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Published: September 3rd 2005
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Eye in the sky
The route from Bangkok to Tashkent passes some spectacular mountain ranges. After a restless night I am finally allowed to get up and pack for my early flight to Tashkent. The hotel provides a shuttle bus and drops me off at the proper airline counter, not exactly what I had imagined likely for Uzbekistan Airways. Check in is rapid, not too many travellers about, but my lacking a proper visa raises some questions. I explain and show to the clerk and two embassy affiliated men present at the gate that my travel agent has prepared a visa support letter for a standard visa on arrival. Yeah, right. They are not convinced. One of the guys grabs his walkie talkie and disappears with all my papers for some 20 minutes. I later learn that he's been in touch with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. All checks out fine though, they even wish me a pleasant flight as I embark at the gate.
The plane isn't too crowded and surprisingly comfortable. I pass the time brushing up on my understanding of Cyrillic writing, it has been a while. We pass some respectable snowy mountain caps along the route before finding ourselves above Uzbek soil around noon local time. The return to Tashkent is
Happy campers?
Comfortable travel planning with Otabek where the desert is only a strange name on a piece of paper. even more colourful than I imagined, the flightline basking in sunlight and big amazing birds in the national carrier's green, white and blue colours are all over the tarmac. I count 12 Il-76s in one spot. An-24s, Tu-154s, Yak-40s, even an Il-62. I'm in heaven! I do understand though, that this is where the tricky part will begin. The first thing I notice as I step out of the plane is that it is hot. Not just quite hot, but melting. I thought my days in Bangkok would have prepared me well for this, but the sweltering dry heat is a shock to my system.
On arrival at Yuzhny Airport I explain that I seek a visa and am escorted by comrade Boris to an information desk and left to ponder on the situation. During this wait officials appear and disappear, some looking at my papers, chatting with each other and not much more happening. I am thankful that my cellphone now roams in Tashkent unlike when I last visited and ask my guide and agent Shoista for some assistance. She explains to me that she's prepared the local authorities at the airport, and that they have too been
This is as far as I'll go!
Shoista is all smiles, knowing that a nice and comfortable home -as opposed to a hotel in Moynaq- is waiting for her when she returns from the days activities. in touch with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I am starting to feel like a visiting head of state. Eventually my papers are scruitnized in more detail and I am escorted to a bus that drives me across the airport to a counter where I can get a visa issued on the spot for 70 USD. After filling out a 2nd copy of the customs declaration form I am finally through all the formalia and meet up with Shoista outside the arrival hall.
It has been nearly four years since we met here in Tashkent last time I visited on my first tour to this fascinating country. The plan is to flag down a taxi and head for the
Malika with the bags, before going out on town and catching up on old times. However, the reunion will have to wait, something's come up and she has to unexpectedly return to the office in Samarkand already after a few hours. Before doing so we make some preparations, the most urgent being securing plane tickets for me and my guide to Nukus, something which requires a bit of effort on her part. I find an extremely useful Tashkent city map,
but even using that we cannot find an ATM or a bank office that is still open. There is a small exchange office at the Hotel Intercontinental though, which can provide me with an imposing pile of 500 CYM bills.
Going back to the Malika I am introduced to Otabek, the poor guy who will be travelling with me in Qaraqalpakstan, Shoista obviously knowing what to expect has thoughtfully assigned another guide. We go through the travel plan together over a sandwhich and then split up in different directions. I go out to shop some snacks and (hot) juice in the local marketplace before going to bed, eager to start exploring the country. The cold I caught in Bangkok seems to be getting a bit worse and I hope it will pass shortly.
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