Tajikistan from the air

Sometimes this flatlander is amazed at the seemingly endless stretch of mountains that that lie between the capital and our city...

And you think that there is no-way that anybody could be living in any of the area as far as the eye can see...

But if you look real close...
...there's people down there sometimes. And I assume they are very cold people this time of year.

Big brother Brent is planning a trip for this summer, when we plan to take a few days and conquer these hills. Plant our flag, so to speak.


Anyway, these photos show that we've finally made the trip up from Dushanbe to Khujand. We've been greeted warmly by our adopted family, but we've received a more cold greeting from the electricity rationing and indoor temps. I really shouldn't complain after last year, though. It has remained just above freezing since we arrived, and we have about 4 hours of electricity each day. We are told the lights should come back on full time in May.