Tuesday 16th August
We were now following the Panj River
marking the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Not much more than a
dirt track, it traversed through a mountainous region hugging the river tightly.
The same could be said across the river on Afghan soil where Taliban mopeds
frequently sped up and down on patrol (it was the easy joke every time we saw
one). Whilst on one side of us were jagged rock faces jutting out into a road that weaved
itself around them, on the other side there were raging rapids and vicious vortexes
of white-water.
The track rose up to an elevated section where huge JCBs and dumper trucks were still building the road. Dust began to kick up, covering the windscreen and reducing visibility just in time for some hairy looking crossing points. At one point the rocky path had been temporarily diverted around a chasm where the original road had been washed away by a pounding waterfall. Although the state of the roads was hugely detrimental to the health of Marigold, we were too transfixed by the sheer drops, precarious ledges and suffocation by dust to really care.
Caleb was having a great time tipping large boulders off the side of the rocky slopes and watching, with great pleasure, the minor landslide he had just caused. Upon finding the first sizeable patch of flat grass for miles, we set up camp next to the river, cooked one of our favourite variations of the classic pasta and tomato sauce dish, and settled in for bed.
Posted by: Rich