0. Travel Home
Tashkent met their yellow lights and small drizzling rain. It was March 9, at midnight …
Our journey was long and absorbing. Before us unfolded picture. We are immersed in them. Chronological order of rushing images often ceased to be decisive. It was visible to the other, it is quite understandable to us what is happening to us that clearly remembered in some moments. On the contrary, when we stood at the Tashkent airport, did not seem anything like a significant event of this journey, and, moreover, is not perceived as the beginning. Time was broken time and again, each time offering to accept a new and perfect sequence of development.
Space also tried to break into pieces. All means available, we tried to prevent it. This approach was used for reasons other than the subject of this report.
The report, compiled on the basis of records of the field diary. The names of the heads are simple or the original key for the reconstruction of events, rather than the main event. They are available for help in orientation within the description, as well as to create the effect of the presence of an external observer. Such an observing consciousness is not capable of reaching all the subtleties of human emotional experiences, which, besides himself, do not possess any unique value. Although, of course, and are an important part of a holistic experience.
1.TASHKENTSKOE TAXI
March 9 at midnight six of us were standing near the airport of the capital of Uzbekistan, under the onslaught of rain and the local mafia taxi drivers. We offered to take us at once and anywhere for an amount that seems unthinkable. Money. First, do not want them to feel sorry for something to limit myself. In the end, do not want to hang around in Tashkent until the morning waiting for the bus to which the same hour to go. Secondly, with such an expenditure of money may not be enough. We bargained, but the price still was high – $ 80. Served minibus Toyota capacity of 10 persons. After 4 hours “Artuch” (Samarkand Alpine Club) opens its doors to us. Over the first door – patio: it is cold and the trees are not green. For the second – our room: not the same as usual, to which we are accustomed to. For the third and last to date – the stuff of dreams.
Many start out just out of the place
where the object of their search.
Vision and boasting sleeping useless;
is not nothing but a fantasy – not surrender it.
You’re asleep, but at least you’re asleep on the Way:
For God’s sake, sleep on God’s Way
an accidental traveler next to him,
stumbled upon you
and pulled you out of your fantasies drowsiness.
Sleep is seen in a dream excruciating thirst,
while the water closer to him than his neck artery.
Dzhalaladdin Rumi
The next day is devoted to obtaining the Uzbek registration. The next night – a decision where we were going. The first item is selected region of northern travel Kugitang. There are canyons-kamneedy. Tentacles, they dug into the ridge, their belly is huge (nearly a kilometer), it also digested the huge stones that go through the anus of monsters in the form of gravel removal.
On the morning of March 11 set off from Samarkand.
2. FIRST TIME
First time recently sitting around the campfire. From the canyon wind. High in the sky, almost in the zenith – the moon, or rather its half. Savoring its presence.
This is not Kamneed. This afternoon we arrived. Before reaching Sayroba, climbed out of the car and went into a nearby canyon.
March 12 we were in the next canyon on the way to Kamneedu. During the day we made a rope to a comfortable workout for the rock route. We have not climbed a very long time, and everything like the first time. First, the body seems quite strange, and the rope is not a matter of trust. But there is some euphoria. With difficulty creeping first time, and then another and another, drinking from nowhere who undertook ease and proficiency. Overflow the memory. Always so: first do not succeed, then the body starts to move itself, set in motion by an unknown force.
3. PASTUKHOV ZOYA
When you log in every canyon is kosh. March 13 we met with the owner of the pasture nearby canyon. Shepherd Zoe came to us herself to offer cakes and eggs. We accepted with pleasure. This woman age 40-50. She lives here with her two children and a dog, adult males in the house no. The dog stayed with us the whole day. The next day we collected the camp and came out, she crawled along behind us to his house. It is – big and beautiful kosh several adobe buildings. Some of them are beautifully pressed against the rocks.
4. WELL
Made a halt at the well. This – the picture of the “Book of Changes”: a tree (it has no leaves and flowers) is located in a hollow among the hills, near – well with the specially equipped for watering livestock. In the hills grazing terribly beautiful goat, about 50, and 4 sheep. This means: divination favorably annual Sheep. Well without the gate. We tied the straps to the pot to collect water. Hand to the water falls short, though tried, but with loops – easy (water is still high).
(See hexagram number 48)
As we traveled six of us, we often encountered a picture from the “Book of Changes”. At this time we do not go very far from the habitations of men, and they almost always present. But these were not modern humans, and leading the same lifestyle that they could carry and a couple of thousand years ago. We stopped somewhere – either internally, or when he wanted to for some reason, and could then see these pictures. Even thought that such a countable number of key locations, maybe 64. And across the mountains, they look the same. It could be a whole study on this topic. But where the man disappears into the mountains, all this too, disappears. All of these uninteresting changes. What’s going on in terms of change? – That’s what interested us.
5. “Church”
At the well talking with a shepherd. “Above a little winter” – we learned from him. Sayrob he called Chinar. In this village – a huge plane tree with a table, chairs and electric lighting within the immense trunk.
March 14 in the pouring rain and wind gusts of almost hurricane entered the canyon. Immediately recognized him Kamneeda. Little deeper. Near the entrance – a small grotto. Wait till bad weather inside. Within walking distance – Kosh. Already it was getting dark, when it became clear that waiting for nothing. Left for Kosh, and stood there camp. Next 7 days he was our refuge: the other more comfortable shelters, we have not discovered.
Not far away, in the 1-2 km – another kosh. Below him suitable way. On the slopes – a long stone wall, a rather high (twenty meters, somewhere a little higher, somewhere just below). The stones are laid mostly dry in the corners and in some places – on the solution. Somehow, it seems that this fence has built more than one generation of shepherds.
Kosh is on a hill away from the main watercourse. From a distance like some ancient temple. He whitewashed something and not immediately noticeable on the background of snow. Around the growing ephedra, juniper. From under the snow look out any flowers. Wormwood is green. Somewhere up the hill away water pipes. Maybe there’s a constant source of water. Time passes here without adding significant change.
6. Battle asses
March 16 morning we were awakened by a terrible cry: neither elephants nor a pipe Doomsday. Turned out that the cries of these belong to a rather small donkey, which was attended by shepherds. When the shepherd dismounts and goes on its unknown cases, the donkey soon begins to scream in alarm: worries Where is the master. It is surprising that in other places, wherever we were, donkeys cry otherwise. Perhaps the local long-eared – descendants of the ancient times fighting donkeys gains.
The next day we rode on one of them. Smirnov, but the stubborn animal was delighted with our venture. Shepherd had to pull him on a rope.
7. Teacher Tamerlane
Few days in a row investigated the possible exits upstairs. Sometimes we settle the spirit of pioneering, why would proceed and izlazit all around. It was found that immediately after the second Kosh there is another, more ruins, and frequent visitors to top – normal, with backpacks – not detected. The shepherds were told that there are two paths on the plateau – on the hills left and right, both funky. Upstairs house with a stove, there is no one.
After long discussions, on March 20, we decided to move to another place – a cave of Tamerlane.
Cave showed Amir Kulyal Tamerlane, the great sheikh and teacher leader. He was also a teacher of another great Central Asian Naqshbandi sheikh, who founded a strong and still existing Sufi order. And yet we know that the cave near the ruins of a Buddhist temple, built in his time, according to some assumptions, in place of the Zoroastrian sanctuary.
8. Nowruz
March 21 fairly early in the morning, broke camp. Leave Kamneeda. Hot. When approaching a bus stop in Sayrobe, bus at Karshi already left. Stopped him. A bus packed, but the places for us found.
Today Nowruz – the Spring Festival, the biggest holiday in Uzbekistan. All the people who went where he was celebrating. Everywhere along the route – The banner of congratulations.
They arrived at Husar. In Husar was bright blue minibus “Mercedes”. He liked us immediately. The driver was going with his family in Yakkobag on holiday. This is our way. However, with him had long haggle. They agreed on the 18 thousand sum to the place where more car arrives (closest to the mountains, the town Tatar).
In Tatar arrived shortly before dusk. Over the mountains looming clouds. We were invited to visit the son of the local mullah. Accepted the invitation. On the occasion of our tasty food.
Night the storm broke.
9. Fog
March 22, the morning rain. Go through the village, jump over ditches. Enters the canyon. Everything here is colorful and eye for the unusual. Below us the red river rages. Rocks and stones of countless colors and shades. Already among juniper. Ephedra is bluish-green. At the entrance to the gorge bridge and two paths: the left and right in our turn. Choose the right one, we do not go over the bridge. Suddenly the trail disappears. Rain so dense that reconnaissance is not possible. We arise camp on the flat green lawns. Harboring backpacks under the tent, and myself – in a tent.
By the evening cleared up, and poured out the stars at night. Sitting around the campfire. Above the gorge the moon came out a little more than half decreasing.
And the morning of March 23 was clear and warm. And we saw: the path is on the other side of the river, and our camp is located in a comfortable and inconspicuous place. As it turned out, the other is just as convenient places along the trail no more.
But the sky darkens and comes in the valley fog. Fog over our yards pyadidesyati, very quickly runs up the gorge. From this, it becomes visible to the relief of the rocks, which seemed so straight otveskami, as were a succession of ledges with high shelves, climb gradually to a plateau. We enjoy this spectacle, as separate clusters of fog, without destroying its contours, very consciously make their way through some specific routes, yielding pushed back “comrades”. Above the canyon soars huge black predator.
At night, cleared, and poured out the stars. Ursa is great, and more, it seems, no familiar stars. The darkness around very thick right up to the moon because the moon now goes low. Periodically, from a clear sky comes down rain.
The next morning – again mist. But now, he never runs, and hangs soft cozy cloud. Weather is very pleasant, but in the river to climb still do not want to. But, to go higher, it is necessary that, in her climb: maybe, knee, and may, on his chest. And only the morning of 25 March (as it was overcast and windy), we collected the camp and began the crossing.
10. Road caravans
We decided to do without the cords: in this place the river is too wide. Girls are no backpacks. In some places the water above the knee, and somewhere, and the tail had to drench. Little wrung out and go further, by horse-path along the right bank of the river (we go). This came on the bridge. The trail is a traverse along the scree slopes. In places where the slope is steep, and the surface rock outcrops, organized trail hanging from branches, the top covered with earth and stones.
Trail in good condition and mounted trails everywhere repaired.
The gorge begins to narrow – very picturesque. The river above becomes brown. Stones until we go, they change color. They then green, then purple, sometimes very blue. Along the way come across waterfalls inflows, high and stormy. We often go past the caravans (sometimes more than a dozen donkeys laden with some bales) of either side. Very busy traffic on the “highway”, mainly in Zarmas and back.
Hot. We reach the place where the mainstream runs into a few gurgling streams. Privalivaemsya, resting. Go ahead. Even colder, and soon it grew dark. Just go back and get down to a river. There used to be a bridge. He is now in the stage of recovery. Restored part of the bridge lined with soft green branches of juniper. Some lay on them, looking at the raging below us, three meters, river. We spend the night near the bridge.
11. The soldiers guarding the cave Tashkurgan Timur
On the morning of March 26 in a few meters from our camp two men riding a donkey and a horse, crossed to the other side of the river ford. It is evident that deep. There – trail.
We sat by the fire, drinking tea. Past us on the path, which we had yesterday at dusk descended, is a detachment for special purposes. Two suited to us, check documents. It is said here to be banned: Now in the Tashkurgan, where we are, preparing an operation, and we must move away down the gorge of not less than two miles from this place. In Zarmas also impossible.
We collect the camp and go down. We stopped at a waterfall, where yesterday a halt. Today is warmer, and, except for yesterday beetles firefighters, many uhovertok.
Drove past the local. Invited to Zarmas – the military is not there. But do not want to risk, and useless to us in the village. And in order to secretly go at night, I’d better know the terrain.
We go still down. It was getting dark. Already near the bridge on the other side of river. Hence, if you do not wade up to our old camp about two hours journey. In the dark – do not want. We stop at one prizhimchike before the bridge in a meadow with wild apricots, very close to the trail. Soon loaded the rain.
12. Rain
In the morning – again rain. Past were policemen. Wonder for how long we’re here. Rain did not stop all day. In his quiet moments you can barely catch in the next few bushes. Almost did not get out of the tents. Most have no place to hide. Minimize the camp and go somewhere under this rain does not want. By evening the wind rose, but at night it began to snow.
In the morning, the river raged, many tributaries flowed from the mountains. Above us hung a fog. Day cleared up and the sun came out.
We collect the camp and come out further down. Soon the trail turned into the road, almost tractor. That’s up from her was another, crushed stone. Explored.
13. Waterfall
In this valley – a grand waterfall, dropping from the top. Below – a small stream. There is a playground for the camp, quite smooth. Firewood – from felled fruit trees. In order not to risk spend the night in the guest staying in this place.
Although rose only slightly, it seems that the river far below. It has long wanted to break from its noise.
Night vyzvezdilo and cold.
14. The road through the pass
In the morning it was clear and hot, the sky draws the clouds, and once cold. Wind blows up the gorge.
Today March 29′re going to Samarkand. In Tatar took “Deo”, inexpensively. Six of us huddled in it, got to Shahrisabz. There resettle in another “Deo” – for 15 thousand sum to Samarkand.
When riding through the pass (about 1600 m), is already getting dark. Snows a little. The road winds strongly, often turning right on to 180 degrees. Under us – an endless mountain area. Quaint tea house along the route. Went to the plateau – the pass itself.
All this looks like some sort of fairy land. Villages along the road seem unreal. It is tempting to stay here, get out and go aimlessly. This Twilight conjure. Of course, we go further. By 9 o’clock we in Artuch. Sipping a glass of house wine, relax after your journey.
