Crash and recovery in samarkand

Thursday 22d of May - about   1 mile!

Soon after breakfast we packed the bikes and got ready to ride off. We had decided to go to Denau, and get to dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, the following day. Then... The best laid plans.....

At a round about a car pushed in fast cutting us. Alistair swerved to avoid him, i was just behind him and piled on the brakes. I went down but at least the car avoided me and ran away. In a nanosecond there were a good dozen cops in uniforms or civil clothes around me! They dragged a passer-bywho spoke a bit of english. I explained and told them i was fine. Well, sort of. When i told them I was ok, they lost interest and left.

Alistair rode back to the hotel where we were staying, left his bike and came back for mine. I waited, sitting on a little wall, by the round about. I could not walk ... The bike had crushed my ankle and ihad  somehow fell on my right hand. 

I took a taxi to do the few hundreds meters back to the guesthouse, and the taxist refused any money from me!

 The hotel owner, with the help of his son Dilshad as translator, examined my hand and wrist, andd my ankle. Dilshad said his father was a traumatologist! Hmmm.... Next thing his dad said i needed to wrap my ankle and hand the next day   on a  mix of egg yolk and honey. Organic egg not factory. Hmm.... 

Nothing seemed broken but i was in a lot of pain! I was ordered to stay in bed and rest .

Friday 23rd to Monday 26th - 0 mile - Samarkand

Through the next few days my ankle improved slowly. By monday i could limp around. But my hand is still very bruised and very painful. I am slightly concerned.... Maybe I should have an xray. But then what? There is no way i would get a cast, abandon my bike and fly back home! So, a bit pointless... Maybe i should do an xray for when i go back to the UK if i have problems with my ankle or hand.... Bur my GP would not be interested anyway... 

We still hope to get on the road on wednesday! We are dead bored with a very temperamental internet...

Durimg those days I managed to get some news about the Pamirs. The situation in tajikistan was getting worse and tourists were not allowed in the region. It seems also that the borders between Tjikistan and Kyrgystan are now all closed... So in a way, our wait  in samarkand is not a bad thing as we see how the situation evolves.

Once again we may need to change our itinerary. We will ride to the fergana valley, east region of Uzbekistan, and then get into Kyrgystan by the border near Osh.

Osh is the end of the Pamir highway, on the Kyrgyz side. So we may ride a bit of it, up to the tajik border and turn back. Unless the Pamir opens again!?

Meanwhile i have been in contact with Gamal, a motorcycle mechanic in Bishkek, that was recommended to me by a biker friend. We will stop few days in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyz, for few modifications. I need a new frame for my luggage, as  the one i have now is too flimsy. I should be able to find a welder in Bishkek.

As for the traditional Uzbek remedies for my swollen ankle and hand? The next day after my fall, the hotel owner came, with a maid and his son and the maid applied a mix of egg yolk and honey on my bruises. I was left wrapped with that for the day! 

The next morning i was told that i needed to put man's urine (!) ( women's urine is no good apparently!) on my bruises and wrap! I passed on the pleasure. Apparently boy's urine is even better! Thanfully they did not come to try and do this! Although I was quite nervous all day!

That's all for now!