Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 14
KISS THAT FROG
We trundled off toward the Wakhan, along rough hill roads, dropping periodically
into fertile valleys. We spent the night on the roof of a farmer's house and set off at
dawn next day. After a couple of hours bumping along, the first majestic snow-clad
peaks emerged from the shoulders of foothills and billowing clouds. In the late af-
ternoon we forded the braids of a major river system flowing out of the mountains,
heading to the Tajik village of Zebak.
By splitting the expedition, some of the Mandaras team members felt a trust was
being broken; it meant some might succeed while others failed. Who had the best
objective? To me it didn't matter but our parting had been fairly emotional and
tense as the rest of the group motored off on the rough road into the Wakhan. The
four of us were now on our own. I recorded in my notebook some thoughts I
shared with the others that evening.
'The real reason for coming all this way begins. I am sure we will succeed. Doubt
has passed in the same way that happiness and loneliness are no longer relevant
here. In the mountains, emotions should only respond and relate to our surround-
ings, and the few things we need to survive. “We will make,” said Jan. Alex smiled.
Voytek seemed distant but said: “We are good group.”'
Fortunately for us, the Spanish expedition whose trucks we shared was on its
way to a peak not far from Koh-i-Bandaka. We had become friends, especially with
their liaison officer, Mr Daoud Zebak; this was his home village and he cleared
things with the headman enabling us to go to Koh-i-Bandaka with our 'permission
from Kabul'. I could see they weren't fooled by our piece of paper.
With donkeys laden, we set out on an ancient trading route connecting Badakh-
shan and the Wakhan with Kafiristan and the Dorah Pass into Pakistan. We were
in great spirits. To save money, and to train, we each carried loads of around
twenty-five kilos. After eight hours walking each day in the dry desert heat, conver-
sation was limited and our shoulders sagged.
During the walk-in, Mr Daoud spent most of the time with us rather than the
Spanish. He explained that he was a Soviet sympathiser and wanted to learn more
about life in socialist Poland. He knew the Russians were coming and talked of a
future with roads, hospitals and schools for all children - and the end of corrup-
tion. Nearly forty years of war later, Afghanistan has still to realise almost all his
