Yes, lots of tunnel vision was needed for the long tunnels we rode through today.
But let’s start at the beginning
We leave Khujand and travel over two high mountain ranges to Dushanbe. Wow, “what a ride” as they say.
It is probably the most spectacular day’s ride we have ever done. The air was crystal clear (except in the tunnels where it was distinctly unclear!). As we leave Khujand the road gradually rises as if heading across the Canterbury plains.
It is always nice to talk to the locals and here we have pressed on us a pot of local honey. It won’t exactly be travelling to London with us.
Then it isto the hills. ‘Bigly’ as you might say.
The photos don’t really do it justice. And that is no reflection on Diana who takes all the photos. It is just the sheer grandeur is on a scale that cannot be fully captured on a camera. Soon we are at the first tunnel - the two and a half km Shahriston tunnel. It was long enough! Then we pop out into what can only be described as a spectacular descent into the valley below. There are no guard rails on the road. Diana holds on very tightly which is kinda nice. I felt it would be churlish of me to point out that if we go off the edge and plunge 1000m to the valley floor then holding tightly to me is not really going to affect the outcome.
As we come around a corner we come across a truck that has not quite made it. It was a carrying a load of eggs. That is rotten eggs to the side of the truck They stank !
I rode past carefully as if I was riding on egg shells !
Other trucks also come to grief
Then down to the valley floor
Through a small town and straight into the next valley and mountain pass and tunnel.
Elegance personified !
And then up to the next tunnel - the Anzob tunnel. This one was a whopper - well over 8 km long. It was poorly lit and unlit in some sections and it was full of putrid fumes that stung the eyes and made it very hard to see. One felt like wanting to wash ones lungs out after coming out. To make matters worse I seem to have blown a headlight bulb on the bike and hence I found I had a distinct lack of tunnel vision ( in this instance only !). It was’nt very nice at all
Then it is down the valley again.
And thus into Dushanbe
We have a day to look around the city
First stop is the “ tea house “. It is a government building. We wander round inside. Our jaws drop
Diana gets some ideas for home lighting
And the rooms were quite nice you might say. This must be a parliament type meeting room.
And this
I think the Stan’s might be trying to outdo each other with opulence and national statements
This idea is reinforced by the fact that this apparently used to be the world’s highest flagpole
And now Turkmenistan apparently has one that is 5 metres taller. Who said size doesn’t matter ?
Finally it is a look around the stunning museum. I find the whole history of this part of the world quite fascinating.
And now tomorrow. Uzbekistan - here come the Hubbards. Tomorrow we will be staying at a town right on the Afghanistan border and only 500 km north of Kabul. Then the following day we head north to the fabled city of Samarkand.
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