Join me on my trips

A walking day in Xiva.  There are already hundreds of tourists waiting to go into this incredible place. Not sure I'll make an all day walk. I need not have bought new white shoes as everyone wears trainers and my old blue ones would have been better having been more worn in. Well that went well as i was stung by a wasp. Took a quick Piriton which was a good thing as it spread rapidly. Perhaps a different kind of wasp.  before we started then 30 minutes later was all dizzy and nauseaus so was looked at by paramedics. Taken off to one clinic then hospital. Seen by doc BP normal. Given huge injection and lay down and drifted off to sleep By 12.30 back to normal and by evening not a mark, lunch here. Near the south gate residential area. All a bit of a shock. Not due to heat or crowds but doc told Mohammad our excellent guide that I was to go to lie down and no more walking today.  All medical and education is free ...

We broke the journey so it was fine. Much through what they call desert but looked more like semi to me. Scrubby zerophytic bushes, the odd patch of little yellow flowers and moving from very pale ground to more ochre sand. Some scenes along the way. Huge natural gas mine near Gazli  built by Chinese. Many tracks go off into the distance. A lonely place to live. But if you have a caravan the world beckons. A lonely place to work. Stabilising the sand. Huge solar farm. Electricity going everywhere. We saw these old abandoned carriages frequently.  Pipes for the gas. Bridge over the Oxus. The train to Khiva starts on 1st May hence our road trip. Once there is water there are abundant crops, particularly fruit trees, grapes, rice, c...

Another birthday I have missed. Getting hotter here and we did four sites but I skipped two.  Too many buildings and at some too many people.  As we travel westward into the desert it will get hotter and it is only April.  Some complaints from other guests but anything I don't enjoy or am bored at is not Steppes' fault. The only thing I'd mention is that the preponderance of steep steps with no rails or ramps does mean guests should be made aware. Thank goodness I have a stick with me. Two nights at Bibi Khanym. A mauseleum. Our guide and the wheelchair two people needed not me. Nor did I go on the zipwire. Tower built 1916 but difficult to tell what is old and what new as all this greyish mud colour. Another mosque which was closed. I like the shadow. You can buy any knofe you like. Or scissors. A nice drain cover. Out to dinner.

The spelling can differ. Leaving Samarkand station. My ticket and the very smart guard. 2 hours layer we reached Bukhara. I did not take part. Plenty of these about. Look at these ridiculously high steps. Falcon by son and hoopoo by uncle. Our hotel. Breakfast on the terrace. but all these steps.