Crossing into Tajikistan was every bit the adventure I expected – and then some. We took back roads out of Uzbekistan: rough macadam broken by stretches of hard dirt, swerving to dodge potholes and weaving around roadside chaos. Then came the border: one long mile of lines, old ladies shoving forward, multiple passport checks, and the slow, steady shuffle between checkpoints.

You leave your car, show your passport to a man standing in a doorway, then again at a window. Walk out, down a dirt road to another building – more passport checks. Repeat. The final stretch through no-man’s land is a slog with luggage, until finally—there’s your new driver waiting on the other side.

Tajikistan is a Muslim country, but without the tight rules found in neighboring regions – part of their approach to keep extremism at bay. It’s subtle, but noticeable.

By this point in the trip, I hit a wall. Exhausted by car rides, walking tours, and daily repetition with new guides repeating the same stories, I couldn’t do it anymore. I messaged my tour guide and canceled a whole segment of the trip – no more 6-7 hour drives back-to-back. I’m choosing rest: more time in Bishkek with Ariana, and a single drive from there to Almaty.

This is the benefit of traveling in this part of the world, a ton of freedom of how you spend your days.

The drive from Penjikand to Khujand was beautiful. It started with open fields dotted with poppies, snow-capped mountains in the distance. As we moved between ranges, the scenery shifted to browns and quiet villages, but the mountains never disappeared- they called to me. I had hoped for a proper hike in that space between, but my driver’s version of hiking was “a walk in an open field.” Not quite what I envisioned. Tajikistan’s hiking is said to be spectacular – I’ll be back for that. The cities, though? Meh.

Khujand, however, surprised me. It’s the most modern-feeling city I’ve seen on this trip. People dressed in a more contemporary style – sparkled pant suits for women, slacks and jackets for men. The city had a river, a gondola, a kid’s park with motor cars, and colorful lights at night that made it feel truly urban. It was sunny and warm, and I took a much-needed two mile walk to stretch my legs. There’s not much to “do” here—no cozy cafes or must-see sites—but it was a nice change of pace. Still, I’m finding myself wondering how to fill the downtime. “Explore” only gets you so far when you’re tired of exploring.