Tajik Musings...

Rach and I have now scarpered out of the beautiful but difficult country of Tajikistan. For the last phase we made it to Khojand and into the arms of our saviour Neckshoh, son of our host in Penjikent, and his wife Martina (pictured above). Here we sought refuge for a couple of days, wandering the city briefly but mainly revelling in true Tajik hospitality.
We've seen a really schizophrenic side to this country; from the attitude of the border guards on entry, the greed of anybody with transport or the blank looks when asking directions or assistance; to the warm hospitality of Nyasov and his family and the free breakfast from a random Chaikhana owner in Istaravshan! Indeed, the best reception we received was on exiting the country at Kanibadam, where we were plied with vodka and melon by some blokes in a Chaikhana, then spent 10 minutes chatting to the Tajik border guards describing our journey, miming swimming in Iskander Kul and showing off our photos!

So in summary, here are a few of our distilled impressions of Tajikistan:

Loved..
Black grapes, Green chay, Plov, kebabs and fresh nan bread.
Being in cool mountain locations.
Nyasov and his extended family across Tajikistan, where it seems a bed always awaited us!
Kanibadam border guards.

Loathed..
Getting to the cool mountain locations on hair-raising roads in Lada deathtraps.
Russian telly; kitsch western wannabes and copy-cat programmes which don't quite work...
Penjikent border guards.
Tajik hotels; filthy or ex Soviet, none of it's good babe!
The Lonely Planet guide to Central Asia; have they ever been here?

Thanks to Neckshoh and Martina, good luck with the studies and the baby and maybe see you when we come to the Pamirs!