Uzbekistan

When you cross over the border from Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan, the first thing you notice are cars and then the colour of the cars – white – so many white cars to deflect the heat of the sun.

It’s hard to believe this country borders Afghanistan.  The countryside in the immediate border area feels French and the capital city, Tashkent, European, even though it is soviet designed – wide streets, lots of tree lined pedestrian pathways with grass verges, a metro and very clean.

The train service is high speed, efficient and offers good customer service.  You get a seat.

We had three guides in the three locations – Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara.  Two of them remembered soviet times very fondly, as a time when everyone had a job, somewhere of an appropriate size to live and everyone was equal.  Even the lady who was a comparatively rich hotelier, said she would give up her wealth to go back to those times.

During the soviet era, many of the ancient mosques, mausoleums and madrassa had been shut up and used for storage or other activities.  Whoever led on the restoration of Samarkand was a true visionary.  The area of the caravanserai is pedestrianised and renovated very sensitively.  I felt as if I was looking at one of the seven wonders of the world.

Bukhara was more spread out and had a more hippie vibe.  There seemed to be more tourists there from all over the world.

It makes me evaluate the quality of life for most people in England.  With all their natural resources and planning, I feel that one day soon Central Asia will outstrip the UK economically.