Of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan

So now the time has come for me and the other unfortunate person to be born in Africa to leave the group. Our wild guess as to why we were not allowed in Turkmenistan is that they think we have AIDS, Ebola or both.

We are gone for 11 days and will join the group again on the Turkmenistan/Iran border on 27 August.

In the mean time I'm roughing it in the Radisson Blue hotel in Tashkent until my visa for Uzbekistan runs out on Friday. 

The Radisson Blue Hotel spraying moisture over the pool bar to cool off the customers.

Breakfast at the hotel accompanied by a duet. This is in contrast to standing in line to receive breakfast in a camping site usually littered with some sort of animal manure at 0500 am in the morning. Strangely enough I miss it. 

After Tashkent I will sit in transit so to speak in Almaty, Kazakstan until it's time to fly to Teheran. I worked out that the flesh pots of Kazakstan are more enjoyable than in Iran. Also it's cooler without a burka. And they serve Gin and Tonics.

Tashkent is a bit of a disappointment after Samarkand and Bukhara. It's a modern because most of the ancient city was destroyed after the 1917 revolution and later in 1966 to an earthquake.I've been walking, riding busses, taxis and the metro trying to find something charming. But have only seen some Soviet era statues that I've been seeing enough of in the last two months.

Otherwise I'm trying to eat like a pig to put on some weight. I can count all my ribs in the full length mirror of the Radisson Blue Hotel. Even the small extra ones that I got via Adam in the garden of Eden.

These things might help a bit.

I have also learned how to count money. The exchange rate is 6000 Uzbekistan Som to one Dollar. Which means one tree for one ice cream and a handbag weighing like a ton of bricks and not much place left for essential items like my lipstick.

About 50 $

My last rest day with the group was in Bukhara which was a big surprise. It was even nicer than Samarkand which is noticeable on all these pictures that Erwin took while I encouraged him from my spot in  the shade. Which was very exhausting. I got very tired watching him running around clicking away. 

It was also a major stop on the Silk Route and a major medieval center for Islamic Theology and culture.

The Priest had to climb all the steps of the tower five times a day to sing to Mecca. I hope he wasn't fat. Maybe he had slaves to carry him up. I don't think the right name is priest. Will have to look it up.

Yes it's Erwin's hat.

The most important monument in Bukhara which I missed. I was taking a siesta when Erwin took the photo.

Not Romeo and Juliet because Romeo was better dressed.

Erwin got half my head in the photo and part of his thumb.

This is the train I took from Bukhara to Tashkent. It was an air conditioned suite with 2 beds. A nice way to spend 8 hours. The only problem was that I had to share it with Zimmerman the last hour.

Otherwise I have been behaving and have not ended up in jail jet. I will not go into the graphics about what could happen to me in jail again because my mother is still not speaking to me. Let's just say I wouldn't be able to sit for a while. Which will be impractical because I still have about 4000km to go on a bicycle seat.

Next stop Almaty, Kazakhstan.