Feckinirish's travel blogs:
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Owww...cramps in me ass
Entry 38 of 87 | show all | print this entry |
On thursday morning, we get up earlyto get a taxi to the north of the country.We get a good deal(we didnt have to bargain...how is this possible??)for 120somani (about 35euro for a 10hr..or so we think..journey). Now we were in a MitibushiPajero 4WD jeep. Good machine...should be able to handle the roads fine. We have to back track through the Anzob pass again.In our machine we had 3 local women, one with a baby, a teenager guy and some friend of the driver up front. Myself and Paula get squashed into the back with all the bags and the young fella.It was grand and comfy...at the begining. The 3 local women were extremely friendly offering us loads of food and trying their best to communicate.The guy beside us, was a bit shy and hadnt a word of english.4hrs in and we were sprawled out onto a carpet (this is how they eat) drinking loads of tea and chewing on that tasty wheel sized nan bread and a bowl of the finest laughman.
http://picasaweb.google.com/feckinirish/RoadToNorthTajikista n/photo#5073989486578881474
At Ayni(just under half way distance wise - 5hrs in) we get stopped by the police - feckers are checking all the time in this country. They give out to me and Paula coz our visa has only 3 days left (yes...but still IN DATE!). Just trying to get money of us...the ladies stand up for us..and we move on. Its all fine up to now, going very fast(coz of the 4WD - the only way to go) and seemingly ahead of schedule. Doh...Rockfall ahead! Everyone gets out of their cars and no one is complaining.It looks like this is a common thing..they are all having a chat..like it was a social thing(think:outsidesunday mass). Takes ages to get it sorted coz the Hymac has to squeeze through all the cars and trucks to get to the fall. 30mins later- its sorted. Doh!...rockfall!..cleared...Doh!...rockfall!...anyway you get the idea. 4 rockfalls later and we are still waiting. Amazing scenery , shear drops, lose rocks and roads hardlyholding on are the subjects of the day. One fall causes loads of littledelays coz sometimesthe "road" is only one lane wide and now we had become a convoy of about 30 cars and 10 trucks going one way. Slightly less going the the other direction. As I write this, its a complete standstill and its just got dark - not good. Lots of people trying to figure out how to pass each other - major logistical feat now (jayus this happens everyday!). My ass is just screaming with pain. One truck has to reverse..three cars gotta go forward, this car has to wait...etc etc..its hard to imagine the confuzion. First half of the drive took 5hrs, now we were 10hrsinto the journey and we were not even at the top of the pass on this half- close though....
(written a few days later)
...Well I thought we were close. We were climbing for ages more. It was such a relief when we stopped climbing. The trucks coming from the north were causing all sorts of blockages. Eventually we could see the town lights in the distance (and there was much rejoicing - in my head anyway)...but no..it wasnt our town, and THEN, we start to climb again..ARRRGH...it wanst that much this time (only half an hr or so..irish mountain size). After a little piss stop, where the women just lifted their dresses up beside the lads and squatted away.U could see a good clear sky though...is that the moon?
15hrs after we had left Dushanbe (i.e. its now 1 AM) we arrived in the townof Isvantarshan(or Uroteppaas its known). Oh yeah forgot one thing - coming into the townwas via amuddy track and off that an even muddy....tbc
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