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| Messages 1 - 17 of total 17 in this topic |
chick_on_ice
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 5, 2014 - 12:54am PT
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Hey guys!
Same as with Yemen, anyone have any leads on Tajikistan? I'm headed over there soon and would love to get some more info if anyone has any. Thought I'd tap the supertopo knowledge trove, since it's produced some great results before with my Middle Eastern travels.
Thanks in advance!
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Aurora Colorado
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Donini just went there I think. As the name implies the people are Tajiks, also the dominant ethnic group in Afghanistan (Northern Alliance in Mazar e Sharif).
Still controlled by Russia from what I know. I thought of visiting there and tried to find the Tadjik embassy in Kabul, then learned I had to go to the Russian embassy to get my visa. I was wandering around the Shar e Naw neighborhood looking for it, on a deserted street. Another guy walks past me going the other way, and pulls out a huge buck knife and looks me in the eye as he passes.
Although I consider myself a seasoned traveler, I was not sure what I could do to get the visa, and gave up. Oh, I should also mention that I had safe conduct pass written by a northern alliance commander. Apparently you need that at the Afghan-Tajikisan border near Mazar e Sharif. It is a major heroin trafficking route.
Well, that's the end of my story. The Himalyas in Afghanistan are awesome just like in Pakistan, India etc. But unfortunately, loaded with land mines. There's been no conflict in Tajikistan so that should not be a problem, but it's definitely wild country you're heading into.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Two trips there in the last three years. Road tripping with limited internet but home mid-week....i'll give you some info then.
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chick_on_ice
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 7, 2014 - 10:04pm PT
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Thanks for the heads up guys. Booked my flight for the 24th of July. Tajikistan here we go! Wooh 64 hr flights!
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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World's longest continental glacier...
Walk up it and turn left - Tibet.
Walk up it and go straight - Pakistan.
Walk up it and turn right - Afghanistan.
Tough neighborhood.
Right at the base of the peak on the right a Snow Leopard walked 3 meters
from me although I didn't know it as I was sleeping - no tent, no problem.
It wanted an Ibex and I found the kill the next morning not far away.
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chick_on_ice
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 7, 2014 - 10:18pm PT
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WOAH. Snow Leopards. My dad is one ;) from the Soviet days.
I've conditioned my parents to be okay with me visiting such places. I went to Yemen this december and every place I mention I'm going to travel in after that seems like a peaceful beach resort by comparison. Sometime when people aren't killing each other, I would absolutely love to visit Pakistan and Afghanistan. Those are super super high on my list of places to go.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Well, think of Tadzhikistan as Afghanistan with nice people...and better mountains.
Dood on the right was a trip, I think he was 'cutting the cheese'.
I made a girl friend...
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mcolombo
Trad climber
Heidelberg, Germany
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I really want to go there, the woman I am seeing grew up there (although born in Siberia) and her stories make me want to go.
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chick_on_ice
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 22, 2014 - 08:59am PT
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...and I'm off! (well, I have a 60 hr flight ahead of me with a 14 hr layover in Moscow, but I'm almost there. Oh and if anyone has info on finding male escorts to get into Afghanistan (yes, apparently that's what they're called), let me know ;) I hear that's the only way to do it these days.
And if anyone is around.... or you know, planning to be in Tajikistan/Kyrgyzstan/Samarkand in the next 6 weeks, let me know as well, cause currently I'm flying solo. Not that many people want to go to Central Asia apparently haha.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Jul 22, 2014 - 09:06am PT
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All I can contribute is a BUMP and this MEME ///
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jul 22, 2014 - 09:08am PT
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Well, I used to know the head honcho in Dzhirgatal but it has been a while. ;-)
You should have hit Donini up for some contacts in Xhorog.
Bon voyage!
I know it is futile but to go into Afghanistan without really good contacts
is, well, I'll just say futile and leave it at that.
Всего хорошего!
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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Jul 22, 2014 - 10:25am PT
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You're gonna take some heat for that one Ron.
Actually I sometimes side with you but my biggest beef is you change the topics, which detracts from the threads. My opinion Sir.
Arne
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Jul 22, 2014 - 11:13am PT
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Actually, Arne, I thought it was both on topic and funny. (But he left out southern Syria etc.)
I respect people with serious wanderlust, but it needs to be tempered with wisdom.
These are unfortunately poor days for a western woman to be traveling solo in the "stans".
Good luck there kid, watch yer 6.
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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Jul 22, 2014 - 12:13pm PT
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Yeah, I agree it's ballsy travel for sure or it seems that way anyway. The Yemen trip report felt disrespectful to me, full of "sneak in here, sneak in there" tales. I hope she proceeds with a level head.
Arne
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jul 22, 2014 - 12:17pm PT
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Going to Yemen was like going to Iowa compared to Afghanistan.
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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Jul 22, 2014 - 12:54pm PT
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Exactly Reilly
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jul 22, 2014 - 01:07pm PT
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Just a few weeks ago one of the longest serving reporters in Afghanistan was
killed. If she didn't know how to comport herself there nobody did.
It isn't a matter of if...
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| Messages 1 - 17 of total 17 in this topic |
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