Ishkashim, Tajikistan

Today we were driving down from Khorog to Ishkashim. This time it was just Lisa and I as Ed, James and Becky had headed on by bike a day earlier. We got to the shared taxi stand reasonably early in the morning - say about 9.30 but we had to wait 2-3 hours for the taxi to fill up before we left.

As ever the views were amazing, the river dividing Tajikistan from Afghanistan running along our right hand side. We spent a few hours on the road and then shortly before Ishkashim we passed Ed Becky and James on their bikes. Having reached the guesthouse we walked back to meet them and encountered them as they reached the village pointing them in the direction of the guest house where, when they arrived they set up their tents in the orchard. There were apple and pear trees in the orchard bearing fruit of the highest quality.

The guest house provided dinner and breakfast. Dinner was a kind of plovy like thing. The second night we cooked mantis (for the uninitiated, that is the plural of manti - a kind of dumpling - and not the singular of an insect known for praying) instead. I think our meal was better.Read more