cent entrance fee (I am quite confused with all these different exchange rates already), but I only have 6 Som small change and they can change my notes, so I'm allowed to pass for the 6 Som. There are two entrances for males and females and I of course take the wrong entry, because it's nothing marked, and so I frighten a few women. The basin is about 3x4 m and the water is really hot. It is not possible to stay longer than 10 minutes in there. After two days without a hotel shower, it nevertheless love it.

This part of the valley is more densely populated. You ride along fields where people work. It is however rather poorly here, the field work is all handwork. Unfortunately, I can not communicate, I can neither speak the local spoken Farsi nor Russian, which many people are able to speak. During the tire patch, a young girl obviously did understand me and did some translations from English.

The children mostly wear school uniform, the girls like to have white loops in their hair, which looks a bit like Mickey Mouse. But at least something is being done for education.

There are also official border crossings to Afghanistan. But I feel not in need of an Afghan stamp in the passport.

The road is not always easy to ride, partly sandy again. But the sand is a bit more firm, more compressed, and so you don't dig into immediately. I'm doing a lot of photos today. The landscape is so gigantic and impressive. And the view on the Afghan side is also exciting.

In Khorog I stay at the well known Pamir Lodge. A travelers' meeting point. On the road I met a group of three Russians today, two of them women. And here is a squad of Polish people on six fat, new BMWs, which are a bit noisy. The lodge is nice, but a little spartan with regard to the sanitary facilities.

I don't walk far for the dinner. I'm too exhausted and not really receptive enough to take a closer look at Khorog. So I just have dinner and some shopping.

Tomorrow I want to continue towards Dushanbe. I will take the southern route from Kaleikhum via Kolub (the northern route is very bad, I've heard), but I will probably not make it to Dushanbe. Still have to do some repairs on the bike - Stephen gave me some longer cable ties in the morning, the tires must be fastened in an different way after my last fall. Unfortunately I have the impression that the startor makes problems, but perhaps the bike doesn't like the altitude.