New Year's Tangerines - Short story

The evening of December 31st didn't feel at all like New Year's. It was snowing or raining, and a gusty icy wind made things worse. Huddled up, I walked along the sidewalk, cursing the wretched weather, the new year, and my boss who had made me stay late at work. By the way, they still hadn't given us our advance pay. Now I'll have to wait for my salary, and that won't be until after the New Year holidays. I barely had any money left. At least I managed to buy some food for the New Year's table in advance.

The Siyoma River runs through the upper reaches of the Varzob Gorge in the Tajikistan mountains

The Siyoma River Gorge is situated 54 kilometers along the Varzob highway, almost directly opposite the Varzob Climbing Camp. It is a popular destination for mountain hikers and on weekends, both local residents of Dushanbe and visitors from other cities and countries can often be found here. The Siyoma River starts at an elevation of 1782 meters above sea level, at its confluence with the Varzob River near the road, and rises to 3000-3200 meters in its upper reaches.

Javonon Park, Komsomol Lake, and Dushanbe City in Tajikistan

There is currently a significant amount of construction underway in Dushanbe, causing the city's appearance to rapidly change. The construction has affected almost all of the city's parks, but I would like to focus on Javonon Park near Komsomol Lake. The lake is now known as Javonon, but I am more familiar with its previous name, as are many others. The park used to have Soviet-era merry-go-rounds, impromptu cafes, and barbecues, which left a depressing impression. However, the park has now been transformed into a beautiful, open, and spacious cultural and recreational park that is perfect for strolling, relaxing, and enjoying the scenery.

Village Mitote - Short story

"Do you know what mitote* is?" asked Sergey in surprise. "You are in the dark, even though you live in the city. Have you heard of Castaneda?"
"Well, in general, it's about shamans, right?" Dmitry responded uncertainly.
"I'm telling you, you're in the dark. It's not about shamans. Castaneda writes about magic and power," Sergey interrupted him. "The main thing is power, and the one who hunts for it better has more of it. Usually, it's done alone, but sometimes these hunters gather together, take peyote, and meet with Mescalito. That's what mitote is. So, will you come with us?"
"Tomorrow? I might go if my parents let me."
"Just tell them you're going fishing," Sergey got up. "Let me know by the evening if you decide to come. I have to go now, there's something I need to prepare and discuss with another candidate."
"Who is that candidate?" Dmitry asked.
"Remember Fedor? You saw us together at the train station. He seemed interested. Anyway, see you."
Sergey waved his hand and walked down the street. Dmitry got up from the bench in front of the house where his family usually spent the summer and went inside the courtyard.

Strength and Honor! - A Fanfiction Story from the "World of Warcraft" Universe

Kroghur opened his eyes. A soft light filtered down through the hut's roof, through the gap in the chimney—the sun had not yet risen. From outside came a noise like a disturbed beehive. For years, this sound had instantly stirred Kroghur's fury and the sweet anticipation of battle. The orcish clans of the Horde were preparing for a campaign. Today, like all the mortal races of Azeroth, the orcs were marching against the Burning Legion.

Salt Cave, Khoja Mumin Mountain, Vose District, Khatlon, Tajikistan

One of the landmarks of the Khatlon region, near the city of Vose, is Khoja Mumin Mountain. The people of Tajikistan see a product from this mountain on their tables daily: common salt. The Khoja Mumin plant is located at the foot of the mountain and produces this salt, supplying all of Tajikistan and also exporting it. According to expert estimates, the salt from Khoja Mumin Mountain could feed the entire world for a hundred years, so abundant are the deposits here.

All ten bridges in the Odjuk Gorge, Varzob, located in the mountains of Tajikistan.

On the last day of my hike, I trekked through the Odjuk Gorge from the Kumkayakutal Pass to the village of Varzob. I took this opportunity to dedicate a photo review to the ten bridges that now span the gorge. Previously known as the "Gorge of the Seven Bridges" among tourists, the presence of these ten bridges is a welcome sight compared to the Semiganch Gorge, where no bridges exist, and I had to jump over stones to cross the river.

Kumkayakutal Pass is a 3-day hike located in the Semiganch Gorge of the Romit Mountains in Tajikistan

This is a photo review of the third day of my four-day trek from Kharangon to Ojuk through the Semiganch Gorge. In the llast photo review, I stopped at the moment when I descended from Mount Mushteppa to the village of Dora. In the kishlak, I visited Faiz, reloaded my camera, had a delicious and filling lunch, and rested a bit from the hardships of camp life. Then, I continued along the river in the Semiganch Gorge towards the Kumkayakutal Pass in the Romit region. Once I pass the pass, I'll find myself in the Odjuk Gorge in the Varzob region..

Mount Mushtepa, day 2 of the hike, is a ridge between the Varzob and Ramit gorges, in the mountains of Tajikistan.

The second day of my four-day hike was entirely dedicated to Mount Mushtepa. Mount Mushtepa is located on the watershed ridge between the Varzob and Ramit rivers, so on this day, I visited both of them. I began the ascent on the Varzob side in the Harangon River gorge, and by midday, I had reached the summit of Mushtepa before descending to the Ramit side in the Semiganch gorge.

The Harangoni Gorge and Ridge, a one-day trek in the Varzob area of the mountains of Tajikistan

So, I decided to go on a hike, during which I planned to visit places such as the Harangoni Ridge, climb Mount Mushtepa, descend from the mountain into the Semiganch Gorge, and hike through it to the Kumkayakutal Pass. After crossing the pass, I would end up in the Ojuk Gorge and hike through it all the way to the village of Varzob. I fully completed this route plan in four days. This is a photo overview of the first day of the hike.