After a sleepless night with customs very sleepy. That evening at 6 o’clock train arrived in Yekaterinburg, in the street was very hot. The first thing after visiting the ATM I went to buy a ticket, there is the same 39 train tickets and there was no небыло them on 601 passenger next to Perm. I was forced to go on the company’s 71 “Demidov Express” Sverdlovsk – St. Petersburg where the price match service. Early in the morning I returned home in Perm. Behind it was a fascinating journey through Central Asia, I realized that I wanted to go back there again. In Central Asia (Travel & Tours) there is something to see!!
Travel along Central Asia. Day 7
Early in the morning got up and immediately went to the airport to obtain a plane ticket. Tashkent airport is not bad, but I am looking long and hard cash, hard to find, and delivered the passport to wait for the possibility of the appearance ticket, a 8-40, I have become the happy owner of a ticket to Astana for 361,000 sums (5,415 rubles), for comparison to Ufa train ticket costs 3000 rubles m would have to go to 2.5 days. During this free time went to Internet cafes. It was funny then that the Internet has worked with labor and 40 minutes in the network took me 1,100 soums (17 rubles). Then I walked and the remaining scrip would buy souvenirs. Just walked into a bar and bought a cognac “Tashkent” 15 years of aging for 26 000 soums (370 rubles), as it turned out well-known cognac “Uzbekistan” was not released, but you can only get the “Tashkent”. So I bought as souvenirs pialki painted designs, which broke clearance! Check-in started 2 hours before departure, together with the flight to Astana was registartsiya passengers departing 40 minutes earlier in Novosibirsk. Funny thing was that as soon as we passed customs and went to the terminal waiting time price of sums become a Euro! And no possibility of reckoning sumami was not, and I have such good money is 61 000! After some waiting declared fit for the flight to Astana, we were on the bus through the entire airport was brought up in an airplane earlier that I have not seen, it was the English RJ-85. Prior to Astana was 2 hours 10 minutes flight, the aircraft departed on schedule, we easily flew from Tashkent and the aircraft quickly gained altitude 10,000 meters, with a height krastota was neopisumaya, there were at the bottom of the field, lorogi and lakes in Kazakhstan. In a way we skudnenko fed, bounding up to Astana us a little shocked to blame were the wind in the Kazakh capital, besides the stewardess announced that the Astana 11, and when we flew from Tashkent there was a 32, good contrast! Then I went on the bus already familiar to me in Astana, close it “Thought” was a branch of Sberbank of Russia, and I decided to go there to withdraw cash m. and an opportunity to exchange the remaining Uzbek scrip, as in the future was the second very difficult to do. Travel along Central Asia is beginnig. Then I went to the station, tickets on a direct train № 39 Astana – St. Petersburg небыло and I went to the waste № 303 Almaty – Sverdlovsk, the ticket price in the compartment of the train was almost equal to the cost of the ticket in reserved seat at number 39! Addition № 303 to Yekaterinburg time was faster than the train from St. Petersburg! In general, this train has a bad reputation, but as it turned out everything changed over time several times by traffic police checking documents, was security level. Travel along Central Asia to be continued.
Uzbekistan Tour: Tashkent
The next morning I woke up early and began to think that I have now solved the problem with my departure. In Uzbekistan, in general, is allowed no more than 3 days without registering. After morning tea, I went to buy a ticket. Since the tickets for the train there, because of the beginning of the stream of workers in Russia, just after the terrible Customs decided to fly. Generally Samarkand surprising abundance of ticket offices, a feeling that the aircraft is the main form of transport, but as it turned out from Samarkand fly to Moscow and Tashkent to 1 flight per day. Just the most bizarre was the fact that the price of the aircraft also had to bargaining, prices vary greatly and depend on the ability to bargain. But most surprisingly, tickets to Russia and other Central Asia countries was not. The question – which they then sell!
On the morning of Samarkand started hot, and according to some promised up to 37 degrees! First, it was decided to go to the bank to withdraw money in Uzbekistan money the card can only be the National Bank of Uzbekistan, there is write a check and give the money in U.S. dollars! Then we drove to the airport in the hope that it will help with the purchase of tickets, but the girl at the checkout said that there are only tickets to Istanbul, I vaguely imagine how you can get to Perm via Istanbul. I insisted that she once again looked availability of tickets to Astana, as in Russia was understandable lack of tickets, but in Kazakhstan, I think they should be. She offered me the option to go to Tashkent Airport for 3 hours before departure (11-50 flies), with a probability of 70% of the seats in the plane are not the best but can appear. Finale of our conversation was the disconnection of electricity at the airport, in general, “Merrily live!” I decided not to bother, we went to watch The ancient city of Samarkand, in 2010, he performed 2752 years!, Unlike the ancient Samarkand, Tashkent, have survived to modern times , is the beauty which is better to see once than a 1000 times about to hear it. While they were walking to the madrasas, Bibi-Khanum, went to the bazaar. Bazaars in Uzbekistan is a special asset, there can not leave without buying. In general, the mountains of different nuts, fruits, vegetables, cakes, sweets and other delights of the East pleases the eye.
Madrasah Bibi Khanum very beautiful, it is a boulevard along which the fashionable boutiques selling overpriced souvenirs: bathrobes, magnets, jewelry, and other joys. Then we went to the Registan. Majestic Square, which is considered one of the most beautiful squares in the world was bathed in sunshine that attracts the eye. The people were very much, except the few tourists foreigners. A lot of people coming from various regions of Uzbekistan. Then we went to the mausoleum of Gur Emir where the tomb of Tamerlane and his entourage.
On the way saw the “crying” fountains. In addition to the middle room on May Samarkand ripe mulberry. Mulberry is a sweet berries, which are there everywhere, these white berries you can eat wherever you want, besides just matured already giving the royal mulberry, black berries, they are more sweet and rich taste. So we have already approached the Gur Emir. In general, there has been a great value ticket price for visiting Samarkand, Uzbek citizens if it is between 400-700 soums (7-10 rubles), and for foreigners (including Russian) – 7000-9000 SUM (100-130 rubles) in general is such discrimination. Then we went to the tea-bit to sit and relax, before the train was about 2 hours. In the tea-house, I tried an interesting dish, potato tubers are small baked in fat meat, a mixture of beef and lamb, very tasty, and worth a dish 45 rubles of Russian money! He wanted a pilaf, but as it turned out in Uzbekistan is difficult to taste the risotto in the not lunchtime, then eat it in the morning there, and after 2 days, too, is gone. From the tea house went to the station, next to the station there is a bazaar, where I bought the cognac 5 stars – Samarkand, the price of 5000 sum (71 ruble!). Bought at the bazaar in the way of 1 kg of cherries for 1500 soums (23 rubles !!!), cucumbers and tomatoes were sold at 700 soums, potato, 600 soums (9 rubles). Strawberry was worth 1,000 soums (15 rubles)
Trains run on Uzbekistan is a special story, I had to ride on the company’s train № 7 “Nasatya” plying the route Karshi – Tashkent, which is en route stops only in Samarkand. It wanted to pass on “Registan” which runs from Samarkand to Tashkent, but he is on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, no runs, but as it turned out “Nasatya” from “Registan” virtually no different.
I had a ticket purchased in 6 car trains on arrival I saw the plate number 6 on the first train and went, but what was my surprise when I showed the conductor the ticket, he said: “Oh, brother, you need the 6 train, and we have a !!! I asked him about the sign next to flaunt the fact that the car number 6, but he said that they forgot to replace the number of the car, and though the next car was number 2, and going to the tail-ended I went up to 6! The cars, produced as a Zadornov a story about two ninths of the car. If from outside the car was no different from any Soviet coach is going to the car, I was pleasantly surprised, which was located in a compartment behind the glass door coupe, located on 6 comfortable chairs, as in the aircraft compartment larger area than conventional cars, running air-conditioning , costs 2 working TV, on the table was a mineral water and Fanta, as wet wipes. The train departed on schedule, as was his average speed was 87 km / h, for comparison, this same train № 10 Astana – Kazakhstan has an average speed of 68 km / hour. 3,5 hours to find the train “Nasatya” passed unnoticed outside the window it was dark very quickly and we arrived in the evening Tashkent. By the way, I met a girl named Reseda, she suggested to me where I can stay. But as it turned out prompted her hotel “Cooperator” was closed, the hotel “Uzbekistan” not enough space prices were (from $ 110), and in addition there was no room, and caught a taxi and asked him to drive to the hotel “Turkistan” we long roamed the city, as the driver knew very little about where it was when we found her, it turned out that she too was closed, I asked him to take time in an inexpensive hotel in Tashkent, he took me to the Astoria, where there were seats at $ 45 . I have him paid for night riding around the city 4000 soums (57 rubles), and went to the hotel. Outside, night had 23-30. Hotel room is good, has everything you need for life. I went and took a shower, and at that time thought that swept across the night city realized that in Tashkent almost nothing to watch, this fault earthquake fault that was in 1966. In Tashkent, I was able to ride the subway, metro fine, looks a bit like The St. Petersburg.
In addition, I managed to see the famous TV tower and the monument of Amir Timur (Tamerlane), in general, and the names of monuments dedicated to Tamerlane in Uzbekistan is very much like in Soviet times it was Lenin.
Central Asia Travel: Kazakh-Uzbek border
When I got off the train I went into the station and making sure that my train to Tashkent here Nekhoda asked slumbering policeman how to get to the station. Aris 1, in which he proposed to me 3 times to take a taxi, and then hardly began to explain where you want me to station. When I walked away from the station to me began to molest Kazakh Salim, which to argue that I am a German, because I have a German appearance. When I explained to him that I’m not German, he said that then I Balts, and once I’m not German, he invited me to come on a visit to the German. Why, I could not understand, and I refused. He kept me going and told me that he had a wife in Shymkent, and he is going to go there on foot (also not clear, all the trains going in strontium Almaty and Astana are going through this town). He was pretty drunk, and with difficulty to me that was telling, but I went because my main goal was to get to the station. Began with a small early morning rain, and the horizon seemed Station Aris 1. Approaching the station, he got scared and left behind me, because Kazakhstan is prohibited in public places in an intoxicated condition (which is in Russia is one nepogaet). Railway Station Square Station Aris 1, beautiful, there are fountains with bronze fish (for my arrival, he is not working), and the Walk of Fame heroes of the Great Patriotic War natives Arys. Generally Arys major junction in the south-west of Kazakhstan. Also in the Arys as in other cities of Kazakhstan placed anywhere stands on which is written “KAZAKHSTAN – 2030″, see, they promise the people of this state that that by 2030 Kazakhstan will become a superpower!
At 8-00, I went and sat on the platform waiting for a train, immediately approached me three police officers and asked for his documents, I told them they showed when they do not found violations, they politely asked them to give tenge, with the wording – “Why you going in Uzbekistan, Kazakh money? “, but my response shocked them, I told them,” What I want to keep the memory of beautiful money, since they are very bright, “to which they agreed, and wished them luck, still not knowing what I lost in Uzbekistan.
The travel to Tashkent, I had to train № 382 Ufa – Tashkent, when I went into the car then was surprised that it was almost empty. The waiter from the restaurant happily resounded “farewell cakes”, the name of it all explaining that these pies in farewell as the train arrived at the terminus Tashkent! The car was no more than 20 people. Scheduled from Arys to Tashkent train goes 6:00 of which 3.5 is on the border. Here I was to feel all the charm of the Kazakh-Uzbek border. Inspection was thorough, all this is because that, Uzbekistan borders Afghanistan and is a transit country for drug trafficking. I like traveling all the wild frontier guards tried to test, interview and learn the purpose of travel. Just trying to learn everything if I have Uzbek bags (they are freely sold in the train, but it is fraught with consequences, as in Uzbekistan, the currency should be bought only at banks !!!). When I started to explain to them that know the rules visit to Uzbekistan, and the treatment of foreign currency, they immediately let me. They are also very surprised why the tourist is a person, in their notion of tourists should travel in groups of not less than 5 people, and I was long known as a secret agent. Also when entering the country to fill in customs declaration, which specifies what values and cash you bring into the country. As it turned out to Uzbekistan can not import more than 1 phone, or any other electronic radio frequency device (I had 2 phones), thus I had to rewrite the paper more so in 2 copies. It is well to remember that when leaving the country with you need a second copy of the declaration and the money you have to be there less than they were when entering the country. The main victims of the same customs are Uzbeks traveling with earnings from Russia, with them, they collect the tribute, but also so to speak respectfully. In spite of my short stay on this train, I talked with an elderly woman riding in Chirchik, she told me on the path of the Khorezm pilaf recipe, and before arriving in Tashkent became acquainted with Aunt Ghouls, which went to Samarkand, and offered jointly by taxi to Samarkand, I also return to help her carry the bag.
The first thing I had to exchange dollars for Uzbek scrip, the station offered a money-changer 222 000 soums for $ 100, as it turned out an illegal course much higher than the official (the official 150,000 for a hundred dollars). So it was very difficult orientations use huge wads of money, as the largest denomination in 1000 sum. In general, for $ 100 they gave me three packets of money (1 pack of 1000 soums and 2 packs of 500 soum). Taxi in Uzbekistan, a special history, it is inexpensive (by city 500-3000 Soum, 1000 Sum – 15 Russian rubles). But the chip is that they first tempt low price and then collect more passengers passing, the case is in fact that the station Tashkent arrives very few trains and passengers a chance to catch a very rare. We stood at the train station 1 hour, then we say that we’ll go to Chor-Su, and leave from there, what he proposed to get to the Hippodrome, and there are incidental to find passengers. While we were in Tashkent, I realized that there really should not be delayed because the watch is really nothing. Near Hippodrome is clothing market and I decided to walk on it for something to buy, where I bought the shoes and to bargain up to 25 000 soums (375 rubles) and even bought the socks and batteries. Moreover, it was necessary to understand that not knowing the language it was hard bargain. Just being in Uzbekistan, I began to realize that I was abroad, so as to appear some difficulties in communicating, but often it turns out that the Uzbeks might speak Russian but do not want. The very same Uzbek language is very talkative, as are the Uzbeks, they talk a lot and quickly. Sometimes Aunt Ghoul told me what was going on. Finally, we drove in along the road were many rows of strawberries, cherries and apples are in abundance already matured in Uzbekistan. Along the way they are constantly talking while I sat in silence, sometimes asking what we are and where to pass. By the way, we have agreed for 20 000 (300 Russian rubles) per person to Samarkand, to which he had to go 300 km. By the way, I as many field where there ears of wheat, and cotton have already ascended. It became darker as it gets dark earlier in the south than in central Russia. We drove up to the mysterious Samarkand. On the way Aunt Gulia said that I could stay with them at home will be Radu Russian guests, the place is, I nevozrazhal. Late in the evening we arrived in Samarkand, the city covers the weak, and mostly covered mosques and madrassas. At home, Aunt Huli, we waited for her daughter, Malika and her husband Azamat and their small daughter. We had supper and went to sleep.