Landscape

At around 35 degrees latitude & 5000’ it’s very similar to Arizona here. There is no humidity and we are surrounded by snow topped mtns (snow only, there is ZERO vegetation on top). As we fly over you can see trails the National Park Service would be jealous of. They zig-zag up the mtns to a saddle then back down the main draingage. At the mouth of just about every drainage you see a lush green spot with a village, which makes sense. What doesn’t make sense: I was following said trail along the side of a ridge then noticed small mud huts built into the mtn (probably an entrance to a cave) but who in the world wants to live up there (unless you are hiding), again there is ZERO vegetation or cover. As you head south you start leaving the mtns and enter another region that boggles the mind with inhabitants. All of a sudden you hit a sea of endless red dirt/sand. Really wish this pic would upload. From what I can tell its miserable, constant dust devils or blowing dirt, nothing but red/brown in every direction. Of course this is where the Marines live and where the fight is currently at its worst. We flew an approach in there yesterday and never even saw the field due to blowing dirt. And there is a dust storm outside right now, thus I’m inside emailing.

We recently picked up some Marines and shot all the way across the country out of its northern border into Kyrgyzstan. As we crossed Tajikistan we flew over some the most extreme mountains I’ve ever seen. They were amazing, beyond words, endless snow peaks all over with glaciers everywhere. As you come down the mtns all the trails would be some of the best mtn biking you could find.

If it wasn’t for all the land-mines and a war, I would definitely recommend vacationing here.