I slept badly last night because of the humidity, as idyllic the place was otherwise the dampness screwed it a bit.
I had no clue what I was in for today and it turned out to be quite intense, a lot of climbing and it is not so easy anymore to get a re-fill of water. The villages were very sparse and I managed to empty most of my suplies.
After I reached the first big path I came to a small village in a higher valley. My maps on my pocket computer just showed me a lot of nothing for the area I found myself in and the maps Christiano gave me had a too low resolution. The road was not paved anymore aroud here. So I saw two shepherds sitting in front of the small village and once the younger of the two came to keep the bunch of big dogs away from me and invited me to sit with them, it turned out, that it was lunchtime. I was offered some tea, that I gratefully accepted, having drowned the last gulp from my water bottle on the pass that did not quite stop my thirst. So I asked in Turkish for water and directions (there was a crossing next to the village), for the water they pointed in the direction I came from and for Tabris they pointed not the road leading down the valley but the one up the opposit mountainside. I saw some water one the pass, but it comes from the rest of, the melting snow, not a source and thus I was not sure if my stomach can handle it. Also I am a bit afraid that that water is lacking minerals and might absorb some from my body (but I am not so sure either if that is a serious problem). As we tried to make a little conversation, I realized that the Azerbaijan language is quite different from the Turkish I learned, but it was better than nothing.
After many cups of tea and a few bites of bread and cheese, I said my goodbyes and started to climb again. The road was rather difficult and because in the upper parts the snow had still not cleared there was a track shortcuting the last couple of ziczacs and leading straight up. I could have drowned a lake once I arrived completly out of breath one the top. So I did not loose time to start the descent. On the way down I met a couple of funny guys from Tabris, we chatted a bit and I learned that there should be a village not much further to get some water. They did not have any themselves but instead invited me for 'tüntün number one' (I give you a clue; the first word can be found in Turkish).
Then I finally arrived in Gollujeh where a man who got just , out of a car blocked my way. I stopped him and we shook hands. I asked for water and found myself hoisted into the next house where he and his father and friends had tea. After many questions and a lot more tea I proceeded towards Tabris.
In the center I started looking for a cheap hotel and felt lost between all these signs in arabic letters, but whenever somebody stopped to ask me where I'm from or get his picture taken with me, I went ahead and asked them for directions. The first guest house was full, in the second I tried to negotiate the, price, had no luck and went for the next one. Then I got rejected one time and tried two more fully booked hotels. Two hours later and after wandering off in a neighbourhood without any hotels, somebody took me along his way and dropped me off in front of a five star hotel. There I got a map and detailed info in english and a bit of free wifi. Then back in the center I found the indicated two star hotel. They only had double rooms and contrary to most establishments I visited before, they would not give me a single room price. The first room I got was not cleaned up after the previous guest had left it, the second one was occupied and the thrid one was finally mine. I was exhausted. After a shower I dragged my ass through the empty roads into the next best restaurant I could find and ordered the first thing the waiter suggested. While I was eating the waiter suddenly asked me to come to him, I made a one-moment-gesture which he must have overlooked, since he repeated, louder this time, 'l come to me'. A bit irritated I followed his order. At the counter he handed me the phone and clapped his hands in excitement while grinning all over his face. At the other end of the line a man introduced himself Mustafa, a student for Tourim, he offered himself as guide in exchange for English practice. Startled I accepted the offer and Mustafa told me to pick me up at nine the next day at my hotel.
When at last I was back in my room felt like a typhoon had raged in my head and was eager to shut down the input and rest.
I had no clue what I was in for today and it turned out to be quite intense, a lot of climbing and it is not so easy anymore to get a re-fill of water. The villages were very sparse and I managed to empty most of my suplies.
After I reached the first big path I came to a small village in a higher valley. My maps on my pocket computer just showed me a lot of nothing for the area I found myself in and the maps Christiano gave me had a too low resolution. The road was not paved anymore aroud here. So I saw two shepherds sitting in front of the small village and once the younger of the two came to keep the bunch of big dogs away from me and invited me to sit with them, it turned out, that it was lunchtime. I was offered some tea, that I gratefully accepted, having drowned the last gulp from my water bottle on the pass that did not quite stop my thirst. So I asked in Turkish for water and directions (there was a crossing next to the village), for the water they pointed in the direction I came from and for Tabris they pointed not the road leading down the valley but the one up the opposit mountainside. I saw some water one the pass, but it comes from the rest of, the melting snow, not a source and thus I was not sure if my stomach can handle it. Also I am a bit afraid that that water is lacking minerals and might absorb some from my body (but I am not so sure either if that is a serious problem). As we tried to make a little conversation, I realized that the Azerbaijan language is quite different from the Turkish I learned, but it was better than nothing.
After many cups of tea and a few bites of bread and cheese, I said my goodbyes and started to climb again. The road was rather difficult and because in the upper parts the snow had still not cleared there was a track shortcuting the last couple of ziczacs and leading straight up. I could have drowned a lake once I arrived completly out of breath one the top. So I did not loose time to start the descent. On the way down I met a couple of funny guys from Tabris, we chatted a bit and I learned that there should be a village not much further to get some water. They did not have any themselves but instead invited me for 'tüntün number one' (I give you a clue; the first word can be found in Turkish).
Then I finally arrived in Gollujeh where a man who got just , out of a car blocked my way. I stopped him and we shook hands. I asked for water and found myself hoisted into the next house where he and his father and friends had tea. After many questions and a lot more tea I proceeded towards Tabris.
In the center I started looking for a cheap hotel and felt lost between all these signs in arabic letters, but whenever somebody stopped to ask me where I'm from or get his picture taken with me, I went ahead and asked them for directions. The first guest house was full, in the second I tried to negotiate the, price, had no luck and went for the next one. Then I got rejected one time and tried two more fully booked hotels. Two hours later and after wandering off in a neighbourhood without any hotels, somebody took me along his way and dropped me off in front of a five star hotel. There I got a map and detailed info in english and a bit of free wifi. Then back in the center I found the indicated two star hotel. They only had double rooms and contrary to most establishments I visited before, they would not give me a single room price. The first room I got was not cleaned up after the previous guest had left it, the second one was occupied and the thrid one was finally mine. I was exhausted. After a shower I dragged my ass through the empty roads into the next best restaurant I could find and ordered the first thing the waiter suggested. While I was eating the waiter suddenly asked me to come to him, I made a one-moment-gesture which he must have overlooked, since he repeated, louder this time, 'l come to me'. A bit irritated I followed his order. At the counter he handed me the phone and clapped his hands in excitement while grinning all over his face. At the other end of the line a man introduced himself Mustafa, a student for Tourim, he offered himself as guide in exchange for English practice. Startled I accepted the offer and Mustafa told me to pick me up at nine the next day at my hotel.
When at last I was back in my room felt like a typhoon had raged in my head and was eager to shut down the input and rest.
