Friday, October 1, 2010

Day 21, 22

Day 21
This was one of the shortest day for the trip. We left Tashkent at 9.00 for a mostly motorway drive to arrive in Samarkand at 2.00.
The whole way was farming. with 1000's of acres of cotton that is all hand picked.
Tashkent was a viberant modern city with lots of cars and the apperance of wealth. Rural Uzbekistan is very poor with the the main form of transport donkey and cart.
After lunch we arrived at Samarkand for another rest day. This city is so different you would think its in a different country. No high rise, less gardens and parks and not as much colour in the buliding.
The money in Uzbekistan is called a som and the exchange rate is $1 to 1600 som, and the largest note is 1000 som so you end up with pockets full of money. Yesterday when we bought fuel the 110 litres cost 160,000 som so I hande over a wad about 2cm thick and the attendend fed it in to a note counter and gave me back the litte bit of excess.
Cay 22
A rest day infor people to work on and service the cars.
Carl did the greasing while I fitted new packing to the water pump. it was all finished at lunch so we went for an interesting tour around some local sites and markets.
No pics today as the internet is to slow to upload photos sorry.
Today is our last rest day as its now 15 days on the road to reach Paris for the 16th.

2 comments:

  1. Max - Hope it is all going well and we have booked a weekend in Paris to see you on the podium on the 16th! Dont be late!
    Norton and Adele (Michelle's Mum and Dad)

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  2. You will have quite a welcoming committee! I was onto the itinerary yesterday and realised - no more rest days!!

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