It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Central Asia was supposed to be cheap. I was supposed to stay in yurts and with local families and eat cheap street food. The money I saved in the ‘Stans was supposed to make up for the expense of Russia and my splurges in adding Italy and Turkey […]
How I Blew My Budget in Central Asia Read More »
By the time I boarded my flight out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on September 16, I was ready to say goodbye to Central Asia. My three months in the region left me physically and mentally exhausted and all I could think about was getting back home. I struggled through difficult border crossings. I endured hot, sweaty
7 Things I Love About the ‘Stans Read More »
In some ways, walking down the streets of Tashkent, Shymkent or Bishkek doesn’t feel all that different from a stroll through the center of any city in the United States or Europe. You pass a variety of stores, restaurants, government buildings and shopping malls. The people around you are likely headed to work or to
It’s a Bazaar Life Read More »
Over a year before I left on my trip through the former Soviet Union, my brother sent me a link to a website about a movie – a documentary called the Desert of Forbidden Art. I never did get around to watching it, but it peaked my interest in an art museum in the town
The Coolest Art Museum That Almost No One Knows About Read More »
Dear Khiva, It wasn’t you, it was me. I swear. Another time, another place, things could have been different. Okay, I guess not another place since you have kind of been where you are for a few hundred years. Maybe even a few thousand years. But you get my drift. I had high hopes for
Dear Khiva, I’m Sorry Read More »
As the taxi pulled away from my Bukhara hotel at 7:15 a.m., I asked how far it was to Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan border at Farab. To my surprise, he responded 120 kilometers – much further than I imagined. I was supposed to meet my guide, Oleg, on the other side of the border at 9:00 and it
The Never Ending Border Crossing: From Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan Read More »
One of the things I hate about popular tourist sites is that access is often restricted. I understand this in the interest of historic preservation or safety or a combination of both, but it can be frustrating. Therefore, I love when I stumble upon a site that I can explore with complete freedom. I experienced
Inside a 16th Century Madrassah Read More »
I did a double take when I first spotted it. Then I had to fight off touts pushing their taxi services on me as I took a closer look. A Mongol Rally car in Bukhara. Okay, I know what you are probably thinking – a what? For those not familiar with the Mongol
The One Where I Kind of Stalked a Mongol Rally Team in Bukhara Read More »
We travel not for trafficking alone, By hotter winds our fiery hearts are fanned. For lust of knowing what should not be known, We take the Golden Road to Samarkand. Ah, the Golden Road to Samarkand. If you have heard of any city on the Silk Road, it is likely Samarkand, and it is probably
Samarkand: Not So Golden Anymore? Read More »
While I collected my Tajikistan and Uzbekistan visas in Baku, Azerbaijan, I didn’t get my Kazakhstan visa there because I thought I could do it easily in Tashkent. And because I was in a hurry to get back to Armenia. And because, well, I couldn’t actually find the embassy. The latest edition of Lonely Planet
Kazakhstan, You Better Be Worth It Read More »
