Many people ask: “Was it safe to travel the Silk Road?” Well, not entirely. I ripped my jeans in Uzbekistan.
Yes, one can get seriously attached to a thing. Especially jeans that you’ve been wearing for many years. And when they rip, this can turn out to be a really emotional event. The sound of tearing fabric makes one immediately aware about what is irrevocably going wrong behind your back. It’s extraordinary how much information is contained in a fraction of a second of sound. It’s amazing how quickly this information is processed into a precise understanding of exactly what is happening, where, and what the consequences are. My jeans were gone!
While having been seriously worried about the performance of the Iveco Euro VI engine in non-European conditions, especially in respect to the uncertainty about the diesel quality in Central Asia, the event was quite a surprise. But, that’s how it goes on the road. The things you expect to happen, don’t. The things you didn’t imagine, will come along your way. Like ripping your beloved trousers.
Often, such events result in nice encounters as well. As I didn’t want to consider my jeans dead and buried, I tried to give them a second life. I went to the city center of Navoiy, in search of a repair shop. Visiting a completely un-touristic city like Navoiy, without any clear expectations nor any touristic program to fulfil, can turn out to be a blessing. The feeling of being a part of daily life for a fleeting moment, especially in less traveled countries like Uzbekistan, is so nice. Catch a glimpse of this encounter in my unconsciously-secretly filmed video.
The story ended with me not having to pay anything for the repair of my trousers.
However, in fact, the story came to a real conclusion only a few weeks later. Having spent the night not far from Yamchun castle in the insanely beautiful Wakhan valley, I decided to pump some diesel from the spare tank into the main tank. When I switched the pump on, a local came along and we started chatting. Immediately involved in the talking, I forgot to take off the cap of the main tank to let the air out. Whilst we were talking, pressure was rising in the tank. The situation became completely deterministic. A diesel volcano was preparing itself for an eruption…
The rest is part of the epic history of Yamchun castle.
In the meantime, I still regret what happened to my jeans.
Recommended site: Sarmyshsay Natural Archaeological Monument
Not far from Navoiy, in the National Park of Petroglyphs, there’s a nice and quiet overnight spot along the riverbed which you have to traverse a couple of times. There are lots of well-preserved petroglyphs near the track.
