I'm dreaming of a warm and sunny christmas...

I love Central Asia :)
Visas and beauracracy are what make CA so ridiculous! Great account of it, yes we've all been there :)

Visas and beauracracy
i had the same problems as u but not quite as bad. Pakistan - got in India, no problem just needed letter from US embassy and $130, too much money. to 3 -4 days in all Afghanistan - got in Pak-easy, cost $30, next day Tajik- got in Afghan -this was a bit of a problem. had to go to embassy several days. they wanted letter from US embassy and US embassy wouldnt give it to me. i guess it was better for me to get killed waiting in Afghanistan. had tourist information hand write me a letter (made no sense) and met local in line who helped me get it. i think the guy wanted an extra $20 but i would NOT give in. cost $100 Uzbek- got in tajik-i got lucky here. needed various forms of info cuz relationship with US soured. fortunately, i met a german who had a contact in Uzbek and i got an express visa (i didnt want express) for 14 days (i wanted 30) for $150..wow, v. expensive Turkmen - got in uzbek,easy and guy worked with me. only got the 4 day transit but easy and nice guy. cost maybe $30 Kazak -got in Arjaibijan- not too bad. went to embassy a couple times and got it within 2-3 days. cost $100 Kryg - got it early in Tashkent, over 2 months before i got there, coz i heard it was best place. tried to get others but could not. cost $100 i think China- tried to get 3 mo visa in Tashkent but only good for the next 3 months and I wasnt going for about 4 months, so i could not. too bad. i got it in kryg so they charged me more, i think $60 and only gave me 30 days (they thought i could be a ughur i guess, the blue eyes and US passport didnt clue them in)...i overstayed by 2 days but for some unknown reason, the chinese guards didnt fuss with me...maybe coz i was caughing in their faces, not covering my mouth, trying to scare them into just letting me pass. they were paranoid about sars at the time. it worked I would have got as many as possible before i went but i was traveling at the time and most are only good for the next 3 months, so the plan would nto have worked. Fortunately, it did work out, just hassles everywhere and very unfriendly people!

- stan visa hell
i had a laugh reading your episode with the kazak embassy. i was outside the kazak embassy in mid december.i took one look at the situation - 40 people waiting in the snow ouside the closed gate - hailed down a taxi and left waiving my middle finger as a final goodbye to any chanceof getting into that country. you had more staying power. and bye the way i want to spend a night in dubai next week on a stop over. do you know a good cheep hotel downtown?