Central Asia | September 2025

A very excited and adventurous group of travellers assembled at Auckland International Airport to start their journey to Central Asia. First was the long hop to Dubai... done, next…

Arriving early morning into Dubai we managed to find everyone in the group so far and the necessary luggage - on to the Rove City Hotel and a chance to have a shower, some breakfast and a wee lie down.

Most of the group came out with Mandy to buy a day pass on the Metro (red ticket) and we were off in the air conditioning to explore Dubai. First point of interest was the Dubai Mall.  A surprising number of us had never been to Dubai or the visit was decades ago. The passage from the Metro stop to the mall is high above the road and snakes its way beside skyscrapers. Mandy took us for a sneaky peek at the Burj Khalifa from the Mall carpark. From this open air point we could see the tall tower high above us

Next it was inside the mall and the opportunity for some free time and coffee or ice cream. After this we divided ourselves into two groups: those going to the Museum of the Future and those continuing with Mandy on the Metro to the Gold Souk. The Souk is definitely OTT, and Karen was almost persuaded to make a purchase - close but no cigar.

The gold souk was hot, 39c, so it was great to get back into the air conditioned Metro to whizz us back to the hotel for a welcome break before returning to the airport.

Dubai airport is huge; however we are seasoned travellers and we made our way to the right zone and gate - go us! Here we picked up Geoff; only one more group member to find.

The night flight to Bishkek arrived at 5.30am and there we found Pat, our last group member.

To greet us at Bishkek airport was Mr Shokhrukh Abdullaev (Shok) our Tour Manager who will be part of the team for the entire trip around Central Asia and our Kyrgyz National Guide Mr Mirsaid Khudzhaakhunov. These two charming men alongside the driver will look after us for the next five days in Kyrgyzstan.

We arrived to light rain and so it was decided to walk in the central city area today so we can find shelter when we need it. CTOn is Russian for Stop and there was a sign on every corner telling the traffic what to do.

This morning we all had a break: a chance to take a breath, had a nap, a spot of laundry and refresh. Meeting at 11am we got local money so we could venture out and find lunch. PAUL was the choice and what a delightful cafe and bakery it was, set near the park with delicious French food. At 12,30pm Shok took us through some orientation for our time in Central Asia and we got to hear the highly entertaining story of how the grandmothers arranged his marriage.

Our country guide, Mirsaid reappeared and we were off into the damp day, thankfully no rain, to walk in to local main square and museum. What a marvellous guide, so easy to understand and lots of local colour and history. The main square is Russian in design and surrounded by those important Soviet buildings of old.

We were all wilting by the time we got back to hotel and very grateful for an early dinner (5pm) and a chance to sleep in a bed

Hotel: Hyatt Regency Bishkek

Without a doubt we all had a great night\'s sleep. Refreshed and eager we set out for Ala-Archa National Park. Set in the foothills of the Tian Shan mountains, this National Park has many trails and walks. Our walk was an easy step up the sealed path to the river: a tumbling, glassy stream bordered by grey granite rocks and trees through a valley with rocky slopes. The air was refreshing and there were squirrels and birds amongst the spruce trees

Lunch was at Frunze, a fancy place where politicians and important people go. Chandeliers, cloth tablecloths and art on the walls and very nice food

Straight after lunch we visited Osh Bazaar and caught a glimpse of this disappearing side of Central Asia. The bazaar is being moved out of the city and this historical area will be replaced with modern buildings. The bazaar is messy and noisy, with many small stalls and narrow aisles. Grown out of an ancient trading place it\'s been around for centuries.

 A wonderful dinner tonight at Supara Ethno-complex with a musical performance inside a yurt. Today was also Jenny's birthday so it was cake, laughter and music.

Our happy travelling caravan bus set off on time towards Lake Issyk-Kul. The weather was wet but thankfully it was dry for our time at Burana Tower. On the way Mandy provided her pocket guide to Central Asia covering the broad history from Alexander the Great to modern times. Mirsaid followed up with more detail about the geology of the region and also the characteristics of nomadic and sedentary peoples

Burana Tower now sits in a lumpy field - once there was a walled city which greeted caravans as they crossed the mountains from China. The tower is half the height it once was and could light the way for travellers arriving.

On from Burana we visited a local family and had a banquet cooked on site. Friendly and warm, the family also supported the local felt making ladies

Five minutes down the road we arrived at the local hippodrome. Village men divided themselves into two teams: green and red and it was all on. The headless goat was galloped from one end of the field to the other as the men wrestled on horse-back for possession. Mandy's team (green) was beaten by Shok's team, (red) but only because there was no ref on the field. Lots of fun.

 

Back on the bus it was the turn of our caravan's historian and diary keeper, John, to set the scene for our journey. As we are going along we are each getting a role to play in the caravan - so far we have Rosemary as our weather guide, David as our translator, Maurice, the security officer, Dave our Quartermaster and Penelope as our Camel Master... more to follow!

The road left the highway and we travelled up a gorge and into a different landscape. Mountains to our left and a lake to our right. Snow was already on the mountains and the lake was a deep marine blue. A brief stop at the SPAR for toilets and shopping. When the aisle for wine, and with NZ wine too, was discovered there was a frenzy of buying. We were like nomads arriving in a hurry, taking what we wanted and disappearing.

Due to the worsening weather we went straight to the hotel. Dinner tonight was in the hotel and we celebrated Christine's birthday.

Hotel: Baytur Resort & Spa

Dividing ourselves into two groups: The 40 Nomads and the Health Authority in one and The Famous Five and Caravanserai in the other; we were in two vans for the sightseeing today. First stop was the ancient petroglyphs in the Stone Garden. This massive field littered with boulders stands between the mountains and the lake. Some of the boulders still have the etchings of animals, humans and hunting scenes.

Moving on we drove to Grigoriev Gorge, a place we could only reach by passing through road reconstruction - it seems the world over is involved in digging up tarmac and putting it down again. The scenery up the gorge included the distant snow capped mountains, the green slopes and many trees - lovely. Not too far up the dusty, bumpy road we arrived at our guest family. A friendly group we were greeted by the father with news that a rain squall was coming through. After some discussion it was decided we would have lunch in the plastic covered yurt first and then make the felt yurt

The father was so right in his prediction as a hail storm came through whilst we were eating our wonderful grilled rainbow trout. The yurt was surprisingly warm and the traditional structure easily accommodated us, our guide, drivers, tables and carpets. Some of us were dismayed about sitting on the floor for the meal but thankfully all of us got down and up again.

Storm and lunch over, it was outside to build the yurt. Walls and door were roped together first, up went the ribs for the roof, felt on the outside and voila!

Sadly our yurt needed to come down again as another rain shower was expected. As we waited for the golden eagle hunter we entertained ourselves by teasing Shok; he came up with a number of inventive ways to avoid singing to us.

Our eagle man arrived and so it was out into an open field to learn about his beautiful birds. The hunter had a young male (approx. 3kgs) and an older female (10kgs). As we were hearing about the life and training of the eagles, three wild birds circled over a nearby wooded ridge. The hunter explained that the birds are territorial, and his birds were being warned by the wild ones to keep their distance. On with the show and the young male demonstrated his speed and discipline. Most of us had the opportunity to hold the beautiful creature.

The rain kept away for the demonstration - so grateful. Back in the vans we headed back to the hotel with a brief stop to take photos of the lake. Tonight, we celebrated Jan's birthday with 6 o\'clock drinks and another cake

Fresh snow on the mountains, blue skies and another country to explore - what a fine life! Today we needed to journey towards the Kyrgyzstan - Kazakhstan land border at Kordei, approximately 3 hours away. The time seemed to vanish as we first listened to some ethnic music, heard the caravan update from John and various topics from our guide such as bride kidnapping. The landscape changed from the lake views to the barren gorge to the broader plains. Lunch was at Hawaii, a restaurant set in a garden decorated with strange sculptures

Sadly at the border, we had to say goodbye to Said, who has been so informative and helpful.

The land border involved walking into a Kyrgyz border building, walking across 300m of no-man\'s land (a path over a bridge enclosed by wire) and into the Kazakh border building. The crossing went very smoothly, and all our luggage reappeared. A new guide, a new bus and a new country. The Kazakhstan guide is Mr Ansar Karabayev, a young man who studied in San Diego, so his English is excellent.

Immediately the landscape turned into broad, undulating steppes. Far into the distance were vast grass lands with no fences and few buildings - land which hordes could ride easily. On the three-hour journey to Almaty we heard from Ansar (Answer) and started our audio book.

First impressions of Almaty was traffic amongst the tree lined roads. Dinner at Navat and then bed.

Hotel: Mercure Almaty

A beautiful sunny day today as we gathered together for our tour of the city. What a surprise Almaty is; downtown is modern with tall, glass buildings and wide streets. Our first stop was the Central State Museum- a place with treasures from dinosaurs to modern times. The museum guide took us around the ethnographic room. Downstairs was the gold room with items recovered from a royal grave which was found by chance.

Time for a walk in a park, so Paniflov was next. Inside the park which was once a cemetery was Zenkov Cathedral, a wooden Russian Orthodox church with a colourful exterior and interior. Beyond the church was the World War II memorial with its massive, strong Soviet sculptures. We walked from the park to the green market. The previous bazaar has been transformed into an orderly place with paved aisles and packaged items. Mandy brought some apples for our walk tomorrow. Almaty is known for its apples.

 Our delicious lunch was at an Italian restaurant, Del Papa. After lunch we took the ropeway to the top of Kok-Tobe hill. We were so lucky with the weather, as it was warm and sunny with no wind. The views to the mountains and across the city were extensive.

Back to the hotel for a break before dinner and an evening walk in the nearby neighbourhood.

It was a day out of the city as we took the Belt Road, built by the Chinese across Kazakhstan towards the west. This highway is the modern Silk Road enabling container loads of product from Chinese factories to reach Europe. On the outskirts of Almaty, we passed car dealership after car dealership.

Out into the countryside we passed through villages. The most interesting was an Uyghur village with its open doors - a symbol from World War II when the mothers were waiting for the young men to come home. On to the mountains past Tungsten mining and horses grazing on the steppes.

 The day was glorious and clear with warm temperatures, little wind and blue skies. Apples to munch on, we all set off down the steps into the canyon itself. On each side were weathered cliffs of sedimentary rock eroded by wind and water. Every so often a beaten-up soviet truck would hurtle past carrying passengers to the end of the canyon. Otherwise, it was quiet with the layered rocks getting taller as we gently descended towards the Charyn River

 After 2.5 kilometres, we reached the river and welcome shade. Around eight of us chose to use those soviet trucks to come back up to the starting point and the rest walked back with Mandy

Imagine; the walkers were back, had eaten their lunch and were looking for dessert and then the transport people appeared! They looked rather terrified. After the delicious lunch of Kaza style chicken burgers, it was time to look once more over the canyon before heading back to Almaty.

Another travelling day; however this time by plane. Almaty airport was clean, modern and efficient and we were soon on our 1-hour 40min flight to Tashkent. Arriving at a modern airport with eastern decorations it was another quick transit through passport control.

Onto our luxury coach, we were off to visit the family Rakhimov's ceramic studio. This multiple generational family business (seven generations) which continues today with the grandfather, father and son, is built around a typical Uzbek garden courtyard. Today we were hosted by the son, Shokhrukh Rakhimov. This charming and quietly spoken man showed us the studio where the pottery is decorated with paints and glazes and also the kilns where they are fired; the different inspirations for the work and then the current display. Each year the family decides on a theme and many pieces are created with that motif - the current one is birds. There is a clear difference between the designs of the grandfather, father and son - all artists in their own right

 Some shopping was had by the group. On to our hotel which has only been open for a few months. Built on the edge of a modern park full of trees, fountains and benches, we were all able to look across the city. Mandy went off to do some money exchange and when the money was handed out most of us were millionaires.

We walked across the park to the nearby mall and had afternoon tea at Paul. Very nice.

 Dinner was at the hotel and around us were the bright neon lights of modern Tashkent

What a busy day as we zoomed around Tashkent crossing centuries of history and as well  kilometres. During Soviet times the major cities of USSR were Moscow, St Petersburg and Tashkent. Even today Tashkent is the largest city in Central Asia with a population of over 2 million.

First stop was the Courage Memorial which remembered the earthquake of 1966 which destroyed the city. From the ruins, the modern layout of the wide streets and many parks was created. Tashkent is blessed with an abundant water supply, so fountains, streams and rivers flow in most parts

 In more recent times neighbourhoods of Tashkent have been redesigned and rebuilt to incorporate large paved squares. For instance, the massive new Musuem of Islam is next to the ancient Tilya Skeikh Library (16th century), yet the architecture is similar and the connecting space a paved area dotted with gardens and fountains. We encountered our first taste of mass tourism with lots of other tour groups and people moving like flocks. The oldest Quran in the world is on display in a small ancient mosque within the hast Iman Complex; but it is due to move into the newer building when it opens

 Opposite the library is an old Madrassah, now a shopping place and a spot of retail therapy was had!

Moving from the complex we headed to Chorsu Bazaar and a different type of crowd. Here the locals were selling everything under the huge Russian dome. Shok and Mandy were both relieved no one got lost or left behind. In the bread-making hall we got to taste bread fresh from the kiln-like ovens. Delicious! At Chorsu, the food is still displayed in the traditional piles so the air was perfumed with spices, vegetables and cooking food

 Next, we had an exciting ride on the metro which was a gift to Tashkent from Moscow. Each station has a decoration theme; we managed to view the highly decorated poet and cosmonaut stations.

Out into the open air the bus picked us up and we were away to our lunch spot, Caravan; an ethnic type of restaurant set in a traditional building with a shaded courtyard.

Refreshed we went on to Amir Tamur Statue, in the very heart of Tashkent, and walked through Sayilough Street (with an ice cream treat courtesy of Mandy) to Independence Square. Tashkent is huge with its avenues and parks - it was a busy and enjoyable day but also great to return to the hotel for a cup of tea and a rest

 That evening some of us went out to Paul for a light dinner and to take in the dancing fountain display. Modern Tashkent at its most colourful and playful

A wonderful day which started with the Applied Arts Museum and followed by the Railway Museum. In the first museum which was inside an 19th century house, were masterpieces of the embroidery, weaving, carpets alongside musical instruments and jewellery. The crown of the museum, decorated in the Uzbek style: a colourful room with carefully carved walls, ceiling and niches

 Moving on to the Railway Museum we wandered up the line of the juggernauts of steel and metal which once thundered across Russia and Central Asia. The red star was front and centre on these engines.

Lunch at Bek which was deliciously concluded with meringue, the younger brother of pavlova. 

On the road, we left the smoother Chinese highway and encountered the bumpy, narrow road leading to the border. The dusty parking lot on both sides of the border was dominated by modern juggernauts - huge trucks taking goods between Tajikistan and the rest of the world. For us the crossing was smooth and quick. There was a moment where a local got involved with the border guard - he was upset Mandy wouldn't let the group use his electric cart to travel 400m across No Man's Land (it was a fine day as we were well able to walk) so was demanding to know where our luggage was. Shok had arranged it to be carried for us. On we went to find our local guide, Mr Rakhmatullo Zukhurzod, and our belongings

Khujand was 40 minutes away across the steppes and we went through the first of many tunnels we will use. Tajikistan is a mountainous country with many ethnic groups within it. It doesn't appear to be as modern as Uzbekistan

A wedding reception was happening at the restaurant of our hotel and for a few minutes we stopped to listen to the blaring of the horns, watch the women dancing and observe the sparkly clothes.

Thankfully our hotel is situated by the river and beside a park. Centuries ago Genghis Khan\'s army invaded the fortress of Khujand at a spot only 100m away. We walked through the park to re-reconstructed city walls and the Historical Museum. This small museum has a lower floor with a room mosaic dedicated to Alexander the Great's life. A beautiful piece made from local stone is a wonder to behold.

 Also in the museum are items from prehistory up to modern times and the current president. In fact, the image of the president is everywhere on billboards, signs and the money.

Back on the bus we travelled up the hill to Independence Memorial and its small ethnographic museum, Statue of Lenin and a very sad modern memorial to the soldiers sent to help clean up Chernobyl. These latter statues and memorials were in an obscure park of pines.

Once Lenin looked out over the city and has now been replaced with a huge statue of Somoni. The stamp of Tzarist Russia and the USSR remain in Khujand and are being slowly replaced by modern Tajikistan. It\'s going to take a while to remove all the stars and huge square buildings. However, there is a sense of loss as we travelled on broad roads which were once ancient city walls. The few remaining ancient buildings are the Muslihiddin Memorial Complex: a collection of colourful domes for mosque, madrasah and mausoleum. The green and blue domes covered in pigeons were a completely different architectural style to the blocky soviet forms. Next to the complex was the Panjshanbe Bazaar, another busy noisy place with piles of spices, rice, bread and fruits. Rakh showed us how to make a cheese ball; doubtful it will be a chosen snack by us.

Exiting the bazaar even more men were arriving for Friday Mosque. Some of the gents carried bags for their prayer rugs and all were tidy and clean. It would have been thousands who were arriving for prayers. Outside the mosque gates were numerous disabled beggars, the most we had seen in one place and the occasional gypsy.

The official part of the day was over, and it was then time to do what we wanted. Some of us tried to have lunch at a local restaurant/cafe which turned out to be hopeless as nothing seemed to be available. Shok took the hungry to KFC and the rest of us brought alcohol for 5 o'clocks tonight back in the hotel!

A refreshed group of travellers turned up on the 4th floor for 5 o\'clocks and a merry time was had. Dinner was across the park and outside in a lovely garden. Walking back to the hotel we encountered many locals out and about having fun with their small children. The vast majority of Tajiks are under 35, marry young and have 4 children.

We headed off at our usual 9am to discover the mountains of Tajikistan for ourselves. The country is covered in high mountains and narrow valleys. Our road took us from Khujand through a 5km tunnel into another mountain valley system - the Chinese roads are very impressive.

Our first major stop was an ancient city Istaravshan, with its restored fortress, Mugh Teppa. It sounds like everyone had a go at this place from Darius to Alexander to the Russians. The view from the fortress was very extensive and would have once upon a time overlooked the vast plains below - today it is overshadowed by high risers and ugly Soviet buildings. We stopped at the blacksmiths, still working metal by fire on an anvil.

On to lunch and then further into the mountains. The scenery was very barren and confronting with the layers of rocks: red, black and grey and range after range of ragged ridges waiting for the winter snow.

On the way we encountered a team of men moving a road fall. One bullodozer was doing all the work and 10 men were standing around watching that he did it correctly. Huge boulders and rocks were on the road and these were pushed over the bank into the river below. The road is being widened so more trucks can reach the Chinese gold mine just beyond Lake Iskanderkul. Our wait time was entertaining, thanks to a group of naughty boys on the rock pile.

Eventually we arrived at the lake with it calm turquoise blue. It was warmer than expected but we still thought an alcoholic beverage at 5 o\'clock was needed.

The day dawned bright and clear - we have been so fortunate with the weather so far in this trip. Most of us walked on the river track to the waterfall. Dramatic scenery with the autumn colours accenting the iron rock and tumbling river.

Off and away we returned along the road to Ayni, at the crossroads. This place was also the crossroads on the Silk Road even if the dusty petrol station and underground toilet bear little resemblance to camel stops and caravanserai.

The road we chose took us to Panjikant and the vast ruins of the old city belonging to the Sogdians. The lumpy terrain with burnt tufts of grass hardly looked like a city but once around 4000 people lived, traded and died here. The city was completely destroyed by Genghis Khan and remained sleeping under its mounds of mud and dust until the 20th century. A chance finding of hidden records in a cave revealed the location of the city and the Russians excavated much of it. Today the best treasures reside in St Petersburg and the local one room museum had but a few fragments of the former glory.

Near the ruins was the border and it was time to say goodbye and thank you to our local guide and van drivers. The crossing was smooth and took an hour for all the checks and passport stamping.

On our new bus, a golden Dragon, we were on our way to the fabled city of Samarkand. Many, many wonders are waiting for us here.

Hotel: Hotel Emir Han

Samarkand is one of those places which does not disappoint - all the words in the world cannot really describe and capture its beauty. We started the day with a visit to Registan Square. This beautiful complex of buildings built over several centuries is a harmony of symmetry with three enormous buildings facing into the central space. Once a busy, noisy marketplace, today it's a quieter place with tourists moving about. The madrasah facades have been restored with care and we could enjoy the colours and patterns. Shok did his great history intro and we could gaze about and watch the fashion shot, the wedding pictures and general bustle of other visitors.

Inside the mosque the ceiling and walls were covered in gold and exquisitely painted motifs - a wonder to behold!

Time to get on the bus and head over to the Amir Temur Mausoleum. Again, a masterpiece of Islamic design and decoration. Temur rests under his black marble slab next to his sons and grandsons, above the golden dome and elegant walls. It\'s a small space which echoes with the guides talking, but even that could not detract from how majestic the place is.

We wondered over to a nearby cafe for lunch with western food. The afternoon was free with an optional walk with Mandy back to Registan. When we were there, we met some students needing to practice their English.

That night we went out to a local theatre show - a marvelous blend of music and colourful clothes.

Our dinner tonight was at a private home - a terrific experience. Our host was a charming woman who spoke excellent English. The table was a feast with the grandmother cooking for us.

A busy day today as have a few more sights in Samarkand to cover. First off was Bib Khanum Mosque. a highlight site and a testament to Temur\'s love for his wife. Shok entertained with the history, stories and legends. The place is a harmony of space and decorated walls. We were fortunate enough to be the only visitors there and could enjoy the quiet.

A quick visit to the nearby bazaar where many of us managed to buy clothes, bags and scarves.

Back on the bus we headed over to the Afghan-Uzbek Carpet Factory where the son of the owner was our guide. The owner, Adbullah came to meet Mandy and the group and made sure we had a nice visit. The carpets were amazing with a huge variety of colour, size and pattern. The cup of tea was most welcome.

On to Shah-I-Zinde, a collection of mausoleums climbing the hill of old Samarkand. Many locals and visitors were making their way up the slope: some to admire the Islamic tiles, some to have their babies blessed and others to take pictures. At the entry was a tiny mosque where an Emir who was saying prayers for Muslim visitors.

Lunch was most welcome and at this point some of us decided to return to the hotel and the others headed off to the last sights for today. Uleg Bek Observatory, was a surprise and delight for many. If you have never heard of this extraordinary scientist, Uleg Bek, (grandson of Amir Temur), he recorded with great accuracy many stars and constellations in the sky, way back in the 15th century. While the west was still wondering if the earth was flat, he mapped the universe - incredible!

Our last stop of the day was the small but perfectly formed Afrosiab Museum.Russian archeologists found the preserved frescos of the Sogdian Palace many decades ago and the museum was constructed around them to further preserve them. A short film brought the murals to life and reconstructed the city before it was destroyed by Genghis Khan. Those Sogdians were amazing in their day.

Back to the hotel for a rest before dinner and to celebrate Maurice\'s birthday - another wonderful day completed.

Leaving beautiful Samarkand, we followed the 2-lane road out heading to Bukhara in our travelling caravan (bus). Once this motorway was the silk road and over time and changing transport, it has widened and been covered in tarseal. Close to the road were cotton fields and orchards and even the occasional farmer. The journey flew past with Shok talking about cotton, education and related topics. John brought us up to date with Marco\'s diary. Mandy managed a cryptic crossword with everyone\'s help, and we caught another few chapters of the book - we still don\'t know who the murderer is.

Lunch was a stop at the ceramic workshop in Gaijduvan run by the 6th generation of the same family, Narzullaev. Inside was a huge courtyard complex with the pottery wheels and kiln down one side, a garden in the middle and living and kitchen on the other side. We were interested in the pottery but once we found the donkey all concentration was gone.

From lunch it was only as hour to Bukhara and our hotel - hurrah! Our hotel is in the old town, the pedestrian area and as soon as we got off the bus we knew we were in a special place. Living in the Bukhara old town is like being transported back in time to medieval days. The lanes are narrow and lined with old houses (now converted into hotels and shops) but retaining their facades, doors and plastered walls. The caravanserai are still here in amongst the trading domes and Madrassahs. Even the old water canals which were built to bring water to the town and the visiting caravans are still in place.

Shok and Mandy took us for an orientation walk to Lyabi Khause Square; a large open-air pool, a main feature of this area, plus trading dome 1 (the old money exchange) and dome 2 (clothing). More is promised tomorrow.

6 o'clocks back at the hotel and an optional dinner at <em>Joy Restaurant</em> just down the street.

Hotel: Devon

After a wonderful breakfast we were off to Ismail Sumani Mausoleum - yes that same hero we heard about in Khujand. This amazing structure was once buried in the sand and was accidently discovered by boys playing with a ball. Today this burnt brick building is a visual display of geometric designs and shapes resting in the quiet of a park.

Walking on, Shok brought us to a cistern from the ancient water system - very impressive. Here we heard the ecological disaster, which is the Aral Sea. This sea is shrinking each year by 2 metres and is expected to completely disappear in another five years. The water was taken to irrigate the cotton fields and farms by the Soviets, but the system was so inefficient that most of the water was wasted.

Bolo Hauz Mosque was next, a beautiful wooden mosque built in 1712 and under UNESCO protection. The Friday Mosque has a colourful facade and faces a mirror pool. Nearby is the water tower the Soviets built after bombing the ancient water system, bringing wide-spread contamination and disease to the city. The tall water tower filtered the water so it could be used by the local population.

Across the street is the <strong>Ark</strong>, the home of the last Amir of Bukhara. This powerful fortress with its imposing walls was also bombed by the Soviets but happily some of it remains. Shok explained The Great Game between the English and Russian in detail when we stood in the Amir\'s reception hall. Spooky to think we were standing where Stoddart stood and turned his back on the great Amir which led to his imprisonment and death.

Today was a cold, windy day and Shok surprised us with an electric cart ride to our next stop. We whizzed past show camels, tourists and ancient walls. First, we ducked into the Bukhara Carpet Shop for a free cup of hot tea and sweets. The charming owner was pleased to see us, and we were very grateful for the warmth of her Alladin's cave of carpets.

Out into the old town we took in the incredible Kalan Minaret and Kalan Mosque - both places which were not destroyed by Genghis Khan. The Minaret stands tall above everything else and would have been a very welcome sight for the caravans. The mosque is beautiful in its simplicity - amazing acoustics.

Shok wasn't finished with us yet as we took in two more Madrassahs and Trading Dome 3. Bukhara is stuffed full of charming corners and views with the walls decorated with tiles and filigree windows - without a doubt unique in the world.

Lunch time and our feet were thankful for a rest and our stomachs for the food.

After lunch we trotted around Lyabi Khause, the Jewish Quarter and ended up at Khodja Nasreddin's statue. This funny man on a donkey has many stories and sayings which have a thread of wisdom in them.

That was it, the sightseeing day over and we all enjoyed some free time. Some even had the energy to go shopping!

The optional dinner was at the French restaurant/cafe Bon!

Without a doubt Bukhara has captured our hearts and imagination, as well as our wallets! The morning was dedicated to the Palace of Moon and Stars and Shok's romantic stories of the last Amir and his life with his harem. The complex is a more recent construction and appears to be supported by Tsarist Russia, to distract the Amir from the affairs of state. We enjoyed the peacocks and the faded remains of wealth and privilege.

Lunch was at Old Bukhara from where we divided into ladies - shopping with Mandy and men doing whatever with Shok. A very happy afternoon followed with everyone in Mandy\'s group at least helping the local economy. It has to be said that shopping in Bukhara is amazing - so many products on offer!

We all joined up again for afternoon tea at the Oriental Tea House where a refreshing beverage was needed. Out into the markets again the ladies managed to find a few more bargains before getting back to the hotel. Thankfully today the wind had abated and the sun was warming without being too hot.

Some of the ladies also joined Mandy to experience the Women's Hamman at Kundak Hamman, a medieval bathhouse. These brave ladies entered the small door labelled "No Men Allowed" into a larger space where the lady attendant demanded 'Everything Off' and we were draped in a thin cotton wrap. Led by hand, we descended some steps and then a slope, through another door into a hot, stony passage. Cotton wrap off we were then led by twists and turns into a large domed space where the water entered the hamman. Told to sit in the stone alcove, one by one the attendants splashed hot water over us, scrubbed our bodies and washed our hair. More water to rinse off. Then we were led back into the central dome, everything was warm if a bit steamy. The next part was the best with a soothing massage with lots of oil across our backs, along our arms and legs and bottom of our feet. Followed up by a ginger mixture across our skin. This mixture which may have mustard or something spicy in it, grew hotter and hotter. Eventually the attendants came back, and we were rinsed off again. Lastly, it was cotton wrap back on and up to the first room for some tea and sugar. We all looked rather pink and our skin felt like silk and pearly. Although I must say it took another 15 minutes in the cool evening air for the hot, burning sensation on the skin to finally go.

The day ended with a very pleasant light dinner of pizza and a tad more shopping.

We started earlier than usual at 8am, so we could get to Khiva with time to explore. En route we stopped to pick cotton as Shok had promised; it was harder than expected and the cotton buds were so light it was hard to believe each student had to collect 80kgs a day during Soviet times. The cotton was within a hard pod which had broken open so the sharp points could prick your fingers if you were not careful and of course the bushes are so low you have to bend all the time to pick. Jim and Mandy entertained the group with a song suitable for cotton picking.

Back on the bus we had another episode from Marco, information from Shok, a cryptic crossword with Mandy and we also finally found out who the murderer was from our book. All in all, the 8 hour journey across the desert passed quickly and we soon arrived early at Khiva.

Words are not enough to describe this desert fortress, one of the last of its kind. A soviet, modern town now flanks it but once it would have stood surrounded by the desert with its tall minarets which would have been such a welcome sight for the weary caravans arriving after a hot and tiring journey. Much of old Khiva remains: Madrassahs, tombs, mosques and houses in amongst the more modern restaurants, teahouses, hotels and numerous stalls. We arrived to a cool breeze whipping through the paved streets. Our hotel is close to the West Gate, so we joined Shok for an orientation walk on our way to dinner. Our landmarks were the short minaret and the tallest minaret. Tonight, an almost full moon rose behind the tall minaret and as the light faded the floodlights came on. If anything, the night scenery of Khiva is even more magical.

Hotel: Komil Palace

Magical Khiva captured our hearts from the first moment we glimpsed the fortress walls. Old Khiva is still found within the huge defense ramparts and even the new has been thoughtfully and carefully constructed to keep in tune with the old.

So, it was breakfast and out into the fresh day (sunny yet cool) to enter the town by the Father Gate - aka West Gate. Crossing the town to the East Gate should only take 15 minutes but we had so much to see it actually took us 2 hours. Near the West Gate is the short minaret, a beautifully tiled tower which was never completed.

On we went to the Ark or the old palace where we encountered flocks of tourists moving about. Oddly enough once we were inside the ancient doors the crowd disappeared until we had to enter or exit the narrow doors. The Amir lived in style and considering Khiva is 2,500 years old they had a bit of time to accumulate their treasures. Of course, most of the valuables have gone and no doubt to St Petersburg, yet there are enough wall tiles and decorative features to get an idea of how wonderful the palace once was.

Out into the main square we headed south-east to travel the main streets heading to the oldest mosque and the new palace. Sadly, there were repairs going on in the old mosque and the place was noisy; we soon left to find something quieter. As usual Shok wove facts and legends together, so we were entertained as we passed through centuries of history. What is impressive is the number of scholars and mathematicians who studied in Khiva, once a university town and their knowledge has spread across the world.

A highlight of the morning was Pakhlaven Makhmud Mausoleum. We arrived just as a Mullah’s voice filled the space with prayers and blessings. The sound was so beautiful in the blue and white tiled mausoleum with its chandeliers and parquet floors. It was certainly a moment to savour and remember as part of our Silk Road experience.

Last stop before lunch was a caravanserai stuffed full of shops with fabrics, clothes, paintings and other treasures. We walked, wandered and soaked it all in, but now it was definitely time to eat.

The afternoon was ours to enjoy, some explored the walls, some shopped, and some even had a sleep!

Gathering together at 5pm we had a private musical performance from a local group before heading out to dinner. Farewell Uzbekistan, we will never forget you - tomorrow Turkmenistan.

Being the wonderful co-operative group we are, we set off earlier than usual so we could be the first group at the border. In truth we arrived just as the border was about to open so we arranged ourselves into the order of the Turkmenistan visa list to speed up processing time - which worked. Off we trotted and had our passports checked by no less than 10 sets of soldiers/border control before we had finally finished - the whole process took 2 hours, most of the waiting at the Turkmen border. As expected no photos at the border crossing but the process went roughly as follows: guard checked our passports, walk, another guard, walk, another guard, passport control, x-ray the luggage, another guard, walk, another guard, wait for WWII bus to arrive so we could cross no-man\'s land (about 1.5km), arrive at the Turkmen border control, Covid test with our names carefully written into a ledger, wait as our passports disappeared into an office and then there was a lot of moving between two rooms by our local guide as all our visas and local fees were printed and receipts painfully written out by hand one-by-one (3 receipts per person)...stamp at Passport Control, X-ray our luggage, open our luggage so all medications could be examined and searched for contraband cigarettes and weapons, walk, another guard to check - freedom!

As soon as we entered Turkmenistan there was a visible increase of wealth. We were due to visit the local bazaar but it was Memorial Day for earthquake victims, so many things were closed. The museum looked like it was closed but they opened it for us and turned on the lights. This lovely building with it\'s expensive display cabinets, images of the current president and huge chandelier was a strange mix of antiquity and modern power.

Our flight was at 7.50pm so we stopped at a few huge white official buildings for photos and then went to a local hotel for a coffee and rest.

At the airport it was another odd mix of the old alongside the new with an electronic system for printing boarding passes with a manual weighing of bags. When we needed to board the plane we walked out across the runway (with not an orange cone in sight) nor any personnel, tape or official pathway. The flight was an hour and below us was the endless desert. Thankfully we were not driving across it!

Arriving in Ashgabat it was as if we had been transported by magic carpet... huge white buildings everywhere, white vehicles and only white vehicles, huge fountains, and the majestic Falcon airport with its white wings and moving neon lights. Driving to our hotel it was wide smooth highway with decorative lamps, more enormous white buildings, flashing rainbow neon lights and impressive statues.

The hotel was luxurious and a very welcome sight; it is just by the President\'s Palace and also an enormous building with gold features everywhere. Straight to dinner and a celebration of Dave\'s birthday.

Hotel: Diwan Hotel

Our local guide, Mr Maksat Gochiyev (Max) was there with a smile as we began our exploration of this extraordinary city. It\'s in the Guinness Book of Records on a number of counts; the first being the city with the most white marble facades in the world, also the largest hand-woven carpet and the tallest flagpole (until recently). Everywhere we looked it was clean, green and huge; multiple lane highways, numerous parks and bus stops with air-conditioning and TV\'s.

On the outskirts of the modern city is the ancient city of Nisa, a UNESCO site due to its antiquity. We arrived to an area with muddy walls with lumps and bumps across the landscape. By now the sun was up and we could feel the dry heat and with a touch of imagination, sketch out the vast and wealthy city which once stood here. Even more mind blowing was that Iran was a mere 25 kms away on the other side of the nearby hills.

Next stop was Kipchak Mosque and the mausoleum of the first president. Written on the minarets, walls and doors were words from his book, Ruhnama. Again white marble with green details, this building was enormous.

Time for morning tea, so we took ourselves off to the hotel which looks like a sail, to drink cappuccino from the 19th floor. A very welcome rest with a panoramic view.

Lunch as at the Akhal-Teke Horse farm where these beautiful animals dance across the paddock. After lunch we had a brief horse show of the horses power, grace and unusual gait. Once known as the \'treasure horse\' which sweated blood, even today the horses are highly prized and considered treasures.

Back to the hotel for a break and change of clothes before dinner at Catma. On the way back to the hotel we had a night tour of some of those amazing neon lights decorating the buildings and roundabouts - to be seen to be believed! Note, electricity is free in Turkmenistan and 17 litres of petrol is about NZ$1.

Our last day in Central Asia, so what better way to celebrate than a visit to a musuem, a mosque and a bazaar.

The National Museum of Turkmenistan was several floors so we concentrated on the historical finds from Nisa and other cities in Turkmenistan. Many beautiful objects that have been found and preserved. The museum also had the largest hand-woven carpet hanging on the wall, a gift to the first president from his grateful people.

Then to the Turkish Mosque, Ertugrul Ghazi Mosque. A gift from Turkey to Turkmenistan, the mosque is modelled on the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and it\'s a beauty. The ladies went upstairs (as ladies do in orthodox mosques) and the gentlemen stayed downstairs - both levels had beautiful views of the stained-glass windows, the lush carpets and intricate wall paintings.

We also couldn\'t leave Central Asia without a visit to a bazaar, this time the Russian Bazaar where Shok loaded up on caviar.

Lunch was at a Turkmen House where a folklore show included the wedding of Sue and Pat Turkmen style - lots of fun was had by all.

Time for a break before our farewell dinner at Gyz Gala restaurant. We have been such a happy group travelling in our caravan, it is sad to come to the end.

Off at 3.15am to catch our 5.15am flight to Dubai; we were all tired by the time we got to Dubai. Time to say goodbye to Jim on his way to Nepal and the rest of us home to NZ.

We made it back to New Zealand with great memories of our tour to Central Asia!

Culture Tours | Mandy