Getting into Uzbekistan was a whole lot simpler than getting into Turkmenistan had been. Yes, there was paperwork to complete and the forms were in Cyrillic, but helpfully someone had stuck some examples up so we could pretty much tell what they needed. The border guards were friendly and even put us “tourists” to the front of the queue. We finally left the border at around 6p.m.

We drove just a short way, alongside the river, before turning off into the desert for our first night’s camp. It was good to be camping again and in such a lovely peaceful spot. After consuming a couple of bottles of surprisingly good and very cheap Turkmen wine and cooking a meal over a “camp-fire”, headed for bed, happy & content not just and being out of Turkmenistan but to be in the desert again.

The following morning reached Bukhara at around eleven. Booked ourselves in to one of the first hotels we came across (Hotel Caravan, slightly extragavent for our budgets). In Uzbekistan it is necessary to register every few days and it is only possible to do this at hotels. The hotel was expensive at $60 per night but very smart and clean- and we had a T.V. on which we watched B.B.C. World news! We had planned to walk into town and have a look around but Phil had been feeling a little poorly and wanted to go and sleep first. I sat in the shade for an hour or so (updating diary) but very soon, I also started feeling very nauseus. We didn’t surface from the room again that day! We think it was probably the result of taking water from the previous hotel (later David and Ingrid also became ill). However, the following morning we felt a  little better. After breakfast, Phil and I decided that we would go and find cheaper accommodation, which we eventually found- in the undercover car-park of the Bukhara Palace Hotel. Very grand hotel and kindly allowed us to park and use their “facilities” for free (just a 3000SUM tip to the security guy)though we only scraped under the roof with cms to spare. Leaving the truck parked securely in the shade, we hopped onto our bicycles to finally explore the city.

Bukhara is central Asia’s holiest city with most of its centre being an architectural preserve. The central square is watered by a large pool shaded by huge and some very old mulberry trees. Around the square, alleyways lead off in a multitude of directions to the pretty multi- domed buildings that are now used as bazaars by craftsmen. Gold embroidery, carved Quo’ran stands, miniature paintings, colourful felt jackets and of course carpets are made here. The vibrant colours stand as a contrast to the pale sandstone walls of the buildings. But it is the religious buildings that really catch the eye. Majestic in size and stunningly tiled with turquoise and blue tiles and topped with magnificent shining domes- they really are quite spectacular. We spent a few hours circling around, absorbing the atmosphere before returning to “camp” to try and sleep (the hotel’s nightclub played booming music until gone 2a.m).

The following morning, we returned to the city to tour the winding alleyways, stop to take spiced tea and “sweets”, visit the photographic exhibition and finally meet David and Ingrid for dinner by the pool.

Our plan was to drive directly to Tashkent, start the Russian visa process and then drive back down to Samarkand. However on arrival at Samarkand early the following morning, we decided to find a place to stay for the night and stay here for a day or so. We eventually found the recommended Bahodir B&B, a room for $15, free breakfast, evening dinner if we wanted it for a dollar each. The rooms were adequate, the shower superb! Also staying at the B&B was a French guy, Bruno, driving a Landcruiser (Conversion) We very soon got talking and it seems that he has the same journey plan and timescale as we do (as well as same current 'how the hell do i get a russian visa' problem !), so we hope to meet up again in a few weeks. He’s been travelling for nine years already and done lots of stuff with animal conservation. An interesting guy! By the time we had finished chatting it was getting late but we did have time for a walk around some of the majestic buildings at the ‘Registan’. Similar to the buildings in Bukhara, though possibly larger in scale, the beautifully tiled mosques and Medressas (ancient Theological schools) are very impressive, though we felt that Samarkand lost out to Bukara in atmosphere and local friendliness.. We visited the huge ‘local’ bazaar for fruit and veg. The bazaars are interesting in that everything is sold in sections, for example, as you enter the first hall sells only dried fruit and nuts, the next one, only tomatoes and cucumbers. We returned with our purchases for a final pot of tea and chat to Bruno before heading off towards Tashkent.

We put about 100km behind us before camping for the night. The following day we drove the remaining 300kms to arrive in Tashkent late evening. We eventually found a rather sleazy hotel who would let us park on their car park for a mere 3000SUM

Locating the Russian embassy the following morning, wasn’t difficult. What was difficult was acquiring the visa! The photocopy of the LOI we had was not good enough, what they needed was the original, which unfortunately was in Moscow! Good news was though that we do not need health insurance (which both the French and the Dutch do ! - unhealthy lot I guess.)

We came away from the consulate having decided to get the LOI sent forward to Bishkek and therefore enable us to carry out the new plan – Kyrgyzstan! Spent the remains of the day in an air conditioned café with free WiFi and later joined by David and Ingrid for 'plan formulation' !

Following morning Ingrid and I headed for the Kyrg embassy (we now need Kyrgzstan visas). It was easy enough to find but sadly it was closed- “a rest day”. However, after a little persuasion we managed to get in and apply, refusing their offer to process within an hour for double the $55 we were paying and agreeing to collect by 5p.m that night instead.  Collecting our passports and visas,  Phil and I took the Metro into the city centre. The metro works efficiently in Tashkent and some of the stations are designed with a graceful Art-Nouveau style. Later that evening we once again met up with Edde –also Nick, a British guy whom we’d briefly met in Samarkand and two Italian bikers whose bikes we’d spotted in a hotel car park in T’Bilisi (way back in Georgia). A couple of (expensive) beers later we headed back to the truck, parked near to Edde’s hotel.

Waiting for David and Ingrid to arrive and claiming a free (and excellent) breakfast at Edde’s hotel, (Phil also had time to go and buy a replacement camera). We all hit the road and headed for the border at Uchkurgan. It was a slightly longer drive than we’d anticipated and though we searched hard for a campsite, we failed to find anywhere before dark. Eventually finding ourselves at Uchkurgan’s one and only hotel. It was a pretty seedy place and the $20 they asked David and Ingrid for a dirty room with no shower seemed excessive. We, of course, preferred to sleep in the truck! (However the hotel owner did have the cheek to also ask us for $20 the following morning!- we ended up agreeing on $10 though).

The road to the border, we were told, was closed. However we were directed across town and eventually rolled up at a rather un-ostentatious pink wall. This, it appeared was our exit point.  Paperwork formalities were pretty straightforward- they even had customs declaration forms printed in English. There was no cost and within a couple of hours or so, we were driving through to the “Gates of Kyrgyzstan”.