Deadliest Roads | Tajikistan | Free Documentary

kitty this is the largest city in

tajikistan

dushambay the capital looks like a slum with its canvas roofs

tajikistan

is the poorest country in central asia tajiks live a hard life but that doesn't seem to dim their bright smile the bus terminal is a reflection of the country is in ruins from here trucks full of supplies and goods leave for different places, but if it were not like that, everyone would do this job driving it is difficult to find a load, it is a pain on the road even more, but that is life , it is not easy to find a load in winter traders are hesitant trucks can get stuck for weeks due to a landslide or snow it is an old russian truck modern trucks are equipped with computers but this is all we have war check every part of your engine there is no way it wants to break down you have just received a delivery of flowers if you deliver it quickly there will be another load to deliver the trip starts badly you do not have the means to change your worn tires the stone broke this tire but also because there is a truck from Garrett who has patched up weird things new parts are too expensive when the mechanics fail gayrad goes to see the manufacturing experts recover the bolts any mechanical part and magically adapt it to any vehicle in two days I will make that car disappear everything whatever it's gone the chinese will buy it they'll take it back to china they'll melt it down and resell it they'll make iron beams or something like that while it's gone the rain starts to fall it's a bad omen for garrett but there's nothing like a little blessing from the guard to protect yourself from the evil eye it's okay, white beard, let's pray that God protects you on the way that all the prophets take care of you that all the saints of Islam are with you thank you very much that your path is safe thank you thank you have a good trip thank you gerard you will need a lot of luck your destination is bulunku on the other side of the country to get there you must take the main road 900 kilometers of winding road on the edge of ravines with a pass at 700 meters above sea level this is the second highest highway in the world highway in just one way of speaking falling rocks landslides river crossings extreme temperatures that

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ze engines engines and men will be severely tested drivers fear the road but it is the only link between the capital Dushanbe and the main region I will be careful, but it is God who decides what happens.

We'll get some fuel here. Alright? A simple tanker truck. A few cans. This is a mobile service station. Trade is tolerated in Tajikistan. I will buy eight hundred liters of diesel. should you take me to karog or mugab garrett knows the manager well so you will surely get good quality fuel the service stations dilute their diesel with water the fuel is expensive it costs six liters of ammonia about a euro every day the prices go up and we don't go down to the next day an hour and forty cans later gerat is back on the road we have about a thousand kilometers to go as soon as dusambe leaves the problems begin the fog has descended on the mountain it is so thick that garrett can't see more than 10 meters when you reach the pass and it is raining there is always fog we go in this type of pea soup accidents are frequent some drivers who cannot afford new ones are left without headlights it is not unusual to find a vehicle that suddenly emerges from the fog in the mountain any turn could be relentless as the ravine is close after two hours of driving blind garrett can finally see through the cloud he has been driving his truck for 15 years he inherited the job he has gradually improved and God willing, soon It will get better It's hard to imagine that the road could have been worse than this dirt road.

Oh, it looks loaded and I have to let it pass because priority goes to the vehicle going uphill. It is a dangerous crossing. A slalom between potholes on the edge of the precipice and the days have passed. been shaken in all directions garrett did not choose the life of a driver with all its dangers we are four brothers in the family and three of us are drivers my father decided that the youngest had to study so he went to university in moscow i send him money every month for his studies, I hope he finds a good job afterwards in an office to keep the road passable, the state does occasional maintenance, but it is often little more than simple touch-ups, like this bridge that drivers were happy to see built, but then the engineers designed it a little on the short side, Garrett is lucky, there is not too much water and the truck crosses smoothly, but for cars, this car did not manage to get stuck, the tires slid but there was not even much water when it rains. for a week no one can pass sometimes the drivers get stuck for three or four days in the water the river is a trap for motorists and the children quickly realize that there is some easy money to be made what are you selling Blackberry juice?

It's two and a half euros, a big bottle, a small one, 50 euros. What do you do with the money you earn? I give it to my mother for some extra simoni. They lend a hand to drivers in difficulty. You need help but good will is not enough and Salvation will have to wait until a large SUV is about to embark on one of the most dangerous parts of the journey when the Soviets kept the road there were some accidents they had everything planned at this point the rock becomes brittle when it rains and to avoid landslides the Russians had built these walls today they are crumbling when it rains the mountain just collapses on the road one could even crash the truck is on alert ready to break at the slightest tremor along the road there are dozens of dead bodies you see that truck was hit by a rock that fell from garrett mountain remains tense during this long stretch and here the accident was narrowly avoided the rocks had no one but they have blocked motorists for the last 12 hours this is not a The

roads

are not good, So what would you call this?

Drivers take too many risks. Only airplanes could pass through here. I remove it immediately and when I passed by last week, the rocks were already blocking it to help them. There are two old excavators from the Soviet era. It was not easy to move the two large stones that were there, there is no problem with my machine, it works very well, assuming that starting requires inventiveness and patience, so there are people waiting to pass, young and old, we have to work day and night, the road is full of potholes, but the Tajiks don't complain much, especially when they look across the Pange river that marks the border with Afghanistan, they look at the poor Afghans across the street seventy years later and they still have nothing.

Our road is really bad, but in Afghanistan they don't even have a suitable surface and are now working on a new route. Tajikistan and Afghanistan emerged in the late 19th century, when the Russians and the British shared this part of Central Asia, but the two countries have not evolved at all. in the same way culturally we are the same people I have relatives on the other side of the country I can't border what year they became two separate countries but they became Afghans and we became Soviet now look at the Afghans they are women there is only a hole to the eyes after 15 hours the road finally opens but there is no rest for the driver I need to give him immediately he is forced to reverse for almost 50 meters next to the cliff there are other vehicles behind you no no, it's good, this It is not a good stopping place.

A stone will hit us on the head and we will be swept away by the river. The club has been delayed and it will be difficult to make up time. The truck is slowed down by numerous herds of cows returning to their stables to spend the winter. This section of the road cannot accelerate. It is full of mines identified by the skull and crossbones and the red painted stones. A legacy of the civil war that followed the departure of the Russians. The slightest deviation and the mines could explode. The traffic is light but every time he comes across another truck garrote worries ah bastard he got hooked to make up for a few hours and despite the risks garrett drives through the night ahead a dozen vehicles have been trapped at dusk as gerrat were delayed by rockfalls for them the danger is even greater since it is difficult for drivers to find a path in the dark that avoids the potholes everyone is reluctant to start they do not want to end up like the off-road vehicle the vehicle may not get stuck but it will not will go much further some drivers take things in your hands and try to make your way among the brave, keep going, there is a lot of danger, drivers are afraid of being carried away by the current, but that night there will be no accidents after three days and 700 kilometers of gerait they reach the end of the road.

First stage of his journey, this is my town, we have made him see that it was the first car to arrive here in the province of Badakhshan, which was during the time of the Russians. We will rest a little here and prepare the truck that Garrett and his two brothers live with. and his parents, well, that's my house, his salary of 200 euros is shared with his brothers to support the whole family. Hello, my son, okay, how did it go? 15 people together to protect him from the evil eye. His mother blesses him with a pinch of flour. all the owner hello the food is ready this is our local stew the lamb stew is the traditional dish the national dish is my specialty it is carrots there is oil there is rice and to make it tastier your mother reveals her secret ingredient and then I added two cloves to it Garrett Nilofer's wife is a teacher but she stopped working to take care of her children.

Your daughter was asking the whole time where you were and I told her you would be back soon. Sometimes a month or 10 days or 20 days pass before, when I was alone, It was difficult, but now it's okay with the kids, Nilafah hopes it will break the family tradition in which all men become drivers. My son says he will become a driver like his father, but I told him. let him stay in school and then go to university no, I don't want him to become a driver, he can do any job, but he is not a driver when he is at home, garrett never has time to rest, he must take care of the cattle, some cows and sheep that improve the quality of life of the whole family to begin with he only had one sheep and that is his daughter and those are his children and when they are older we will cut them and make socks with their wool it is time to celebrate in Garrett's neighborhood his neighbor is getting married the bride's sisters and cousins ​​announce the event on the street the young satora, 28 years old, has been grooming herself since early in the morning I want to say and I hope the last congratulations for your mother the grandmother comes to give her best wishes to your granddaughter as dinner john amen amen tablecloths towels beauty is all I will need for my future life in premiere women are

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the locals practice a tolerant version of islam they can't force me to marry anyone the groom has hired most beautiful car in the city ​​for the occasion already divorced gets married for the second time today an accepted practice in Tajikistan congratulations hidden under a layer of seven veils a lucky number the bride leaves her parents' house and moves into her husband's house during the night It has snowed heavily, have a good trip, have a good trip, no problems, see you soon, dad, see you soon, dad, there are approximately two hundred kilometers left to get to bowling cool, overcome at an altitude of 4,300 meters snow storms and an invisible and formidable enemy. cold in the mountains temperatures often drop to -40 degrees a big problem for garrett as diesel freezes at -20 degrees to prevent his tank from turning to ice he knows a little trick it's an explosive cocktail this is fuel plane I mix my fuel so it doesn't freeze contraband kerosene bought under the counter I bought it from someone who works at the airport in these mountains the road is not that bad but when Gerard reaches 2000 meters the old engine starts working making a noise joke as at this altitude there is little oxygen so it is difficult for the truck beyond 3000 meters the temperature drops dangerously it is necessary to take precautions even with kerosene in the tank nothing better than a good blanket to protect the pipes freezing a broken engine at -40 degrees means certain death for the driver we are 15 kilometers before the Kotezak Pass there we are going to chew tobacco to cheer ourselves up at this altitude we are on the roof of the world here is the Ketuzak Pass this is the highest point High of our trip The pass at an altitude of 4,300 meters is often closed due to snow, forcing drivers to wait for days in the cold.

Here the border with China is close. All these trucks are Chinese after years of communism. Tajikistan now has a market economy. Neighboring China is therefore. taking advantage to flood the country with their raw materials as fuel to reach Tajikistan, the Chinese have to cross the pass but when it is closed due to bad weather the entire region suffers and for several days not a drop of gasoline has fallen for kilometers around the country. round hey, how are you doing?, well, annoying, we wouldn't havefuel, can you save a little? areas of Tajikistan there is nothing here there is no wheat there is no agriculture how can they live here? there is nothing there is no trees there is no water when Garrett arrives at the first village it is too late to unload his flowers the people are busy gathering their herds of yaks so as not to keep them warm but to protect them from other danger I have gathered 13 yaks but they are missing three will sleep outside but it's dangerous because of the wolves the yaks don't care about the cold I brought them here because of the wolves tonight Garrett will sleep in His truck I'll sleep for an hour or two and then I'll wake up to start the engine.

Garrett wants to start the engine four or five times during the night to prevent it from freezing, otherwise I'll be stuck here until spring two hours later Geyrat wakes up as planned the lock is stuck the truck starts to freeze I want to check that the diesel isn't It's not frozen, it's okay It's eight in the morning and the cool town of Bulum is slowly waking up. Garrett is still asleep at school. The day begins with cold work. The end often drops to -40 and even -45 degrees. The children are as covered in class as they are.

Out in these remote villages there are few luxuries, but the government is making sure every student has a textbook. At least draw a square with sides three centimeters long. It is a policy that is giving 99.5% results. Tajikistan has a higher literacy rate than the euro today. minus 20 degrees is almost summer for these people that's not too cold it's just minus 20. when it's minus 50 that's cold we're used to anything above that garrett has slept well maybe too well he didn't wake up every two hours, I think it had to be -30 degrees the engine froze I'll make a fire to warm it up last night I didn't start it every two hours and it's very frozen armed with a torch Gerard attacks the ice it's a meticulous job and you have to be careful not to burn the electrical cables some men come by and give them a hand and when you start heating the tank no one seems to care in the least no, it's not dangerous it's fine everyone is playing with fire just a few centimeters from the fuel up here there doesn't seem to be any rules we have heated the diesel so it should speed up the process now once heated through the boiling diesel fuel it is injected directly into the engine after two hours of effort now let's see if it starts alone God knows if it works ah now it's the battery the only one working car is requisition connecting the cables and the kamaz comes back to life with the engine running garrett download the flower someone can help me up here save about 15 bags that are for some intact a small village at the end of the road another 20 kilometers from distance but before leaving the men warn him that it is almost impossible to pass the road is blocked you will get stuck it has been difficult for vehicles the last few days on this road but I have to go well, thank you, goodbye, the snow has transformed this small slope on an almost insurmountable obstacle and I can't do it, it's just too slippery, there's too much snow, six-wheel drive doesn't make a difference, three shovelfuls of rock will do it, Garrett. he manages to get out but only for a few meters without chains it can't be done it's sliding too much the truck seems to have regained traction but at a price and Garrett is forced to push his old engine to the limit he thinks it could break at any moment no , it won't work and if it breaks there will be no one to come and get us out of the middle of nowhere we are going to turn carefully the engine is your livelihood that you prefer to give In these distant lands, solidarity is key.

A man in trouble can always find a solution. There was too much snow and ice. I couldn't pass. Can you take the flower yourselves? Fine, thanks. Garrett returns to Dushanbe, the capital, hoping not to make it. I stay on the road too long and hope to find a new load first thing the next morning. Dunaya leaves with two companions, they are Rockstar. I need my gun because there are wolves on the road. They can attack donkeys and sometimes even men. Bye bye. wife with dunaya leading the way the little party leaves the animals will be more effective than a six-wheeled truck well for now the donkeys want to go their own way come on don't be left behind guys, it's already late, the days are short, come on this way come on follow me the convoy has to arrive before it gets dark you can't sleep outdoors because of these extreme temperatures don't be left behind we have to keep going let's go ahead very few of these farmers have gone beyond their own region they know virtually nothing from the outside world their knowledge is different like the art of reciting poetry to give themselves courage do not be lazy it is no longer time to play it is time for art and pride and to learn to transform while the days continue their parade come come go come after hours in the snow the team is at its limit exhausted we are tired just look at this family during part of the winter the flower is used to make the daily bread that forms the basis of all meals in tajikistan give us some hot tea it will be delicious one does not receive guests without serving what they call antifreeze is poor quality alcohol and is wreaking havoc in these remote villages live long hey this antifreeze has reached my toes that is good and a few drinks later no longer there's nothing left without antifreeze it's over I'm sure we'll come back without your loads the return trip will be quicker as long as the men don't zigzag much more than one villager has died in the snow because of foreign alcohol