Im Going Back Tajikistan Moldova

Just wanted to drop everyone a mid-month update to let you all know I booked my ticket last week and Tajikistan is happening again! Everyone seems so puzzled as to why I’m going back, rather than somewhere new but I think they must have missed all those photos and posts about my travel there last year……

Lake Alovaddin, Lake Alauddin, Fann Mountains, Tajikistan, Central Asia, Sughd, Pamir Altai,
Sunrise over Lake Alovaddin

On the last day of this month, I’ll be taking off to Tajikistan, but with a twist. I’m stopping off in Chisinau, Moldova for a couple of days before flying to Khujand, Tajikistan. Yep, I’m headed back to Europe for the first time in over 5 years!

Oddly enough when I began looking at flights between Anchorage and Khujand I saw a layover on the itineraries in Chisinau. I visited Chisinau in 2012 and had an absolute blast there.

A few clicks and a little flight searching later I was booked en route to Khujand with a couple of days to spare back in Moldova (oh, and not to mention a $3,900 cheaper flight!). I’m actually really excited to return to Moldova, to see what it looks like now and if it’s changed much. I also speak a whole hell of a lot more Russian since my last visit to Moldova, so that should make things a bit easier since Russian is still widely understood even though Romanian/Moldovan is the officially recognized language.

I’m just hoping it’s not overrun by visitors since Lonely Planet went and named Moldova in its ‘Best in Europe’ for 2017, which I am doubtful of my fear since no one knows where the f*** Moldova* is anyways.

*I wrote that post almost two years ago exactly. It’s probably a train wreck of an article.

So what am I gonna do for my short visit to Moldova? Not sure yet. I’d like to just kick back and have fun in the city, maybe make the jaunt over to Tiraspol and check out the little capital of the country that doesn’t really exist (Transnistria), visit Cricova, maybe make some time for Orhuel Vecchi and of course spend some time enjoying Chisinau.

For Tajikistan, I have a lot on my agenda and a 45-day visa. Of course, I will re-explore the Fann Mountains, Khorog, and Dushanbe. I’ll visit new places like Khujand, Istaravshan, Isfara, and Zorkul that I didn’t get to last year.

I’m trying to secure a damn-near-impossible to obtain a permit to visit Lake Sarez (wish me luck!), and I am hoping to explore more of the Bartang Highway area this year (fingers crossed the road is in better condition, but I’m not gonna hold my breath), and of course check out more hiking in the Pamirs. And of course, so far, this will be a solo go again.

After Tajikistan, I’d like to make it back into Turkmenistan to re-visit the Door to Hell since it’s just so strange and well, rumor has it that the government is trying to put it out. Ultimately I will end up in Cyprus after my time in Central Asia to visit a friend who is moving there, which is pretty exciting to me since I have never been!

I’m not entirely sure when I’m going to be returning home yet, but don’t worry! I’m making valiant efforts to not completely abandon you all and leave you high and dry as I did for most of my travels in 2016.

I have a load of Alaska and photography posts scheduled to keep you entertained while I’m gone, plus I am going to try to make a better effort to get on here and update you on the happenings in my travels. I know, I’m a terrible travel blogger. I just have a penchant for far-flung places where you may go for days on end without cellphone service, let alone an internet connection.

Realistically I should change my title from ‘travel blogger’ to ‘some girl who likes to travel, and keeps a website where she writes about some of the places she goes at later dates, or sometimes never’, but that’s kinda long.

I’m a traveler at heart. Not a marketer, not a writer, not a blogger just trying to sell you shit. As far as this website is concerned, travel will always come first, getting information for you all to read and use here comes second, and trying to recoup the damages to my bank account in meeting goals #1 and #2 come dead last.

I’m not willing to sacrifice exploration and having the best time possible in a destination to stay within the constraints of a press trip budget that can’t afford me to hardly leave the hostel dorm they’ve graciously put me up in and then sit in a room on a laptop lying to you all about how great ‘fill in the blank’ is!

So get ready to tag along for another weird and wild adventure. And let’s just all hope I can trim some more weight from my backpack because my god, is that heavy.

In Dushanbe last year

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3 thoughts on “I’m Going Back To Tajikistan! (and Moldova too)”

  1. Kim Masson

    I’m planning a trip to Tajikistan next summer and your previous posts have been crazy helpful! Looking forward to reading about this trip. Have a great time! : )

    Reply

  2. Ian

    This sounds like an awesome trip, I was looking at Moldova last week as a possible trip to take next year. I was thinking of going to Ukraine as well, but Tajikistan now sounds interesting too ?

    Reply

    1. Nicole  

      Go to them all! I’m really in love with Tajikistan, it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth and the best part is that you don’t have to share it with many others! Moldova and Ukraine are a good time too, and a trip to Transnistria is a must if you’re there!

      Reply

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