So I have safely arrived in St. Petersburg on the 16th with a belly full of Gastro, and feeling positively horrible, so I managed to crawl into bed and see nothing of the city.
Yesterday however I was feeling a little better and managed to go to the fort for the afternoon in the pouring rain, after getting soaked through I decided to call it a day and went back to the hostel.
Magically today I have woken feeling on top of the world and so off I went seeing the sights. And would you believe now at 19:30 we have perfectly blue skies as we head off for dinner.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Burning Sun in Bukhara
So I am writing today from Bukhara, my plan was to not get on the internet again until St. Petersburg, but it is just so hot here that it is nice to escape into an almost airconditioned building for a while.
Since Osh, we have managed to cross the border to Uzbekistan and make our way to Tashkent for an evening wich was an incredibly long day. There has apparently been quite a bit of tension between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and the border had been closed for a week and it opened the day before we were due to cross, but because of this once we did cross the border, every 30 minutes or so we were stopped by police checkpoints, so it mad the journey a bit longer than usual. We travelled through the Feregana Valley which is relatively close to the Afghan border and a little dicey sometimes so we drove on... at about 140kph!!! Anyway we stopped at a silk factory and learned how the ladies make the silk scarves and carpets from the silk worm cocoons, which was very interesting, then another 5 hours of driving to Tashkent... we were in Tashkent for 2 nights and had a bit of a tour in the morning followed by a wander through the markets in the afternoon. The next morning we were off on the train to Samarkand...
It is amazing how people react to a 3.5 hour train journey in a drain through a desert with no airconditioning, let me just say it was a little warm...
Samarkand however was an sensational city, with such amazing history. It seems anyone who was anyone at some time or another conquered Samarkand, including Ghengis Khan, Alexander the Great and Amir Temur (Tamerlane). There was so much history that 2 days was not enough, but I did see a lot, we had a free afternoon after our 5 hour morning walking tour and I managed to walk another 10km to get out to the astrolab of Uglebek, the astrolab was designed in the 14th century, 200 years before telescopes were developed and yet from this place Uglebek and his teachers and students were able to plot around about 2000 constelations! Sensational.
I also managed to see the mausoleum of the old testament David as well as some of the excavation sites of the old town of Samarkand.
During the tour we also saw the Ragistan, the necropolis and a bunch of mausoleums and mosques, I have taken so many photos to date and I still have 3.5 weeks to go, and from what I have seen so far Bukhara is as impressive as Samarkand, but before that we spent a night in Shahrisab (sp??) A town about 200km from the Afghan border and also so ful of history, along with being the birthplace of the local hero Amir Temur, it too has a lot of Muslim history including a masive palace that now only consists of 2 towers. We spent the night in Shahrisab in a home stay where we were able to take place in a cooking class that consisted of stuffed sweet chilies and cabbage leaves, the food was absolutely amazing and the host family was once again so hospitable and warm to us it was wonderful.
So today we arrived in Bukhara after a 5.5 hour drive through the desert from Shahrisab, it was an interesting drive, but also very hot, so this afternoon has just been a time to flake out, as we have a big day tomorrow, trying to see all the amazing sights of Bukhara in one day... I think I need my rest....
So after today I have only 2 days left with this group and then I am off to St. Petersburg to begin my next adventure with a bunch of other travellers. So until next time, stay safe.
Since Osh, we have managed to cross the border to Uzbekistan and make our way to Tashkent for an evening wich was an incredibly long day. There has apparently been quite a bit of tension between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and the border had been closed for a week and it opened the day before we were due to cross, but because of this once we did cross the border, every 30 minutes or so we were stopped by police checkpoints, so it mad the journey a bit longer than usual. We travelled through the Feregana Valley which is relatively close to the Afghan border and a little dicey sometimes so we drove on... at about 140kph!!! Anyway we stopped at a silk factory and learned how the ladies make the silk scarves and carpets from the silk worm cocoons, which was very interesting, then another 5 hours of driving to Tashkent... we were in Tashkent for 2 nights and had a bit of a tour in the morning followed by a wander through the markets in the afternoon. The next morning we were off on the train to Samarkand...
It is amazing how people react to a 3.5 hour train journey in a drain through a desert with no airconditioning, let me just say it was a little warm...
Samarkand however was an sensational city, with such amazing history. It seems anyone who was anyone at some time or another conquered Samarkand, including Ghengis Khan, Alexander the Great and Amir Temur (Tamerlane). There was so much history that 2 days was not enough, but I did see a lot, we had a free afternoon after our 5 hour morning walking tour and I managed to walk another 10km to get out to the astrolab of Uglebek, the astrolab was designed in the 14th century, 200 years before telescopes were developed and yet from this place Uglebek and his teachers and students were able to plot around about 2000 constelations! Sensational.
I also managed to see the mausoleum of the old testament David as well as some of the excavation sites of the old town of Samarkand.
During the tour we also saw the Ragistan, the necropolis and a bunch of mausoleums and mosques, I have taken so many photos to date and I still have 3.5 weeks to go, and from what I have seen so far Bukhara is as impressive as Samarkand, but before that we spent a night in Shahrisab (sp??) A town about 200km from the Afghan border and also so ful of history, along with being the birthplace of the local hero Amir Temur, it too has a lot of Muslim history including a masive palace that now only consists of 2 towers. We spent the night in Shahrisab in a home stay where we were able to take place in a cooking class that consisted of stuffed sweet chilies and cabbage leaves, the food was absolutely amazing and the host family was once again so hospitable and warm to us it was wonderful.
So today we arrived in Bukhara after a 5.5 hour drive through the desert from Shahrisab, it was an interesting drive, but also very hot, so this afternoon has just been a time to flake out, as we have a big day tomorrow, trying to see all the amazing sights of Bukhara in one day... I think I need my rest....
So after today I have only 2 days left with this group and then I am off to St. Petersburg to begin my next adventure with a bunch of other travellers. So until next time, stay safe.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Oh my gosh, I'm in Osh!
So it's been a while, apparently the blogger website is blocked in China so I have been incomunicado for a couple of weeks now. As you may imagine, I have been a little busy...
The Great Wall of China, although feeling like an eternity ago was an awesome experience, I had a two day hike which lead to massive blood blisters, exhaustion and such amazing views, as well as a most magnificent evening in a Tibetian ranch where I had breakfast overlooking the Great Wall, it was amazing and so completely breathtaking.
The day I did the 10km hike it was such a hot day, it would have been about 35 degrees and I think I nearly died, but luckily my local guide took me on a short cut where I cut off about 8 towers and walked along the valley which was also so cool, and gave me the oportunity to see the wall from a different angle which was great.
So, had another couple of days in Beijing visiting everything I could including the birdsnest, forbiden city summer palace, old city wall and of course the mongolian embasy.
Met my group in Beijing and then we headed off on the tour.
Overnight train to Xian, and then Terracotta Wariors and wander around the city.
Two night train journey to Turpan, SOOOOO hot, about 42 degrees, melting in the desert.
From Terpan another overnight train through the most amazing terain and 29 tunnels to Kashgar. Loved Kashgar, animal markets and other markets, such history, and a really interesting town.
From Kashgar we crossed the boarder into Kyrgyzstan, possibly THE MOST beautiful country I have ever seen, even better than Uganda!!!
The scenery has been completely amazing every day, and so completely mind blowing. First night we stayed in Yerts near Tash Rabat an old Caravanseri on the silk route, just as we arrived there was a massive thunderstorm and hail which remained on the ground until morning. Our host family in Tash Rabat were so lovely and it was a fantastic introduction to the country.
From there we have travelled all over Kyrgyztan and the people have been so welcoming and hospitable and it has just been awesome.
We are in Osh for 2 nights and then it is off to Uzbekestan for a week, I have been given the impression that the internet there is worse than here and so this may be my last post before moscow.
Most of our accomodation in Kyrgyzstan has been home stay which is the best way to see a country and the families have been so entirely wonderful, I definatley reccommend a visit to this country.
I just remebered a very interesting evening we had in the Chichkan Valley. We stopped at a guest house as it was purely a stop along the way, during the day we had passed the president of Kyrgyzstan driving in the other direction and when we arrrived at our accomodation we hound that he had been there, so the locals were still celebrating this amazing event and they invited us to join them, as it turned out there were a few dignitaries still there such as the govenor of this particular area of Kyrgyzstan. He then gave us a toast and we had to do shots of Vodka after each toast, his toast was about the Kangaroos in Australia that he had learnt about in school, so I did my bit for international relations and presented him with a little clip Koala :) He was so impressed!
Anyway I had better go now as I don't want to loose everything that I have just written.
The Great Wall of China, although feeling like an eternity ago was an awesome experience, I had a two day hike which lead to massive blood blisters, exhaustion and such amazing views, as well as a most magnificent evening in a Tibetian ranch where I had breakfast overlooking the Great Wall, it was amazing and so completely breathtaking.
The day I did the 10km hike it was such a hot day, it would have been about 35 degrees and I think I nearly died, but luckily my local guide took me on a short cut where I cut off about 8 towers and walked along the valley which was also so cool, and gave me the oportunity to see the wall from a different angle which was great.
So, had another couple of days in Beijing visiting everything I could including the birdsnest, forbiden city summer palace, old city wall and of course the mongolian embasy.
Met my group in Beijing and then we headed off on the tour.
Overnight train to Xian, and then Terracotta Wariors and wander around the city.
Two night train journey to Turpan, SOOOOO hot, about 42 degrees, melting in the desert.
From Terpan another overnight train through the most amazing terain and 29 tunnels to Kashgar. Loved Kashgar, animal markets and other markets, such history, and a really interesting town.
From Kashgar we crossed the boarder into Kyrgyzstan, possibly THE MOST beautiful country I have ever seen, even better than Uganda!!!
The scenery has been completely amazing every day, and so completely mind blowing. First night we stayed in Yerts near Tash Rabat an old Caravanseri on the silk route, just as we arrived there was a massive thunderstorm and hail which remained on the ground until morning. Our host family in Tash Rabat were so lovely and it was a fantastic introduction to the country.
From there we have travelled all over Kyrgyztan and the people have been so welcoming and hospitable and it has just been awesome.
We are in Osh for 2 nights and then it is off to Uzbekestan for a week, I have been given the impression that the internet there is worse than here and so this may be my last post before moscow.
Most of our accomodation in Kyrgyzstan has been home stay which is the best way to see a country and the families have been so entirely wonderful, I definatley reccommend a visit to this country.
I just remebered a very interesting evening we had in the Chichkan Valley. We stopped at a guest house as it was purely a stop along the way, during the day we had passed the president of Kyrgyzstan driving in the other direction and when we arrrived at our accomodation we hound that he had been there, so the locals were still celebrating this amazing event and they invited us to join them, as it turned out there were a few dignitaries still there such as the govenor of this particular area of Kyrgyzstan. He then gave us a toast and we had to do shots of Vodka after each toast, his toast was about the Kangaroos in Australia that he had learnt about in school, so I did my bit for international relations and presented him with a little clip Koala :) He was so impressed!
Anyway I had better go now as I don't want to loose everything that I have just written.
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