23 August
After three nights at the Green House Hostel in Dushanbe, without doing anything except resting my body and especially my legs, I was ready for the next challenge, getting to Khorough. Cycling from Dushanbe to Kelob and then to Khorough is quite a tough ride.
Before leaving Dushanbe, I made a bank transfer at the Sheraton hotel because it’s not like in Europe where ATMs are everywhere. Here, you need to have cash!
The first 25 kilometers towards Kelob were mostly easy cycling on a very good road. Then I had to work hard to climb all the hills.
After nearly 40 kilometers, I had reached the summit for the day and enjoyed a nice descent before I cycled through the 4.5-kilometer-long Khatlon tunnel, previously known as the Chormaghzak tunnel. It wasn’t a pleasant experience, I must say.
The tunnel had no lighting, and my bike’s lights were too weak! When I finally emerged from the tunnel, it had become dark, so it was time to look for a suitable camping spot.
A side road about 300 meters from the tunnel took me up to a plateau, where I found a place to set up my tent. I also had a good overview of the traffic below.
See Yeah Later
P-G
// The Global Cyclist 1719