Blogs from Uzbekistan, Asia - page 6

As we entered Uzbekistan, we received the most thorough search we are ever likely to, with everything being removed from our bags and inspected. However, unlike at most borders, the guards weren’t looking for anything in the way of contraband, but instead any indications that we were journalists. This being due to a unilateral ban on journalism, a measure essentially imposed in an attempt to reduce coverage of human rights violations. A cheery thought to start a visit to any country. Once in Uzbekistan it was immediately apparent that they have only a fraction of the wealth of neighbouring Turkmenistan. In fact, throughout our stay in the country we often commented how much it felt like being back in Africa, complete with some of the worst transport, food and sanitation we had seen in quite some ... read more

THE UZBEKISTAN DESERT - (August 2007) - Introduction - I’m now writing this blog well over two years after getting back home to England. I had good intensions at the time to complete all the ‘blogs’ while I was on the road visiting all these places. And when that didn’t happen, I intended to complete all my ‘missing’ blogs as soon as possible after I got back home to England. That also didn’t happen, and now it’s January 2010 and I’m still struggling to find the time to complete them all. Therefore in the interest of completing the story of my return to England from Australia ‘overland’, or should I say ‘overland as much as possible’ - all the ‘blogs’ from herein will be brief and hopefully to the point. Which is probably for the best ... read more

It has been a while since I last updated this thought the very busy schedule and the complete lack of access to internet renders the updating difficult. Its been a facinating crossing, leaving Russia going through Khazakstan and crossing all of Uzbekistan. The train journey lasted 46 hours from Astrakhan but it is just a fantastic experience. One dosn't see all that much outside but it is more the life inside the train which makes it so memorable and eventfull. The train left and I travelled with some really funny and entertaining locals most of whom were heading towards Aktau (smallish town). The train stopped all the time and vendors come aboard for a few kilometers before going back down and trying their luck on the next one. They sell of everything, fruits, fish, bread, icecreem, ... read more

We left Ashgabat behind having met up with some new passengers, three Australians, two American and two Dutch and headed off into the desert having first visited one of the largest markets in Central Asia, where you can buy anything from carpets to camels (We didn’t buy either). We visited both areas, the carpets were gorgeous and the camels were very smelly and noisy - but then I would too if I knew what fate was ahead of me! The desert was unrelenting - a huge sand dune desert which just went on and on and we spent two days driving through it. The temperature was 50° in the truck with all the windows open. The breeze blowing in was like a hot hairdryer blowing in your face and it was all quite uncomfortable. We set ... read more

so, i'm sitting here in my swimsuit, and it's just today hit me that i leave for Brasil on tuesday, and tuesday night i'll be flying over mexico, maybe the caribbean, and wednesday morning i'll be in sao paulo to catch a flight to brasilia. crazy! it's different because i'm with a group, so it's harder to really get into the spirit, which is why i think it's just now hitting me, because we do none of the planning and organizing ourselves. it's all done for us, which is nice, but i really want to have more experience doing things like that. so with molly in china and reading her latest blogs, while at the same time trying to finish Paul Theroux's "To the Ends of the Earth" I keep finding great quotes that are getting ... read more

Uzbekistan So after 5000 odd kilometers I reach one of my very reasons for beginning this journey; the silk road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Every since seeing pictures and hearing stories about these places it has been my obsession to one day lay my eyes upon these marvels. And I will say one thing they did not disappoint, they were everything I dreamt them to be. So here goes... Quick Facts * Former Soviet Country * Double Landlocked i.e. a country completely surrounded by landlocked countries * 45% of population live on less than $1.25 USD per day * Liberal Muslim Country * Included on list: "The Worst of the Worst: The World's Most Repressive Societies." After a fairly eye opening experience in Tajikistan I cross the border with surprising ease and catch my ... read more

Crossing the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border in three easy steps: 1. Walk up to the Kyrgyz border post and have your passport stamped by a friendly Kyrgyz 2. Walk down the road to the Uzbek border post and have your passport stamped by a friendly Uzbek 3. Heave a sigh of relief that there are no trucks, mountains or flat tyres involved in the process! ... read more