Khiva

Da svidaniya Russia, hello sunshine

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August 22nd 2009
Left Moscow, in the rain and cold...par for the Russian summer if the last week is anything to go by. Their weather may be unreliable, but the metro and rail network are as efficient as you could want. And getting a train to the Airport was a doddle compared to the 45 minute frustrations with the automatic machine in St Petersburg. Never got to see blokes dancing round with their Nutcrackers ou ... read more

Asia » Uzbekistan » Khiva

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Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain... ... read more