The 'Stans - Samarkand (5 August 2019)

I have a good night sleep at Amir Hostel and head down for the classic Central Asian buffet breakfast. I chat to an English guy who is cycling from London to the Pamir Highway - he's been going for months and is on the final stretch, but still weeks of up hill cycling ahead.

I head out in the early morning to walk back to the Registan to explore further and actually enter the complex. But first of all, I go in search of my morning coffee. As this place is fairly touristy, I was expecting to find a decent cup of coffee. I bump into the Belgian guy at the Bedouin-esque café. We catch up over breakfast and make plans to share a taxi to the Tajik border the following morning. He recommends a book called the Great Game chronicling the British and Russian Empires' foray into Central Asia - I make a note to download it onto my kindle and get hooked.

We part ways and I head to the Registan to once again marvel at the historic beauty.





I'm a big fan of Central Asian mosaics:

As I'm wandering around the Registan trying to take some snaps for the Gram, a police officer approaches me and asks how many people are in my party. I say just the one. He then offers to take me onto the roof of the Registan for a small backhander, around $10. I of course snap up the opportunity and pay the bribe. We walk to a fire escape, and he looks around before ushering me up. We climb to the top and can see the Registan in all its glory. He tells me to keep my head down and to take my photos.

I paid my first (and last) Central Asian bribe for a slightly odd experience on the roof of the Registan in Samarkand...

At this point I decide to grab lunch, but realise my money is running low so have to do the standard Central Asian ATM hunt. You'd think there would be an ATM accepting foreign cards, I try several but no luck. Eventually I find a US Dollar ATM, so I withdraw what I can and then head to a currency exchange to finally get my Uzbek So'm.

Back at the hotel I do some reading and then meet the Belgian guy for dinner. The place we wanted to go to was closed so we end up at an Uzbek/American diner and have buffalo chicken wings! We discuss tomorrow's journey to Tajikistan and I take up his offer of a seat in his 4x4 around the Pamir Highway. I had read about these trips before the trip and thought it sounded terrible being stuck in a car for 5 days, but I put my faith in the Belgian guy...

The 'Stans - Bukhara to Samarkand (4 August 2019)

I wake up again covered in sweat. I'm happy to see the back of this hostel. What makes it worse is that the German tells me an air conditioned room cost an extra $2 a night. Brilliant. I make my way to breakfast in the hostel courtyard.

I have some time before the train in the afternoon, so I head to Hammam Bozori Kord - an Uzbek bathhouse. I try to obtain cash from the cash points but have no luck. ATMs are very hit and miss in Central Asia. I offer to pay in dollars, it looks like I've badly offended the owner. However, he soon changes his mind and takes my dollars. I wasn't expecting anything back but he gave me change in S'om and a half decent exchange rate.

I opt for the full package in the Hammam and go from hot stones, to a good soaking and a massage. It ends with a large man wearing not very much, smearing a ginger paste on my back. I'm then instructed to lie back on the hot stones. I think he forgets about me as im lying on this stone for half an hour and my back becomes hotter and hotter until its unbearable. I get a bucket of cold water thrown on me and the Hammam is done.

At the hostel, I pack my bags and head out on to the main road to find a cab. A couple of cabs try and charge me more than I double, I eventually find a reasonable man and we had to the station. The train to Samarkand leaves at 15:50, but these time I am travelling my Uzbek bullet train - the Afrosayib.

For under $10 for the journey, the Afrosayib is definitely the way to go. Although in true Central Asian style, the train was still late and only hit top speed for a few moments.

We arrive in Samarkand in the early evening and I find a nice taxi driver to take me to Amir Hostel. The taxi driver had a love of 80's British pop and he played me all of his favourites. I check in to Amir Hostel an am impressed with its cleanliness and modernity. It feels like the first hostel I've stayed in which hasn't been basic and it has curtains on each bunk - privacy at last!

I take an evening walk to the centre of Samarkand to see the Registan in person. A long walk in a straight line via new Samarkan, through a park with a massive flag pole (more on that later).



The Registan of Samarkand was as spectacular as anticipated. Although annoyingly was closed in the evening due to some sort of dance recital, with the band stand partially blocking my view. The park by the Registan was heaving with locals, enjoying evening snacks and drinks.

I grab some grilled meat for dinner and head back to the hostel. Taxi drivers seem a lot friendlier and cheaper in Samarkand, I manage to grab a ride in only a few minutes.