That morning all of us decided to share a cab to get to the border market which was 5km away but had to go through the risky construction road where rock blasting was going on at the edge of the rock cliff.
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| Cross Border Market - Ruzvay (Afghanistan - Tajikistan) |
Afghan border market was actually on the Tajikistan side of the border and the people from Afghanistan would walk over the bridge, bringing their good for trade. Taking photos was a sensitive thing at the market. Not really disallowed but subject to how one took the picture.
Blatanly photographing was a no no but asking permission from the sellers for a photo after purchasing something and a few friendly chat would usually be accepted.
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| Tajikistan locals parking on roadsides to visit the border market on Saturdays in Kalaikhum |
A little glimpse of Afghanistan people and their culture and while this glimpse does not represent the entire country, it was a good impression where I felt in the near future Afghanistan would be open to the world again and hopefully the negative connotation will change.
Later during the journey through Tajikistan, I would meet tourist on bikes, bicycles or even backpacking whom had journey through Afghanistan and all their responds and experience travelling through were positive.
Morning Afghan Border market done, we all headed back to Kalaikhum and split up to do our own things. My priority was to fix up the top box bracket system which had broken at four points out of six.
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| Master Welder trying to quick fix the bracket |
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| I decided to strip everything and remake it with Gutso |
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| Reinforce bracket with scrap metal |
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| A Good Job Done after 4 hours |
I found a welder fortunately in Kalaikhum and proceeded to strip every metal bracket while meticulously explaining by hand gesture which part to cut, weld, add on bars to somehow re-attached back the bracket to full functionality.
It was hard work with me being the welder helper while figuring out how to repair the broken system without a torch to bend metal. It took a total of four hours work modifying the bracket but it was done eventually. It was ugly work not the most beautiful bracket system now but it was strong and functional.
The master welder even had an idea to weld an additional bolt to the broken thread making a lever arm so that the bungee chord holding my suspension in place would have no chance of slipping off during a ride or bump.
It was hard work with me being the welder helper while figuring out how to repair the broken system without a torch to bend metal. It took a total of four hours work modifying the bracket but it was done eventually. It was ugly work not the most beautiful bracket system now but it was strong and functional.
The master welder even had an idea to weld an additional bolt to the broken thread making a lever arm so that the bungee chord holding my suspension in place would have no chance of slipping off during a ride or bump.
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| Chilling at Kalaikhum Square at the end of the day to watch kids play |
The fix was ugly and I would rate it at a 95% complete fix. Hopefully it will last me the entirety of the journey without any more modifications. That ugly fix in the end actually lasted the entire balance of the journey until i reach back in Thailand a few months later where I fully custom made a new bracket system.
Traveled on: July 2024
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