Khorog July 20, 2015 I have been dithering about going to Afghanistan all along this trip. Talking to other travelers, some days I am convinced that I should go and other days I think it is not the best idea. Most uncharacteristic of me, but now that I am in Khorog, I have decided to … More I Need A Man
Khojand July 11, 2015 A long, long time ago there flourished an ancient civilization called Mesopotamia. It is so called because it lay between two rivers – meso (middle) and potamia (waters). Further east from them are two other rivers that also nurtured an ancient kingdom. A kingdom so powerful that it controlled virtually all … More In Search Of Sogdiana
From Batken (Kyrgyzstan) to Khojand (Tajikistan) July 10, 2015 The marshrutka crossing the border was a museum-worthy minivan that can likely recall tales of the last world war if machines could talk. But peeling upholstery held together with duct tape and door handles tied with bits of twisted wire notwithstanding, it was packed. Most were … More So This is Tajikistan
Son Kul Lake 3025 m June 29, 2015 Rumor has it that there is a lake in central Kyrgyzstan that surpasses all in beauty and grandeur. Its name is Son Kul and the gateway to this lake is from a town called Kochkor. There is no public transport and I needed to find other tourists … More Son Kul
Cholpon Ata 1605 m June 22, 2015 Issyk Kul is huge – some 170 kms in length and 70 kms in breadth, it feels more like a sea than a lake. Riding in marshrutka along the road bordering the north shore, it is impossible to see the south shore. From Bishkek, the road headed east, … More Around Issyk Kul
Osh, Kyrgyzstan June 18, 2015 Crossing the border from Dostyk in Uzbekistan to Osh in Kyrgyzstan, I was struck with the abrupt change. Usually when crossing a land border, the change is minimal which is completely natural.it is the same peoples, the same culture, the same food that greets one, the border merely a political … More First Impressions
Entering Uzbekistan May 25, 2015 Coming from Shymkent, I arrived at the chaotic border on the Kazakh side and trundled my backpack-strapped-to-the-luggage cart through the immigration and customs. There were no other tourists, but a lot of traders with bulky boxes and bags. The immigration officers at the Uzbek end were hanging out outside and … More Keeping My Fingers Crossed
Ichon Qala Khiva, Uzbekistan May 30, 2015 Legend has it that Khiva’s roots go all the way back to Noah’s son Shem, who found a well here. He called it Kheivek and thus this place got its name. Although Khiva was an established trading post since the 8th century, it grew into a place of … More Inside a Walled City
From Tashkent to Urgench, Uzbekistan May 28, 2015 Arriving at the station with barely ten minutes to spare, I found my way to my berth, helped along by the wagon attendants. In my wisdom, which sometimes takes startling dives into depths of stupidity, I had booked an upper berth in the plaskart class. Similar to … More Aboard a Train in Uzbekistan
Shymkent, Kazakhstan May 24, 2015 From Almaty I decided to take the overnight train into Shymkent. I hoped to see something of the Aksu Zhabagaly national park if I could manage it. I had booked a berth in a four- berth compartment. Not only do they provide freshly laundered bedding and a towel, they even … More Do You Want to Stay in Our Sanatorium?
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 