Day 2 in Murghab

For today, I had to make an executive decision:

1. Continue the Pamir highway and stay another night in Murghab.

2. Take a day off and search for hot springs mentioned by Lonely Planet.

3. Head back to Osh, escaping from Murghab and Tajikistan.

Option 2 prevailed.

After breakfast, I strolled through the local bazaar, where I am the subject of many curiosity from the locals.

Many of the shops are located in shipping containers.

I bought some snickers at the sweet shop for later consumption.

Chilling at the water pump.

After lunch, I drove to the hot springs Lonely Planet mentioned. The road starts off along the Murghab river…

(This hill was making a fistpump).

The route is very pretty and I met a group of South Africans.

We split off in search of the hot springs.

However, after a difficult drive and walk to get there and finding the hot spring, I realised that the bridge to reach it had been washed away.

And as much as I tried to cross the river, all attempts failed.

And I had to head back.

At which point, I needed help to push the car out of the valley (very helpful onlooker).

(More mountain hands)

The route back is stunning and I am starving for dinner.

The usual tomato and cucumber salad followed by this delicious vegetarian dish based on potato. (Wasn’t able to find it on wikipedia)