Greeted with considerably different weather from the festival day called rain, we all gathered outside the front of the hotel for another photo for the local press.
So with our wet weather gear on we ventured into the greyness that is the desert for around 2 hours and then all of a sudden, blue skies!
Excellent so we can have some weather normally associated with the desert so the four of us pull over to disrobe from the wet gear. Unlike Turkmenistan where we had to travel all together, it was nice that we could all do our own thing.
Coming towards us were towards us were two Honda Varadero “125’s” with French flags fluttering from the back of them. They’d swerve over to our side of the road and jumped off with great excitement. They explained they had been travelling for 2 months and we were the first bikes they had seen and they loved our GS’s and promptly sat on them and stared cooing.
They had both taken 6 months off from work in the champagne industry, from the champagne area in France and were raising money for a children’s charity, hence – “a trip for a smile”
Which nicely brings me round to reminding you that if you have not already done so, visit www.justgiving.com/Darran?
That had gone vi the Ukraine and then up into Kazakhstan and were trying to enter Kirgizstan when the revolt started the same day and the border was closed, so they had to go back through Kazak and then into Tajikistan for the last part of the Pamir Highway, which involves river crossings up to your waist. It was passable but difficult. This is where we will start and run it all the way to Kirgizstan
We also found out that they were on the French equivalent of CBT licence which is why they were on the 125’s and they stated as they left that when they get their full licences, They will have GS’s.
Ok off we go and after 10 miles, Simon starts weaving a bit and when we pull over for a coffee break he states that the back of his bike feels not right.
“PUNCTURE”
Hole soon found and we decided to wait for the support van turned up (10 mins behind us) for Jeff the van man to jump into action and plug the hole
These plug things are brilliant and no glue required and when repaired, there is no reduction in the speed you can travel at. Apparently Kevin has been travelling with a plug in his tyre since leaving England.
Repair sorted and tea pot empty we venture forward.
As with all Deserts the sand shift’s and just because you have a bit of tarmac for a road, does not mean that it will not get covered. We arrive at our next accommodation which is another Caravan-Saray
I have my waterproof jacket on as it has just stopped raining and it was likely that it could start again even though it is warm, hence flip-flops
Although it is the desert most towns were built around watering holes and hence lots of greenery.
5463 miles – Bukhara, Uzbekistan
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