19 May – Turkmenistan – Uzbekistan, ~53 miles
A very short day today (riding-wise)… last day’s stop at Dashoguz wasn’t on the schedule, but a relatively ad-hoc stop to bring us back on schedule (after the unexpected early sailing over the Caspian)… allowing for a shorter “border-day”.
Just 10 miles or so to the Turkmenistan Border-Control… arriving bang-on 9am, when they open the gates. 3.5 hours later – we’d been processed through the entire border (including a reasonably serious looking “DMZ”… plenty of barbed wire, closed cast-iron gates, and the such).
Uzbekistan is looking good thus far, really friendly people (including the army guy meeting us outside first gate), and actual tourism… not sure I missed that, but Turkmenistan was weird in it’s total absence.
Oh – and I’m a millionaire. Changed a bit of money into the local “Som”… and now have a little over 1.1 million Som burning a hole in my pocket. Or rather – spread all throughout my luggage, as 1.1 million Som (in 5,000 Som notes) is actually a sizable chunk of paper.
Internet here is unmonitored and unrestricted – I believe, but quality is still rubbish… so probably still unable to upload photos. And it took me 24 hours until I could upload this post.
Staying two nights in Khiva/Xiva – one of the principal cities on the original Silk Road, or some rubbish like that. Have had only a cursory look around this afternoon – looks like it’s going to be a long decent wander around the “Old City” tomorrow, in 35°C heat.
