Wakhan, Baby!
I'm quite aware that a few people (parents) are slightly concerned about the recent lack of blogs. This is simply because we've been having too much fun I'm afraid. We have spent the last few days making the most of the Pamirs before leaving this amazing place, then we had a mission to get to Dushanbe and find a particular bearded man. We are now all in Dushanbe, although we've not quite found Andy yet, but we've arranged to meet him soon.
However, I have the task of telling you about the Wakhan valley. This is because I had the strangest experience there.....
We had managed to rent a car (and driver) through Dr Khorog to drive into the Wakhan and back over two days. We had a friendly driver and a dying jeep. We had planned to go to Bibi Fatima hot springs, which is far enough into the wakhan to see everything, stay the night, and come back.
The Wakhan isn't heavily populated, so we don't have that many stories about the place. The only special thing about it is that it's stunningly beautiful. It also lines the border with Afghanistan and has magnificent views of the Hindu Kush. I'd love to describe the wild turquoise river, the small farms, the multi-coloured mountains (honestly, no idea why), the white and rocky backdrop of the Hindu Kush and the painted night sky with more stars than I hoped to see in a lifetime. Unfortunately, I would not be able to do then justice (and it will make for a very long blog, we've done too many of those lately!)
The Afghan border did, of course make a good subject of entertainment. We had a game of spot the Afghan. Harder than it may seem because the other side of the river was largely rocky and uninhabitable. There was a path all the way where I saw two of my Afghans, and quite a few little towns of two or three farms. They also had a lot of donkeys and pyramid shaped hay stacks on the tops of houses.
And now for my experience......
The hot springs where 4000 m high. We stumbled out of the jeep and into the reception where a man in medical looking clothes slurred long sentences at us in Russian and after each one said "you don't understand Russian?". Pa Russky ne panimay? He talked like this to us the whole time. He walked down some steps and to the changing rooms before the springs. Outside the large changing room stood a crowd of middle-aged women in long dresses and scarves giggling away. I soon noticed that the reason they were giggling because the mischievous short one by the door kept opening it to reveal a group of half naked men.
The man pointed to us and asked us to follow, we all went. He then stopped me and gestured that I was to stay with the women and the boys where to go with him. He pulled the boys away and I shouted at them where to meet after. I then stood and waited with the giggling women.
These countryside women soon adopted me and showed me what to do. It was quite a strange being handled and passed from woman to woman and being given instructions on how to become more fertile. Forgot to say, these springs are renowned for boosting fertility. The women obviously strongly believed in the properties of the springs. They drank the water from one waterfall, washed their back with another, put pressure on their bellies with a strong fountain and climbed into a small cave to pick up the stones from the bottom and breathe on them.
I read in the Lonely Planet before leaving that lone women travellers often get to see a part of Central Asia that many people miss. I'd say I've seen some of this. Not so much the springs, but the women. They where all so kind and helpful, in fact they reminded me a lot of Welsh village women! One even lent me her scarf and walked me to the car afterwards to make sure I don't get cold.
I'm not sure if the springs did boost my fertility, but one thing it did do was fix my scar! Now when Andy gets here I will have nothing to compete with but a measly little line.
More blogs soon.
Cariad mawr i bawb adra', welai chi gyd mewn tua pethefnos. xx
However, I have the task of telling you about the Wakhan valley. This is because I had the strangest experience there.....
We had managed to rent a car (and driver) through Dr Khorog to drive into the Wakhan and back over two days. We had a friendly driver and a dying jeep. We had planned to go to Bibi Fatima hot springs, which is far enough into the wakhan to see everything, stay the night, and come back.
The Wakhan isn't heavily populated, so we don't have that many stories about the place. The only special thing about it is that it's stunningly beautiful. It also lines the border with Afghanistan and has magnificent views of the Hindu Kush. I'd love to describe the wild turquoise river, the small farms, the multi-coloured mountains (honestly, no idea why), the white and rocky backdrop of the Hindu Kush and the painted night sky with more stars than I hoped to see in a lifetime. Unfortunately, I would not be able to do then justice (and it will make for a very long blog, we've done too many of those lately!)
The Afghan border did, of course make a good subject of entertainment. We had a game of spot the Afghan. Harder than it may seem because the other side of the river was largely rocky and uninhabitable. There was a path all the way where I saw two of my Afghans, and quite a few little towns of two or three farms. They also had a lot of donkeys and pyramid shaped hay stacks on the tops of houses.
And now for my experience......
The hot springs where 4000 m high. We stumbled out of the jeep and into the reception where a man in medical looking clothes slurred long sentences at us in Russian and after each one said "you don't understand Russian?". Pa Russky ne panimay? He talked like this to us the whole time. He walked down some steps and to the changing rooms before the springs. Outside the large changing room stood a crowd of middle-aged women in long dresses and scarves giggling away. I soon noticed that the reason they were giggling because the mischievous short one by the door kept opening it to reveal a group of half naked men.
The man pointed to us and asked us to follow, we all went. He then stopped me and gestured that I was to stay with the women and the boys where to go with him. He pulled the boys away and I shouted at them where to meet after. I then stood and waited with the giggling women.
These countryside women soon adopted me and showed me what to do. It was quite a strange being handled and passed from woman to woman and being given instructions on how to become more fertile. Forgot to say, these springs are renowned for boosting fertility. The women obviously strongly believed in the properties of the springs. They drank the water from one waterfall, washed their back with another, put pressure on their bellies with a strong fountain and climbed into a small cave to pick up the stones from the bottom and breathe on them.
I read in the Lonely Planet before leaving that lone women travellers often get to see a part of Central Asia that many people miss. I'd say I've seen some of this. Not so much the springs, but the women. They where all so kind and helpful, in fact they reminded me a lot of Welsh village women! One even lent me her scarf and walked me to the car afterwards to make sure I don't get cold.
I'm not sure if the springs did boost my fertility, but one thing it did do was fix my scar! Now when Andy gets here I will have nothing to compete with but a measly little line.
More blogs soon.
Cariad mawr i bawb adra', welai chi gyd mewn tua pethefnos. xx
posted by Lowri @ 9:06 am
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