Et de 9000km
rangement du panneau
quelle est cette étrange caravane qui passe dans mon village ?
tout en couleur
repas chez l’habitant avec notre guide M. Khatham Murtazarev
un petit d’hom.
entouré de montagne
bonne humeur
"salut à mes copains routiers"
"bonne route"
passage du fleuve Syr Daria
Serge tout sourire
drapeau tadjik et kirghiz
D123 – 76.2Km
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19
N40 32.817 E69 13.176 (287m – border of Tajikistan) – N40 13.115 E69 44.741 (401m – 12km from Khujand)
76.2 km – 10H40′
Tajikstan is our third country in Central Asia. Independent since 1991, like it’s neighbors, Tajikistan was in civil war until 1997. The capital, Dushanbe, has 5.5 million inhabitants (Tajiks, Uzbeks, Afghans, Kirghizs, Russians). 93% of the country is mountainous, with the famous Pamir massif. Tajikistan is trying to open up to tourism. In particular trekking and mountain sports are ready to be developed. The departure of the Russians as well as the civil war have weakened the country and left the economy in a precarious situation.
Today in Tajikistan Serge has once again found his smile. There was a sigh of relief and well being at the celebration when the 9000 kilometers were passed, 7.4 kilometers from today’s start. This is a welcoming country, the people are smiling and just plain happy to see us. And then there are the truckers and especially one of the men he met at the Iran/Turkmenistan border who goes back and forth between Tabriz and Osh. Today he met that driver who was returning to Iran. Serge was overjoyed because he feels he is almost part of the family who travel the same roads that these Iranian and Turkish truckers cross so often.
All in all, it was a good day in spite of the end of the evening which was rather unpleasantly animated:
-The heat became difficult to bear: Serge was in form until the 60th kilometer, from there until the finish he was lurching from left to right.
-Laure damaged the camper while backing up and Jean-Marc and Benjamin fixed the damage as best they could.
– One hour of unpleasant dealings about an incomprehensible situation with the on-site agency. It had to do with subcontractors over whom we have absolutely no control.
-Serge ended by gashing a toe that had been hurting him for the last four days: a whitlow or a corn??? Screams and tears in the eyes. After holding an amazing position for half an hour, he had a shooting pain in his thigh.
It could have been a magnificent day but the apparent equilibrium might easily have tipped because of fatigue, pain and weariness. Serge read his messages before going to bed and his smile returned — thanks to you