The border separating Tajikistan with it’s neighbour Kyrgyzstan consists of a mountain pass. A high, steep, gravelled and windy one. One that I was not happy to pedal. Reaching the top requires work, something I’m generally not hesitating to put in. This time however, I didn’t want the result it would get me.
Still I was peddling. From the effort I was sweating like a pig, while simultaneosluy being freezing cold from the harsh wind that kept me constant company. Even though the lack of oxygen left me completely out of breath, I was still swearing and muttering my way up to the border control at the summit of the pass.
It all just felt so… stupid.
Working hard is one thing. Working hard for something you don’t want is another. I wasn’t ready to leave the Pamirs. Sure, this had by far been the most demanding leg of the journey, and my body was in desperate need of some proper rest. But more than any of that this had also been the number one experience I had had in my life.
I had truly found my thing, and life among the clouds had been so much better than I had ever dared to even dream of. And now it was all coming to an end. I was headed back towards civilisation.
Paved roads. Fresh food. Warmth. Beds. Even showers. All great things!
But I had found greater ones.
Of course. It’s not like I was about to step across the border only to suddenly find myself on sea level, standing in the middle of a crowded shopping mall with a Starbucks cup in my hand. The opposite really, as Kyrgyzstan is known to hold some of the best mountain adventures the world has to offer, be it by foot, bicycle or from the back of a horse.
I knew this. But in some way it still felt symbolic to get that exit stamp and – together with by travel buddies Karin & Fritz – head on down the other side of the pass.
One thing is for sure though. It’s difficult to stay grumpy when you’re welcomed by this:
And when I still wasn’t smiling big enough, the adventure Gods quickly decided to send down a welcoming committee that would take care of the rest.
Two high fives later – and I was back in game!
It’s not like I ever said that I’m an adult!
Lucikly I realised how absurd it would be not to enjoy the awaiting 3 day ride down to Osh. We still had some great passes between us and the city, and more importantly – a 3 000+ meter descent.
Bye bye Pamirs! See you next time.
My seasons this year have been extreme. I experienced a spring on steroides as I rolled south through Europe. A summer unlike any other, wrapped from head to toe in 40 degree Iran. Then in the up to 50 degree desert of Turkmenistan. And before I had even had time to cool down, I was camping next to snowcapped mountain tops and waking up to an in tent temperature around – 5 °C.
As we made our way down the high mountains, the climate was no longer extreme. It was still werid though, as the seasons now kind of came in the wrong order. I had gone from high summer to immediate winter, and now rolled straight into… autumn?
A lot had happened while we were gone
Maybe that hat look funny to you, but in Kyrgyzstan they are totally stylish
Kyrgyzstan is the land of horses and apparently not only according to the travel guides. Everywhere we looked people were living up to the Kyrgyz stereotype in great style.
We enjoyed our last few passes. Something which of course was easily done as a 300-500 meter climb would be rewarded with stuff like this:
Loosing altitude and peeling layers
And then – we came to Osh. The second biggest city of the country and one of the big hubs among Central Asia travelers. After a few days rest Karin & Fritz continued north, and after spending almost an entire month of eating, sleeping, cycling and… surviving together – it was one of the more difficult goodbyes I’ve had since leaving home.
Our routes from here are complete opposites. They are flying to India to then make their way along Eastern China to Japan. I’m going straight for China and will stick as far West as the police will let me. But who knows. Maybe, maybe – we will bump into each other somewhere in South East Asia.
(Adventure Gods? Please?)
While they headed North, I didn’t go anywhere. I couldn’t. Because my Chinese visa was still being processed.
…In Stockholm.
I won’t go over the details of the how’s and why’s, but in the end I was stuck in Osh for almost three weeks.
Or well. For one week I was there completely voluntarily. Hanging out with fellow travellers and eating shashlik like there was no tomorrow. I was this lady:
Maybe only with less gold in my mouth
The 2nd week, things started getting itchy. It was all still OK, but still not really. Something like these guys:
The 3rd week, I was climbing on the walls. My passport had been sent ages ago, but it simply refused to show up. This year, the three big national holidays of China and Kyrgyzstan were taking place with horrible timing, all lining up just after each other.
I’ll skip the details, but basically this meant that the borders between the countries would only be open during a 2 or 3 day window within a 3 week peiod. And if my passport didn’t arrive in time – I would miss it.
Day by day I could feel myself turning into…
…whoever you think is more miserable. The man, or his sheep about to be slaughtered.
What happened?
Well, we all know how it works by now. Just as my last hope was crumbling down – BOOM!.
Yeah, that’s right – our beloved Adventure Gods stepped in for the rescue! Sure, this was a rescure that included a whole lot of practicalities, stress, rushed cycling and funny situations I really hope to tell you about some day.
But this was basically what happened.
1) My long lost box including my passport & Chinese visa showed up
2) I was cycling like a mad woman towards the Irkeshtam border to China
So, so happy to be able to get across in time. But not without regret for having to rush past a landscape like this way too quickly. I guess you can’t always have it all.
It’s funny isn’t it? For weeks I’d been so desperate to get the heck out of the country and into China. But now when I finally got the chance to do just that, I kind of didn’t want to? Gosh. Sometimes I really feel like smacking some sense into myself.
But then again. Sensible is probably the last thing one wants be on a trip like this.
So for now, I’m leaving myself unsmacked.
Fredrika