Cape_Verde - Parque Natural do Fogo
Foto: The endless road through the Pamir Mountains (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Tajikistan - After loading the car again, we drive along a cart track to Lake Yashilkul. This lake was formed by a landslide. Its clear blue water contrasts beautifully with the surrounding mountains. A smaller lake, Bulunkul, also looks magnificent. The snow-capped peaks reflect in the rippling water. In Bulunkul village, we find cardboard at a shop, which we use to make a license plate from a banana box. A local boy who brought us bread yesterday offers fresh bread—gratefully received. As we join the M41, the Pamir Highway, the road quality disappoints. Aside from potholes, the asphalt undulates, causing our car to bounce if we drive faster than 40 km/h. The bumpy road and altitude give me a mild headache. Despite this, the mountain views are stunning. We pass a canyon and admire the deep gorge. A motorcyclist approaches from the opposite direction—Sven from the Netherlands, riding from China to the Netherlands. He offers to exchange his Azerbaijani money for ours. By mid-afternoon, we approach Murgab.
Amir Ismail Samani in Dushanbe
Tajikistan - I enter Tajikistan. The road is surprisingly good — no potholes or bumps, and there are even streetlights here and there. I hadn’t expected this in Tajikistan. I drive into Dushanbe. At the central square, we stop briefly to figure out how to get ...
Wakhan Valley
Tajikistan - At breakfast, I meet two boys from Hong Kong. They are traveling by hitchhiking and public transport from Hong Kong to Uzbekistan. On the Pamir Highway, everyone has their own travel adventure. In the center of the village, we fill up with water and continue ...