Something I never expected to hear was someone recommending we get as close to Afghanistan as possible–just to be more safe.  Today we received an update from the Rally officials that started with this:

Hi there folks,
Got some breaking news on Taj . Just an important security update basically to do with militants on the route around the Garm area and army operations in the area…

They go on to recommend a route change.  This change moves us out of the militant area and extends our route along the Afghan border.  A great deal of the Pamir Highway we are going to take skirts the Afghan border, but we had planned on heading inland from the border as soon as practical.  I guess practical was replaced by non-militant.  This keeps it interesting if nothing else.

It was good for a reality check on the potential dangers involved driving through this region of the world.  Bart, maybe you were onto something.

The map of the proposed route has been updated.  It now shows Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as this most recent route change.  Fun times in Central Asia.