Back on
the road. Except this morning we were waiting for a bunch of cars to
take us over the Kamchic pass on the way to Ferghana valley. The
truck had already left the day before. We knew that the first attempt
to get the truck over the pass didn't succeed so we were crossing our
fingers for a better update for breakfast. But the truck was still
stuck at the police control post this morning. Apparently there had
been an accident involving a bus some years back so busses are no
longer allowed to cross the mountain pass. Even if they are
completely empty. Due to the geography of the Ferghana Valley and the
surroundings the detour involves crossing borders, obtaining visas
and permits for the truck. And most of all it is time consuming.
Maybe 3 to 6 days without the truck and our equipment. So of course
every possibility of getting the truck across the pass were checked.
Anyway
we were in for a morning rally. Nice new cars, 8 in total, three
persons in each car and off we went. Very fast. Going between 80 and
120 km/h leaving Tashkent in a hurry. And these guys were even hired to
drive nicely – can't think of how the other taxi drivers would
drive. When we made it to the police control post at the pass our
truck was still parked there which in fact was a good sign. As long
as the police had not ordered the truck to leave there was still a
chance it could make it over the pass. Anyway we got our backpacks
which were on the truck – just in case. Continuing over the pass
was so beautiful. And it's totally weird that busses can't cross
since the road is actually quite good, there are two lanes and it's
not steep at all. And trucks totally overloaded with heavy cargo can
cross. Unfortunately due to the army's presence in the area pictures
were not allowed, but the mountains were beautiful. At the top we
passed through a couple of tunnels with armed guards outside and
inside the tunnel.
When we
did the lunch stop in the valley news came that the truck had made it
across the mountain pass. Leaving our local guide – Jalal – with
our driver to take care of negotiations apparently worked. With a
fistful of US dollars to speed up the process. The local police boss
even escorted the truck over the pass and since he was in a hurry to
go home for lunch his police officers were told to “shut the fuck
up and mind their own work” whenever they tried to pull our truck
over.
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