Today we cross into country No. 3 - Tajikistan. The border crossings are becoming more staight forward but the one constant factor is the distance you have to walk from one country's immigration building to the next country's building. On average it would be anything from 750 to 1000 metres. Tajikistan is the poorest of the 5 Stans that we will be visiting and it is noticable right from the start. Road conditions, vehicles and the people are all tell tale signs. Although when we arrive in the capital of Dushanbe we are confronted with what appears to be a modern, organised city. And a proliferation of images of President Rahmon that seem to adorn every building. Our stay here is virtually overnight, so Sarah, John, Freda and myself decide to head out on our own. The main street is a divided by a wide treed median strip bordered by gardens with a footpath up the centre. In a side street we manage to find an open air restaurant and to our good fortune a young waiter with just enough English to help us navigate the menu. When the time comes to head home it's dark and the city has become a carnival lights. There are hundreds of people enjoying a carnival like atmosphere and the balmy evening, and it's a pleasant walk home, accompanied by the now customary curiosity from the locals towards 4 westerners strolling the streets of Tajikistan.