The Global Financial Crisis was dominating the news as I left for Central Asia in January, so it isn't surprising that not many column inches were given to the birth of a new country. But an old university friend from Uzbekistan emailed me the news that the province of Tatarwalistan had separated from Tashkent, and invited me to take part in the month of celebration that followed its independence. I adjusted my itinerary and made it the first leg of my Silk Route trip. A valid Uzbek visa was all that was needed to allow me to go to Tatarwalistan, but I had to give the British embassy in Tashkent the address of where I would be staying there, and return to Upper Uzbekistan within 72 hours. Until its independence is stabilised it is not a
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