Dushanbe

We are still in Dushanbe. Tomorrow morning we'll investigate Tajik bureaucracy and try to register in this country. That is something you have to do in all ex-Soviet countries and which we haven't taken seriously so far. But in Tajikistan you should, as official fine is something around 500US$ if you don't - though I wonder if anybody has ever paid this much. Then we will request an extension of our visas and if that is granted we will hopefully quickly get the GBAO permit, which we need for the Pamir Mountains. Without this permit you are not allowed to travel to those areas.

Last night we were walking around Dushanbe, as is always advised with a camera dangling around our necks and a lot of money in our pockets through dark streets at nighttime... and at a large monument in the city center we sat and drank some juice, when a nice policeman came over and very friendly talked to us, asking if we could buy him and his colleagues some food. Maybe some bread, sausage and coke... :) And of course we did, because he was really nice, polite and even asked if we wouldn't be angry because he asked us for this. We thought it was quite funny, so we had to get him his sausage.

Someone told us about this before, that the militia in Tajikistan is quite unique in their way of nicely asking about some money, because they just don't earn very well. And really, this guy went to the shop with us and picked those few things, that cost maybe 3 US$. He didn't ask for more, nicely thanked us and walked away.

So far we have met very nice people in this country. It would be great to stay longer, and we have both decided that we want to return in the nearer future. It is definitely a great place for hiking or climbing, we feel quite safe and have not had any problems yet. Several times people invited us for food, gave us apricots, invited us to pick fruits in their orchards, gave us bread and sweets, allowed us to camp behind their house and so on. The roads are (still) a very special experience, but a little army of chinese road builders is here to change this.