alt.3630m~3815m
All day I saw almost nobody on land, no animal except birds, and only a few cars that I could count with one hand, except in a village at Lake Kara-Kol. The landscape was basically the one of a desert, with mountains and the earth in brownish monotone under blue sky, in absolute silence. I went on with the sound of myself and wind.
I camped at the entrance of a pass. The altitude must have been above 4000m. I pitched my tent in a ruin of a house near a stream. It was getting very cold. Walls should be protective, even with no roof, I thought.
At night cars occasionally passed by, more than I met during the daytime. Strange it was that people rather moved in complete darkness. I wondered in my sleeping bag.
Once a track stopped right in front the ruin. Its engine seemed to be in trouble. I heard men's talking, bumping doors and a bonnet, and metal sound. I regretted choosing the place to camp. It was too close to the road and people natunary stopped by. They might look into the house anytime, and came in with curiosity. I was awake in the darkness being ready for the moment. Fortunately, they left after a while with irregular sound of the engine. I felt relieved.
Silence came back. But I couldn't get to sleep. Instead I imagined how the life was like to live in such isolated place. Was he alone? What did he think of all day? Did he die alone? Did people came to funeral here? Everyone in suits with a tall traditional hat? I envisioned white hats swinging on men's heads in lines in the desert.
Another track passed by with headlights. Then I heard a sqeaking sound of brakes from the pass. A bicycle, shaky. Gee. Did he come over from the pass with such bicycle in the middle of the night? For water?
The sound stopped in front of the ruin again. I expected the sound of footsteps next. None. Waited. None. Strange.
Finally I came out of the tent and looked outside. There was nobody, no bicycle. Was I dreaming? I thought my eyes were open...
I had poor sleep all night, had lots of dreams. It was cold. The air was thin.
The stream nearby was frozen by the morning.
4 Oct 2008, Akbaital pass,Tajikistan, 8539km(79km/day)
