Stomach flu whole day

28/8

I wake up early and feel completly miserable, nauseous and faint. My stomach is in turmoil and my plan for today is Shipad, about 70 km south, if I have the energy to manage that. No breakfast and mostly all water I drink comes up just as quickly. Gonna be a tough day. The road is bumpy like hell and the trucs and jeeps leaves behind large clouds of dust and I feel it in my bronchial tubes and my breathing is difficult.

Around noon, my GPS navigator showed 28 km, but it felt like twice that distance. A gasstation become my salvation, outside the office buildning an empty bed with mattress stand there. I asked the guy it it was OK to use it for an half and hour.

– Yes it´s OK he sad and nods

This gasstation become my salvation, an empty bed with mattress for one hour

I fell asleep pretty quickly and woke up just an hour later feeling much more refreshed. I continue and passing some small villages, childern shouts Hello, Hello running toward me for hive-fives which I prefer to avoid as there is a risk of cycling over.

My stomach flu has gotten better and the nausea almost gone but I haven’t gotten my appetite back and I feel completely exhausted. Despite that, I forced myself to stop for some food.

After just under a mile the gravel road ends and it becomes heavy cycling through a large area of drifting sand instead, it is on the limit that I can get forward sitting on the bike but luckily there is barely only a km to fight through.

Then a short drive downhill before I cross the Vanch River, and a little further on, I spot several buildings and a few vehicles, realizing it’s some sort of passport and Visa control.

Pass and Visa control checkpointg at Lyakhsh

Tajikistani military–clad inspectors with big hats are watching me from head to toe and I hand over my passport and visa documents with the GBAO permit stamped to an officer who takes the documents and enters the building. After about ten minutes, I get my documents back and I pedal on through a small mountain pass. For few km the  road was paved before it turns to normal again!

Despite the bad road, I have to admit that I enjoy the surroundings, the river, the small Afghan green oases and the majestic mountains that surround me. But I would probably have a hard time living here. Winter and all the sacrifices to cope with daily life must be stressful.

In the late afternoon, I passed through the small village of Shipad, and on my right, near the Panj River I spotted a large green area perfect for camping. Two motorcyclists had already chosen the spot, so I decided to join them.

Entering Shipad and time for camping

Very nice tentcamp by the river Panji in Shipad

I pitched up my tent and then headed down to the ice-cold Panj River to refresh myself. My appetite is still low, no dinner, only coffee and some sweet cookies before I before I went out and sleept

See yea later
P-G
// The Global Cyclist