TRAVERSE Issue 44 - October 2024 | Page 23

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and with them the cold high plateau winds and occasional snow flurries . Murghab the last night in Tajikistan , a simple room with a warm bed and an experience of the harshness of life among the peaks of the Pamirs . Bodily fuel comes from soups and manty while the bikes are refuelled anyway possible .
The landscapes capture breath as we ride along the plains to the Karakul Lake , the worlds highest lake , even more so than the much-lauded Titicaca . The rich blues of the water provide a surreal foreground to the nearby snowcapped mountains . It ’ s believed that Karakul is a relatively recent impact crater that possibly contributed to the Earth cooling and the creation of the northern hemisphere ice caps . It ’ s a wonderous place to play on the salty beaches and enjoy our last lunch on the road , all deliciously prepared by the RMT crew .
Our last border brings the last surprise , a stretch of no-mans land almost thirty kilometres across . Unsurprisingly , the tracks are poorly maintained and present the last challenge of the ride . Everyone enjoys the challenge , and we see the first glimpses of familiar constructions as we reach the outskirts of Osh and a celebratory meal with newly made friends sharing in the adventure of a lifetime , perfecting the Pamir .
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