belson

The bus was full enough for leaving. The views along the road Kashgar - Tashgoran was amazing (see facebook for pictures). There were a lot of travellers on the bus, all waiting for the border to open the 1 May. We had fun in Tashkorgan visited a fort, walked around, ate some food and drank beer.

Next day we passed the Chinese custom, and about 200 passport controls. We got stuck in the snow and everybody has to help with digging, pushing and such, still sick I wasn't too much help. Later we also have to take rocks from the road.

Late evening we got to Pakistan and Sost. It was completely dark because there was no electricity and the custom people were stoned. Finally in Pakistan! I thought. Sost is a really small place but still everybody runned up and down on the street very confusing but at after a while we found a hotel some food (I was finally well again and starving!)  A cold shower and then bedtime.

Next day I runned around and tried to change my dollars for some Pakistani rupie, but it was impossible. This most be one of the few place on earth American dollars isn't a good value. We had breakfast and left with our Chinese sleeper bus. The views again amazing, I just wanted to jump off and stay, but as my flight left in 2 days I didn't. All the other guys jumped off in Karimabad that seemed to be a really nice place. We stopped for food after a while in a simple lunch place, there was one room for men and one in the back for women. I sat down with the men I knew from the bus and no one seemed to mind. It's interesting how much nicer the mens room are than the one for women. 

Then off we go. A lot off heartbreaking views and in the evening we arrived in Gilgit. I decided to stop there over night, mostly because the areas I have to pass down to Islamabad was known as a little "bad" areas and the Lonely Planet said to avoid travel in night time. Now with the result in my hand I should have continued.

Anyway, a met this old man on the bus who was really nice to me. He was from Peshawar, belonged to a tribe there and had travelled a lot. He was so not judgemental and really nice. 

I got a room in a hotel on the bus station and then asked the guy in the reception if he knew any internet close by. He ordered a guy to give my a ride. A got a ride down to town, and the driver refused to take money for it. The interetplace was broken, a walked around and asked some people for intenet, a man who owned a guesthouse offered me to use theirs. The electricity went off and the man offered to help my buying a suitcase I needed to buy. We drank tea and he bargained for me. He carried all my stuff and then let my use internet again when electricity got back. I met his brother and some other people, and a cute kid. Then I got french fries and a ride back in their military jeep from the 50ties. He refused to take any money and said I was their guest. Really nice people.

I think all this "taking care off" might be because I'm alone as a girl, problebly they feel sorry or worried for me, but it is problebly also normal "muslim hospitality" - whatever it is the people are so friendly and nice.

Next morning the bus for Islamabad left 8 a clock in the morning. My flight from Islamabad was 4.30 next morning. Only men in the bus except me and 2 French girls, one from the embassy and one working with NGO.  We drove, the views was stunning. Suddenly there was a load sound, a big rock had fell on the drivers window. We stopped and everybody was a bit upset. The window was crashed, but not broken, right were the driver needed to see. If the window broke he could have driven off the road and off from the steep. A bit scary. 

Anyway, I was really worried for my flight as the bus to me looked undrivable, but as we are in Pakistan we just continued driving, the driver looking on the side of the crashed area he was leaning a lot to the left and couldn't had much sight at all to the right. This did reduce the speed a lot. I was still very worried about my flight, tried to ask a little how far it was to Islamabad, but got answers like "Inshallah you will make it" and didn't really care after all. If I make it I make it I thought, and that's the idea of "Inshallah" I guess. 

We got to Islamabad 4 a clock and my calm mood was long gone, I was really stressed out. Got a taxi driver to drive as he stole the car to the airport ran past all the lines and stressed the security, got to the gate and it says: 5.30 instead of 4.30. The time was now 4.30; I didn't really get it, one hour later? I asked the girl behind the desk, she laughed and said: "do you know how often I get this question" I laughed and didn't understand but didn't care; I was going to make it! Then she gave me some forms to fill in, one with my address in New York, I didn't really had an address jet and my friend in NY was sleeping and didn’t answer her phone, I tried to make an address up but was too tired. I thought: if I'm going to miss my flight because if this it's almost funny ... almost. Anyway I stood there looked a bit sad and she let me through after a while. I made it! But I'm really sad I didn't have more time in Pakistan. My few days here was really promising and I just wanted to stay, something feelt like home. Want to go back and do the Karakoram by bike, would be great!

The bus left next morning and I met about 10 other single travellers on it (all waiting for the border to open 1 th May) it's fun with interesting people!

My "top list" of countries before this travel was:

-Georgia

-Kyrgyzstan

-Pakistan

... And I end up spending only 24 hours in Kyrgyzstan, and that on a bus...

Great planning.

But it was kind of exciting. We drove all night and in the early morning the bus stopped. I looked out, there were trucks blocking the road. We moved like one meter per hours for some hours, and then we could see the truck that tipped over in the road. The bus has to pass on the outside in a small area, really close to a steep. The bus driver was stressed and screamed at us to get out of the bus. I brought my computer and left my backpack going down with the bus (and the driver) then we watched the bus slowly try to pass, about as close it is possible to get to a steep, and the lady next to me was calling Allah loudly. It was really exciting, and lucky us - the bus made it. 

After this we spent many hours stuck in the snow along with about 200 trucks.

And I had no choice, I really needed to pee, we were in the middle of the pass, no trees, nowhere to hide, and about 200 truck drivers. Nice. I think they all saw me, problebly. 

After 15 hours we finally got through. Bribed us through the border crossings (that were closed), spent a long time at the Chinese custom (they're terrible)  and then drive towards Kashgar. 

I hadn't eaten for 1 1/2 day (bad planning) and only had a little water. I felt terrible. I got food from a nice chins guy, vacuum-packed meat and choklad. We arrived in the middle of the night, and I collapsed at a hotel.

The shower I had when I got to Bukhara might have been my best shower ever. 

Then I walked around, looked at all the sights, really beautiful, walked around in a park, ate really good food, drank some liters of tea, climbed a water tower and ended the day by getting lost in the old town in the dark.

Next day, took of for Samarkand, checked out Registan and some mosques. Walked around. Nice day. Finally I got a shared taxi towards Tashkent. It was raining, the sun was setting into the hills, and I felt great. In the taxi was a Turkish man who offered my to sleep in his apartment and force-fed my apples until I felt really nauseous. It was also a nice economic student who spoke perfect English, we got along well, he loved Uzbekistan, never travelled anywhere and would never move away from there. I succeeded to turn down the offer of staying in the Turkish mans apartment without offending anyone.

Next day was the day from hell. It was raining heavily and I went to the Chinese embassy to be there 9 a clock when they opened. I put my name on the list (because I thoght they had some kind of cue system) and waited patiently with the other people there. 

Imagine a very flashy nightclub with a strict, Russian pointer. This was the "system" on the Chinese embassy. And the Russian guard hated my from the first moment. Bad luck. Anyway after one day in the rain, some begging, and lying, and faked documents I got my Chinese visa, 7 days for 80 dollar and a lot of upsetness. 

Next day I left for Andijon in the Fergana Valley. It was really beautiful views along the way, this is some oranges: