11th August 2014       10-34’C      291km (14hrs) N39°6.8170′ – E67°51.2396′ – Dushanbe I was awake at 4:30am, just as it was beginning to become light. It was a cool 10’C, but I decided I would pack up camp and get moving early, with the objective of making it back to Dushanbe for lunch.  As it turned out, that plan was thwarted, and I didn’t even make it back for dinner. I packed and left the camp by the river at 7am, riding down the…

10th August 2014       0km by bike N39°6.8170′ – E67°51.2396′ After a good night’s rest by the river, I had a lazy morning, reading a book while having breakfast. I’d just finished my Nutella on bread, when the mother from the group camped nearby came over, looked at my meagre breakfast in surprise, and called to one of her daughters to bring me a shashlik.  Within seconds I had a lovely pork shashlik in my hands for breakfast.  Amazing Tajik hospitality again. I continued reading my…

9th August 2014      9-34’C        194km Iskanderkul – N39°6.8170′ – E67°51.2396′ After a lazy start to the day, with a relaxed breakfast by the lake, I headed further west, toward the magical seven Marguzor Lakes.  The road varied from beautiful, recently constructed asphalt, to rocks and boulders.  I stopped for a delicious lunch at a small village restaurant, 15 somini ($3) for a large meaty soup, salad & bread.   I reached a section where the road was under construction and all the cars…

8th August 2014        24-32’C        202km Dushanbe – Iskanderkul N39°5.0439 E68°22.0779 I started out from Dushanbe at around 10am, heading north on the main road, where I was happily waved through the numerous road toll gates without paying by the security guards. Heading up into the Fann mountains, magnificent peaks surrounded me on all sides, winter snow still present despite the hot temperatures. I reached the ominous “Tunnel of Death” a 7km tunnel, bored through the mountain to avoid a difficult and steep…

5th August 2014      10-37’C        291km Kalaikhum – Dushanbe I set out early this morning, as I was awake at 5am.  The blanket that was serving as my mattress on the floor, did little to insulate me from the hard surface.   I had a quick breakfast of fried eggs with bread, the local bread in Tajikistan is a round disk, very tasty. Five minutes out of town, I reached the first of many checkpoints, and as I parked the bike at the gate, I…

3rd August 2014       8-29’C       316km Murghab – Khorog Riding out from Murghab, the landscape was almost lunar desert.  The high rocky peaks capped with snow.  Bare rocks at high altitude, then occasional blue lakes rimmed by green grass. It was an amazing sight. I stopped at a checkpoint in the middle of nowhere, and my passport, visa and GBAO permit details were recorded in a large notebook, before I proceeded on over the rocky trail. One of the most outstanding things about…

2nd August 2014        2-19’C         236km Sary Tash – Murghab (Tajikistan) After a quick breakfast prepared by the owner of the homestay, I was out on the road early.  It was a very cold night, and it was still a chilly 5’C when I set out. The border to Tajikistan was only 40km south, and the road, while potholed was generally ok.  On reaching the border, there was a locked gate and no-one in sight.  After a few minutes a soldier appeared…