Take a walk through the village this morning, first to the site of the stone pillar that the Sufi mystic, Muabara Kadam Wakhani (there are multiple spellings of everything here, you will see the K and Q are pretty interchangeable), fashioned into a solar calendar. We then reach the museum which is a reconstructed Wakhan house, each of the rooms displaying various artifacts, books, poems, letters and display boards. The usual TJS 10 admission (you should all know this is AUD $1.24 by now). Its a fascinating stop and the caretakers are proud of their heritage. I keep wishing I could spend a full day in each of these villages. I also really like the way the walls and gates are painted here- it is quite different to see pastel shades. The ibex and Marco Polo sheep horns decorate the gates, this an sight as my journey progresses. But no more wanderings... time to get back on the schedule.
way we stop to pick up 2 sets of old women, Mohammed asks me if its ok as some tourists are not so keen. I think its really interesting and we have an enormous car with just the three of us. The first set are elderly, one is 74. She offers us money when she gets out, we put it back in her apron. The second set are younger and speak only Wakhi, we drop them where they indicate. All the while the fields are being harvested by family groups. At Langar we park amongst the back lanes, there are many interesting old cars and assorted vehicles... and cats, lots of cats. The houses are predominantly flat roofed with hay being dried/stored on them. This is the town where the Wakhan and Pamir Rivers join to the Pyanj River. The valley is very fertile, hence the position of the villages. The granite hill behind the village that we climb sits at about 3300m, its not too big a killer. Lots of petroglyphs (reportedly around 6000), mainly ibex. There are also hunting scenes, goats and deers as well as arabic symbols. Shame about the more modern graffiti and damage to
the old ones. We find a fairly unusual green stone up there, no clue what it is but not one that Ive seen before in the granite I am used to, I leave it there. Stellar views of the Pamirs.
Back in the car..... drive, drive, drive along the changing landscapes of the Pamir Highway. Marmots! Camels- specifically Bactrian Camels! Definitely a picnic spot here. We walk down towards the river to the group of camels, marmot mounds everywhere. The camels are in varying conditions, some with humps that have collapsed, regardless they are impressive beasts. Within waving distance of Afghanistan I boil my gas stove for tea (our only hot water source at the moment after the leaking gas bottle disaster) amongst the high pitched marmot squeaks. Lunch over, back in the car on the dusty, bumpy road which weirdly paved for all of 2 kms (tops). Here we find 2 stranded Russians who have abandoned their malfunctioning motorbike (they leave it with the keys). Mohammed is on his phone within minutes- his cousin scores a bike! We hit another border post checkpoint followed by a couple of immense salt lakes. This is the drop point for
the Russians. There are 2 Australians here who are hitching around Central Asia, the guy is the same age as Callum and is from Dianella, theres every chance they have crossed paths given Mount Lawley Primary School and Dianella at interschool athletic carnivals and chess games! We leave the 4 of them waiting for the next lift.
The afternoon is full of massive landscapes, dry and dusty. We take in Chukurkul Lake and 2 high passes- Khargush (4344m) and Koitezek (4271m), the vegetation changes as the air thins, its a lunar landscape at times, I spot my first rabbit. We end up in Jelondy- an old Soviet resort spa where the waters are fed by the numerous hot springs in the area. This one is different again. Its like a recreation centre with halls and lockers and male and female bathing pools. I know the drill by now and am enjoying these opportunities.
