uzbekistan (bine)
Uzbekistan
15. August 2008
uzbekistan (bine)
Jul 18, 2008 - Aug 10, 2008
5899 km, dushanbe (TJ)
Kungrad - Nukus - Tortkul - Bukhara - Samarqand
we had to cover the 300 kilometers from the kazak border to the first uzbek town by train. our uzbek visa was already running because we had to wait such a long time at the harbour in aktau and because of the little dog shetpe. the train should leave beyneu at 06.30 and because we were worried about the carriage of our bikes we have been there one hour before. but the train was already waiting and a lot of people were at the platform. they were entering and leaving the train, things were sold and it was a real chaos. it took us a while to find the right waggon and even longer to get all our luggage in the already full train. we were already sweating when we sat down after almost one hour. we had to cover only 300 kilometers but our train needed twelve hours! the whole time women were selling food and beverages by going through the train. you could even buy toys, clothes and perfume. the border crossings were no problem. when we arrived in kungrad, the first town in uzbekistan, we cycled 30 kilometers and then put up the tent. but it was very hard to find a place. because there were a lot of houses. unfortunately there were so many mosquitoes that we had to get into the tent immediately. and there we sweated a lot, because it was still very hot and humid. in the desert it was more comfortable because it was getting cooler in the evening and there were no insects. but because of the many canals everything is green here. the next morning the alarm went on at 04.00 but only at 05.30 we managed to get up. today we want to make it to nukus until noon. because afterwards it gets unbearable hot. luckily we had tailwind and so it was an easy task. unfortunately the nationalbank was already closed. there it is possible to get cash advance. this is important because there are almost no ATMĀ“s in uzbekistan and it is only possible to change cash into som. the hotel was really expensive again (30$) and after a shower we went to the bazar. we found a really good cafe. there we could eat superb food for only 0.50 $. the bazar was great you could buy everything from clothes to spices. the night has been pure horror. it was unbearable hot in the room and so many mosquitoes that it was impossible to sleep. the next morning we managed to get an airconditioned room for the same price. we had to pack our things again but it was worth. we went straight to bed. in nukus we visited the savitsky museum. in this very interesting museum you can see pictures which were forbidden in the udssr. we also met another cyclist, rob from israel. thank you very much for the tajikistan tips. when we left nukus we were surprised by a really heavy thunderstorm. first it was hailing and after that we could cycle just ten kilometers before a sandstorm was forcing us to get cover under a bridge. cycling in this heat was very exhausting. we got up at 05.00 and tried to cover as much kilometers as possible until midday. we had to rest from 12.00 to 17.00 because it was so hot (about 50 degrees in the shadow). once we spent the afternoon under a bridge, because it was the only shady place. it was also used by roadworkers, they invited us to bread and soup. most of the time we rested at a chaykhana (teahouse), there you can eat and more important get cold drinks. . bine: after four days cycling in the desert i decided to take a lift to bukhara and wait there for uli. it is too hot and i need a break from cycling. i have not much hope to get a lift. but when we are standing beside the road a very modern bus is approaching, i had never imagined that it is going to stop. but it does and a few minutes later my bicycle is loaded and i am sitting in an airconditioned first class bus (it is the first one i see in uzbekistan). it is a tourgroup from france and they are really cute. in bukhara the tour guide even invites me to dinner in a very fine restaurant to a three course meal. to find a hotel is really easy, because there are a lot of really nice ones. unfortunately i have to go to another one after one night because the owner is a real asshole. he cannot remember our arrangements and the days i want to stay. but i am not alone, another tourist has also to go. But i am lucky with the next one. the hotel is run by a very nice family. i meet dirk, a german cyclist, and we spend some time together chatting and drinking beer.