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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Oct 03, 2006 02:00 PM Khunjerab - 30 years after Kilimanjaro...
It was not my intention. Just coincidence... On Oct 4th 1976 I reached the top of Kilimanjaro. Today I have a chance to see another legendary place: Khunjerab Pass (Bloody Pass) in Karakorum Mts - the highest road border crossing point in the world. They say it is 4730 m above the sea level. At 7.00 am I found closed dors at the check point on the exit from Tashkurgan. They opened at 8.30 local time (do not be confused: some officials use also Beijing time - two hours ahead). I bought the ticket, went through the customs and immigrations. On the other side of the building they put us to the small bus with escorting officer...
Great, wide panoramas on the way, less and less oxygen in the air. The pass - long curves, excellent road on the Chineese side. Then dramatic change in the landscape - narrow canyon and bumpy road - horrible ride on that side! We reached Pakistani Border past at Sost after 7 hours. 30 years after Kilimanjaro I crossed Khunjerab via famous Karakoram Highway - the only border crossing between China and Pakistan..
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Oct 02, 2006 02:00 PM Tashkurgan Special Zone - no internet for the foreigners...
Tashkurgan town is a convenient stopover before climbing famous Karakoram Highway... No, not by foot or by bike. Chineese Authorities do not allow you to go father then Tash on your own... You must jump on the bus and you will be escorted by the officer to the border in the high mountains... They charge hefty 225 yuan for the ticket to Sost in Pakistan.
Tash is your last chance to drink beer and to talk to the ladies before entering Moslem Pakistan.
Tadjik people live here. I had a chance to visit theis traditional home, to drink tea and see animals in the courtyard.
No advance purchase of the tickets - come at 7 am to the customs house - they said. I found internet cafe but is is not for the foreigners - theis is special zone - very close to the borders of Tadjikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan... Any more comments? I hope I'll get a seat tomorrow!
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Oct 01, 2006 02:00 PM Night in the yurt - 3700 m above the sea
There are two ways to go to the famous Kara Kol Lake from Kashgar: once-a- day public bus or rented car. The second option is better if you will find companions to share the cost. You can stop on the route for picture - the landscape is really beautiful. Kara Kol Lake is surrounded by snow capped peaks.
There is chineese hotel you can stay overnight (and pay extra 50 yuan fo the "entry" to the lake). But there are also yurts of the Kyrgyz people at the entry to the lake area. They charge 30-40 yuan per night and 15 y per meal. I spent 3.5 hours walking around the lake - that's nice experience -it gives you a lot of picture opportunities. Thake your breath and slow down - it is 3700 m above the sea level here!. The night in the yurt was quite warm - the hosts supply enough blankets. But floor was very hard! Another adventure!
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Sep 30, 2006 02:00 PM If in Kashgar in must be Sunday!
Early wake up! Chineese on the bed next to me was terribly snoring all night and I am still sleepy... But what a day ahead!
There are two markets to see in Kashgaer each Sunday. The first one is livestock market on the outskirts of the town. It is better to take a taxi to be early there. Taxis are inexpensive here - it will cost you like 1,50 USD only. Can you imagene herds of sheeps, white goats, donkey, bulls, horses... Everything on the wide yard... In the dust, noise, calls in strange languages... This is the place to be! I made some good pictures...
On the second market - far away in the town they sell fruits and vegies, household stuff, but the most colorful are the materials! It is womens place... They are coming from the province for shoping - with kids, in their national dressing. Yes, I spent there 3 hours - the market is huge and you can walk around even more of time if you want.
Tomorrow I am doin to the high mountains - to see Kara Kol Lake and onward to the Pakistani border. I hope thet I'll get through the Khunjerab Pass before they will cose it for the winter. Keep your fingers crossed, please!
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Sep 29, 2006 02:00 PM Kashgar on the Silk Road...
Kashgar. I think that the best place for the backpackers is Seman Hotel. They have room range from dormitories to the suites and (surprise!) the rates are negotiable. The peak is always on Saturday and Sunday - when the people come fot the famous Sunday Market. Try to book in advance... I stay in the dorm with 4 Chineese. It is hard to say that they are silent and clean... Do not worry, be happy - you are in legendary Kashgar... And they charged only 30 yuan ber bed (1 USD=7.8 yuan) There is inexpensive (slow) internet in the hotel - they charge only 5 yuan per hour...
I was walking around most of the day... This town has two faces: the new one - with wide streets and huge chairman Mao monument and the other - narrow streets of the old town full of stalls, shops, walking vendors, donkey carts. Of course I like most the old face of Kashgar. Most of the people in the old town are Muslims. Do you know - it is Ramadan now?. So in the eateries they do not cook cheap food before dusk... I was hungry at 6 pm! But happy to be in such exciting place...
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Sep 28, 2006 02:00 PM Bumpy road to China...
There are no highways between Kyrgyzstan and China. The only border crossing you can use as a foreigner is Irkeshtam Pass. Final four hours to the border was by the bumpy gravel road with stones and holes... But we reached the border anyway at 7.30 am. Sorry, it opens at 9.00. Cold morning. Kyrgyz formalities are easy - they charge obligatory bribes only from the locals... So make sure you are foreign tourist - speak english etc...
On the Chinese side initially they asked everybody to take all lugage off - put is on the road and they search all packs. It takes a time, but they were in a hurry today - they close the border and go for weekend today! Then we went down from the customs check point to the immigration post. Bad luck! Huge lorry (there are a lot of them waiting in the long line blocked the road. This is tiny mountain road - no bypass! We had a chance to stay there till Monday... Thanks God after 2 hours they managed the problem - we reported to the immigration. It is far from the world but everything is strict here: computer visa control, baggage screening, health declaration. We went through... all by one... Chineese policeman kept one passenger for two hours, and the bus was waiting too...
3.15 pm - we started our trip to Kashgar. Exciting mountain panoramas - it is not a plateau - yuo go throu the color mountains, steep up and downs... We reached Kashgar after dusk - 22 hours after departure from Osh. I was really tired, but I did it. I did it before they close the border for weekend...
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Sep 27, 2006 02:00 PM Osh - Kyrgyzstan - they close the border for weekends!
The flight to Kyrgyzstan was horrible... I has so little space for my legs in the TU-154 that I was forced to stay at least 10 minutes every hour to relax...
Osh - dry and hot weather... I went to the bus station asking for the bus through the border to China. Yes, they said there are two Chineese buses waiting but we are not sure when they will depart. It is Friday tomorrow and they close the border on the Irkeshtam Pass on Fridays for the weekend! I found the person in charge... There is no fixed timetable... He said the bus probably will depart in the evening... I took the risk and paid for the ticket: It is 50 USD and 100 som for Osh-Kashgar route. They asked me to come with the luggage at 8 pm. There was nobody at the bus at 8 pm. The bus was locked. What is going on? Take it easy!... More passengers came... We departed at 9.30 pm. They said we shuuld be at the border next morning. The road was so bumpy that it was not possible to sleep on the bus. Shall we reach the Irkeshtam Pass before they will close the border for 3 days?
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Sep 26, 2006 02:00 PM Last day in Moscow...
Sunny morning... I still have a day to explore Moscow. The tickets to Kremlin are difficult to obtain for individuals - there is the presserure to go with the excursion group, but they of course charge more money. I visited the Kremlin years ago so it is not a big loss... I took the subway to Vorobiove Gory station and after 20 min climbing through the park I reached the view point in front of Moscow State University. Great panorama! Then is was the time to see Danilowsky Monastery - the present residence of the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. There are nice icons to see in the two-level cathedral church. The nuns sell piroshki and honey at the gate and you can drink the water from the holy source... Wow! They do not allow to take pictures even in the monastery courtyard (but I took some, I am sorry).
Little off the center of Moscow (east of subway station Taganskaya) is the huge church of Old Believers. They are very strict - you are allowed to see the impressive icons in the interior only from the entrance area...
That's the end of Moscow program. In the late evening I am flying to Bishkek-Kyrgyzstan with the intention to proceed overland to Kashgar in West China. It is not easy route, so keep your fingers crossed, please. I do not know where and when I'll have next access to the internet... New adventure awaits there!
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Sep 25, 2006 02:00 PM Out of the beaten track...
Today I decided to visit Yuriev-Polski - little village mentioned in the Lonely Planet book. "Polskij" means "Polish" so it was interesting to me if they have any connection with Poland. In the morning I took a bus from Vladimir (60 roubles) and we drove through picturesque forests and the countryside almost two hours. Yuriev was founded in 1152! Now it is sleepy little township with traditional market in the centre facing St Michael monastery. No tourists at all! I asked locals about Poland connection - sorry, the response was: Polski comes from "polye" - the field - they said.
They have also nice stone carved St George church...
I had a problem how to get off the town - there is railway station but do not rely on trains - only two per day. Finally I took the bus to Alexandrov (66 roubles) and the train to Moscow (108 roubles). At 7pm I landed at Yaroslavski Station in the capital. Then I wanted to take the subway to my hostel. Surprise! My multi-ride ticket is not valid! Check the deadline date printed on your ticket so you will know when will be the last day you can use it!
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Sep 24, 2006 02:00 PM Vladimir on the Golden Ring
Vladimir is located just 35 km from Suzdal. It was a short ride on a junk bus - the driver collected 30 roubles fare without issuing any tickets... Vladimir Hotel is the best place for backpackers: if you know Russian jest ask for "samaya dyeshovaya komnata" (last expensive room) - they will find for you the clean room with a sink for 350 roubles - it is real bargain! And bring your tea/coffee bags with you - it is nice rule in russian low range hotels that they offer free hot water (kipyatok) and you can use the cups...
Vladimir has world heritage site - it is famous Golden Gate - now the museum with interesting diorama. The cathedral is also worth to see but interior is closed on Mondays.
Bus 18 from Khimzawod took me to Boyolyubovo - just 11 km away where interesting monastery is located. Is is also worth to walk 2km from the monastery through the meadows to the little and very old Pokrova church - the location is exceptional...
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