Samarqand to Dushanbe (3/X); 7th June
7th June
Left hotel, and after some time the road to Anzob split off to the left, and the main road to Dushanbe veered to the right. Since first looking at the paper map of Tajikistan and noticing the smaller road going over Anzob Pass, I had wanted to cycle over it, avoiding the main route through a long tunnel.
It planning the route over the pass, there wasn't too much information about it -- I found Peter Gostelow's blog on it, but it was from 2007, before the tunnel was built, and therefore the pass was maintained. There was also a blog by a British guy called Sebastian, who tried to ride over in September 2018, but had to turn back due to heavy snowfall. I've read some parts of the larger parts of both journeys -- well worth reading.
Turning off to Anzob, the road became a dirt track. Imposing red rock, but somehow desolate, barren but with an industrial atmosphere as they are tipper trucks moving concrete and possible coal around the place.
A few KMS in we stopped to cook some fried eggs -- the plan was to get to a little way past Anzob village and camp, get up early next morning to ensure plenty of time if we have to turn back due to the pass being unpassable.
The scenery changed after some elevation gain . The red rock disappears, and the scenery is lush, green farmland.
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Someway from Anzob vilage, a middle aged man resting a scythe over his shoulder was walking the opposite way to us -- we exchanged greetings of salam aleykum and wa alaikum as-Salam and he waves his arm up and down, indicating for us to stop. He says chai, and waves his arm up the road, where we came from, indicating he was inviting us to his house house to some tea. We had had some invitations from the road side already in Tajikistan, but had declined them -- I wasn't sure if they were obligatory invitations out of politeness or sincere -- but this guy was more insistent -- after about two minutes, where we had been saying 'palataka' (tent in Russian), and pointing further up the road, indicating that we wanted to continue, we realised he was not going to take no for an answer -- MayLyn and I agreed to join for tea, but planned on continuing to cycle after, to get closer to the pass.
He walks us to his house, we rest the bike against the wall, he comes back out with his wife and a beaker of water -- we wash our hands and go through the large reception room with a high roof, into a smaller room with several soft rugs laid on he floor. The guy and his wife lay down a fabric cloth, like a picnic throw, and immediately bring out a large plate of plov, some wrapped sweets, two large loaves of bread, a pot of tea and cups. They indicate for us to eat and drink -- we sit around and introduce ourselves -- the man is Omar -- I wrote down his wife's name too, after she introduced herself, but unfortunately I must have somehow deleted, so I am afraid I can only refer to her as Omar's wife.
After enjoying the light snacks, tea and bread, we walk further up the road to a shed. We go inside and there is a cow and two calves. Omar's wife starts milking the cow and we watch. By this point it was pretty clear we were not going to cycle any further.
We go back to the house and Omar starts chatting with a neighbour. Two children, early teens, pass by who speak some English and we have a short chat. We say we plan to cycle over the Pass tomorrow, and Omar raises his hands, flutters his fingers, and brings his hands down, saying 'snake, snake' -- we had no internet connection, so couldn't translate what it meant.
We go back inside and outcomes another serving of plov, as well as homemade yogurt, bread and more chai -- this time, Omar and his wife also eat with us -- this is dinner. We try to have some conversation, using the offline translation app, showing photos and gesturing. Omar gets his phone out shows us a video, taken with a camcorder, the video is grainy indicating it was filmed on tape and it is of his father elegantly slowly dancing in a circle, I am guessing a traditional celebration taken in the 90s.
They then show us around their house -- their kitchen and bedroom -- large double bed with a TV. Omar suggests we take some pictures together, and we go to the main hall and we do. It's then time for bed -- they ask what time we want to wake up by pointing to their wrist -- we say around 6:00 am, using our fingers.
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