After arriving in Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s modern-ish capital, we find a vehicle for rent to travel the Pamir Highway. That seems to be what people do when visiting this part of the world (that is, people usually hire someone else to do the driving, but we value our independence), including cyclists that we can only surmise must have a streak of masochism a mile wide.
We come across a tank-like 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser. He’s a tough guy, and a Diesel, so we name him Vin.
If you want to know more about the Pamir Highway, there are plenty of documentaries on YouTube. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted.
Gradually, the quality of the surface degrades.
From time to time, we come across some stretches that are narrow tracks. Occasionally a giant truck appears around a bend, so someone has to move.
If you’re lucky, you’ll be close to a wide spot to pull into. Otherwise, you may have to reverse a bit down the guardrail-less mountain.
Another regular hazard are rockslides spilling down over the road, making the passage even narrower.
It’s the spectacular scenery that makes the minor hardship worthwhile.
On the other side of the Panj River is Afghanistan.
It’s always interesting to see what the neighbours are up to.
Across the river, a group of men are involved in some unidentified activity. Maybe a market for motorcycles?
We eventually cover two thousand KMs on this trip. The freedom to stop where we want is a bonus. Besides, we see 4X4s that we suspect are foreign tourists driven by locals who drive like madmen – not something we’d be comfortable doing.
Sight or Insight of the Day
After a few days of travel in Vin, we and our belongings are covered in dust. I wonder if Gurkha, the manufacturer of my travel bag, would be interested in using it in some promotional material?
It may look like it’s been through the wars, but it’s still in great shape.