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Crossing the border to a bleak looking Tajikistan
Crossing the border to a bleak looking Tajikistan
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30km on, suddenly looks a little brighter...
30km on, suddenly looks a little brighter...
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Spot the Chinese soldier (thanks John!)
Spot the Chinese soldier (thanks John!)
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...or maybe not. By Lake Karakol
...or maybe not. By Lake Karakol
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A dust devil is the only thing to follow us down this road
A dust devil is the only thing to follow us down this road
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We wondered where the telegraph poles went too
We wondered where the telegraph poles went too
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Approaching Murghab, the regional capital
Approaching Murghab, the regional capital
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Good patriotic posters
Good patriotic posters
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At the money changers
At the money changers
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Amazingly, there's still a Lenin statue in Murghab
Amazingly, there's still a Lenin statue in Murghab
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Different CIS country, same police cars...
Different CIS country, same police cars...
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Cleaning a rug - a little futile, perhaps?
Cleaning a rug - a little futile, perhaps?
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Heading out of town towards Alichuur
Heading out of town towards Alichuur
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The 'Stinking Lake'
The 'Stinking Lake'
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No wonder this terrain can't support a population
No wonder this terrain can't support a population
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Heading up another high pass
Heading up another high pass
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Our kind hosts in Jelandy - Tajiks are incredibly hospitable people
Our kind hosts in Jelandy - Tajiks are incredibly hospitable people
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Another grateful hitch-hiker
Another grateful hitch-hiker
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Finally! Approaching Khorog, some colour...
Finally! Approaching Khorog, some colour...
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...and vegetation...
...and vegetation...
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...and trees
...and trees
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The first car to drive the Pamir Highway
The first car to drive the Pamir Highway
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A friendly Tajik girl at our guesthouse, Khorog
A friendly Tajik girl at our guesthouse, Khorog
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Looking across the Panj River to Afghanistan
Looking across the Panj River to Afghanistan
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Afghan road (donkey track) builders across the valley
Afghan road (donkey track) builders across the valley
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The Tajik/Afghan cross border bazaar
The Tajik/Afghan cross border bazaar
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Tajik lady at the bazaar
Tajik lady at the bazaar
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European features, its the gold teeth that give it away
European features, its the gold teeth that give it away
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Afghan traders...
Afghan traders...
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...with many different features
...with many different features
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Some old, some young
Some old, some young
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Always easy to spot the Russian blood though
Always easy to spot the Russian blood though
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Part of a 3rd century fort in the Wakhan Valley
Part of a 3rd century fort in the Wakhan Valley
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Deep in thought, overlooking the Wakhan Valley
Deep in thought, overlooking the Wakhan Valley
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Gateway to an ancient Sufi tomb
Gateway to an ancient Sufi tomb
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Meanderings of the Panj River, Wakhan Valley
Meanderings of the Panj River, Wakhan Valley
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The river looks bigger than it really is
The river looks bigger than it really is
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A hilltip citadel
A hilltip citadel
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Green slopes, but the weather's turning
Green slopes, but the weather's turning
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"So we have to get the Volga started before we can carry on, right?"
"So we have to get the Volga started before we can carry on, right?"
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Practising with a jezail, Vamg
Practising with a jezail, Vamg
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With Aydar in his traditional Pamiri house, Vamg
With Aydar in his traditional Pamiri house, Vamg
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Traditional Pamiri stove and cooking surface
Traditional Pamiri stove and cooking surface
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Quite a common decoration. Amazing there are any ibex or Marco Polo sheep left
Quite a common decoration. Amazing there are any ibex or Marco Polo sheep left
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Heading up to the Khargush Pass, looking over a snowy Afghanistan
Heading up to the Khargush Pass, looking over a snowy Afghanistan
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With John, at Khargush - the world's most remote checkpoint?
With John, at Khargush - the world's most remote checkpoint?
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Extraordinarily inhospitable
Extraordinarily inhospitable
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Back on the main road - lo and behold there's a Lada
Back on the main road - lo and behold there's a Lada
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Getting a lesson on the local flora
Getting a lesson on the local flora
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Having a late lunch with John
Having a late lunch with John
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Surprisingly sturdy footbridge over the Gunt River
Surprisingly sturdy footbridge over the Gunt River
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Heading west towards Kalaikum, downstream and more colourful
Heading west towards Kalaikum, downstream and more colourful
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Part of the gravity defying Afghan donkey track
Part of the gravity defying Afghan donkey track
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On our side of the road, the landslide defences are barely holding up
On our side of the road, the landslide defences are barely holding up
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A pretty and prosperous Afghan village
A pretty and prosperous Afghan village
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All sort of hazards coming up on this road...
All sort of hazards coming up on this road...
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Relic of the 1979 Russian invasion of Afghanistan
Relic of the 1979 Russian invasion of Afghanistan
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There are plenty of other more dangerous relics left
There are plenty of other more dangerous relics left
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Mud-brick Afghan houses
Mud-brick Afghan houses
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Celebrating our engagement with Baltika "9"
Celebrating our engagement with Baltika "9"
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And enjoying a brief patch of good road the next day
And enjoying a brief patch of good road the next day
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Towing Aziz and his pals
Towing Aziz and his pals
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And on our way to rescuing a stranded Chinese minivan in this mudslide
And on our way to rescuing a stranded Chinese minivan in this mudslide
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Salvaging one of our mudflaps, and getting grubby in the process
Salvaging one of our mudflaps, and getting grubby in the process
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Over lunch, with Aziz's driver
Over lunch, with Aziz's driver
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Stern looking bus driver, Dushanbe
Stern looking bus driver, Dushanbe
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North of Dushanbe, towards Istaravshan (we thought the worst was behind us!)
North of Dushanbe, towards Istaravshan (we thought the worst was behind us!)
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Everywhere, still good old Kamaz trucks
Everywhere, still good old Kamaz trucks
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Traditional blacksmiths in Istaravshan
Traditional blacksmiths in Istaravshan
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Evidently a much loved Lada
Evidently a much loved Lada
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Shashlik in Istaravshan's bazaar
Shashlik in Istaravshan's bazaar
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Istaravshan - a busy mix of Tajiks, Uzbeks and Russians
Istaravshan - a busy mix of Tajiks, Uzbeks and Russians
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The meat counter
The meat counter
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Local Uzbeks chatting
Local Uzbeks chatting
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Always the gold teeth!
Always the gold teeth!
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Fresh Tajik bread
Fresh Tajik bread
View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.nojobwilltravel.co.uk/new-image-gallery/turbulent-tales-in-tajikistan?print=1&tmpl=component#sigProId372ae5976d
https://www.nojobwilltravel.co.uk/new-image-gallery/turbulent-tales-in-tajikistan?print=1&tmpl=component#sigProId372ae5976d