Frost

We left Uliastai in the dark, after waking the petrol station attendant to fill up. Uliastai is a stunning valley with mountains rising on either side. I couldn't see anything other than the dusty road in front of the car. We turned off the main road to cut across to our destination (ultimately seven hours drive away!) and started to climb out of the valley. Behind the mountains there was sunshine, but we were still driving in shadows. Just as we reached the high point on a crossing over into the next valley the sun reached us. A hard frost had fallen overnight, winter is creeping in, water starting to freeze in the small water ways. In the morning sun the landscape sparkled and glittered. A single cloud hung over a small lake. Frost turned the timbers on the bridge white. Plates of ice rocked and cracked as we drove through small rivers, like sheets of broken glass. Frost even covered the cold sides of small sand dunes. Absolutely beautiful. Maybe it took seven hours to reach our destination because I kept stopping the car to take photos!