Peaceful Lake

July 31, 2009 Iskander Kol, Tajikistan

I survived the night after yesterday's mess. Although I had a massive headache from the hours of four wheel driving, the diesel fumes, dust, and such, I took two Alleve, and slept right through the night. I skipped my shower since there was no shower in my room, or in the hall, or in the mud-brick building in back that housed the toilet. Come to think of it, there was no water in the hotel, anyway---so it did not matter that they did not have showers.

 

Then I started walking across the town looking for transportation to the lake. I got to what looked like the end of the town (Ayni, Tajikistan), and had not found the bus stand/taxi stand/mashrutnoe, etc. But there was a guy there (who spokle no English), and I asked him if there were more Ahni ahead. He said there was, and asked me where I was going. I told him Iskander Kol, and he flagged down a car and said something to the driver, who drove me a half a kilometer to a place with a few taxis. After ten minutes of negotiation, I started walking away (a second time----part of negotiation). Actually, I was going off to find a money changer since I figured I would need it. The guy who I had run into (my guardian angel) pulled up behind me, and said I was going the wrong way.....I told him I had been there to the taxi stand, but they were asking 150, and my guardian angel agreed it was too much. (I had already gotten one down to 100, but I still figured that was too much.) So, this guy left his car parked in the road as we walked back together to the drivers, and they had a big argument. Then another guy, who spoke English (real English--I didn't know how to talk to him!)comes in to find out the problem. I tell him they are asking too much, and he started to explain why nobody would go to Iskander Kol for 100. Well, I said, "that guy said he would."....and, after a bit more negotiation to get him to take a US $20 and a Tajik 10, we piled into the car.

 

Two hours or so of mostly off roading up a mountain, we were at a beautiful lake. I spent the day walking around. It was nice and peaceful. I am sitting in a grove of trees, with mosquitoes buzzing around, and occasionally biting me, typing on my little computer and listening to Jimmy Buffett. Extreme Tourism.