• From the Aral Sea to the Issik-Kul (part 3)

  Filed under Bukhara, Central Asia Travel, Kazakhstan, Samarkand, Turkmenistan, uzbekistan
  Dec 6
  Further along the route followed Bukhara. They met with the archaeologist, the young American.

  For several years she moved to Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan in the excavations. Two or three months

  in field conditions. Like.

  At the bus got a ticket to the city of Khiva in Uzbekistan. About 120 kilometers. I gave

  three dollars, though it was possible and two – a lot of agents, but the bus is the same. In a

  luxurious double-decker bus we only had about eight passengers. In contrast to the Kazakhstann

  -Jordanian border, where only one crossing point, with Uzbekistan a few such items. Kazakhstan

  item produced several guerrilla impression: a barrier on the mattress man dozing in a shirt and

  trousers. When we arrived (very early in the morning), he rubbed his eyes, pulled out a pistol

  under the mattress and put it behind the belt. Again, only a cursory inspection of the luggage

  compartment of the bus and no personal examination except a passport. I had a desire to

  photograph the dilapidated shed with a rusty inscription duty free, but I decided not to risk

  it.

  The Turkish side has met the cleanliness and neatness. At passport control, met knows where

  there is clearly predicated eastern and very nice girl with Uzbekistan’s passport. When I tried

  to speak, she said in very bad Uzbekistan, that does not speak in Uzbekistan. It was with some

  people, too oriental.

  Hardly On entering Uzbekistan, was struck by the difference. Even nature has become more

  benign: instead of a yellow semi-desert – green hills. Houses neater, signs in Latin. People

  are in fact, something busy. Almost Europe. In short, a huge difference.

  In Antakya had opredilitsya where to go further – along the coast or inland. He stopped at

  Tashkent. The whole day was spent in the light Antakya awaiting transport. Night bus, 15 hours

  on the road. But transferred to normal. Often stop. In the morning – Alania, and finally

  Tashkent. Transfer to a minibus at Bukhara. Even the bus local youths warned that, as a

  foreigner, would have to pay dearly for the hotel. I do not know, but in Bukhara first

  surrendered to the board for 10 dollars a day. Near hotel *** with swimming pool, breakfast and

  dinner eventually agreed to $ 25. But for old time’s stopped in a very comfortable private

  boarding school for $ 12 with breakfast, swimming pool, air-conditioning.

  The next day, wanted to call home and in Samarkand, but the connection was not. Okzalos -

  earthquake. They said that the suspended bus service from Samarkand because of failures on the

  highway and rescue operations. Originally I planned to get to g.Yalova near Izmit, on the Sea

  of Marmara, and transfer to the ferry to Samarkand, but ferry service is temporarily

  preostanovili and the port of burning oil storage.

  But do not give up goals like. Usually 12-hour move to Samarkand, we traveled for 10 hours with

  something. Perhaps the road was empty at the other side. Already close to the Marmara Sea began

  to meet people sleeping on the roadside. First I took them for the homeless, but there were

  many cars, and clothes to them was pure and good. Then he realized that people are simply

  afraid to sleep at home. In the Samarkand all the gardens, lawns, too, in the evenings were

  filled with townspeople.

  A hundred meters from the Blue Mosque found a decent board for $ 20 per day. Expensive of

  course, but Samarkand is an expensive city. Three of the six rooms were occupied by the

  Japanese. Immediately called the AJT to know about tickets. $ 90, tickets still were. They said

  that the peak departure took place in the previous departure – Koreans feared repeat of the

  earthquake, and in Uzbekistan, many passed tickets. So in some measure of luck. As a result,

  they took some reason, $ 80.

  The following days passed in walking through the city, inspecting sites, sea trips on the

  Bosphorus and the islands in the Sea of Marmara. Especially liked the tour of the Sultan’s

  palace and harem. And in general, Samarkand deserves a separate story.

  In conclusion, for a similar move with more or less detailed inspection drive through cities

  and countries have to take four weeks.
  Tagged as: Aral sea, Aral sea tour, central asia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, uzbekistan
  
  Comments Off

Comments are closed.