We left Samarkand at exactly 6am if we are to make it to Bukhara to take our flight back to Tashkent. There is still one more club that we need to inspect that is located in Zarafshan City. The time taken to Zarafshan will be 5+ hours and from there to Bukhara is another 4+ hours.
Okay, I didn’t take any pictures caused I collapsed in the car. I slept throughout the journey.. well almost. My fever was gone but I was still having the stomach discomfort. I’ve also finished both Dzung and Georgiy’s diarrhea medication. I really have to watch what I eat. Thank God this car have air-conditioning.. and a cold one I mean. I heard from Sean that the temperature reached up to 45’C today!
¾ of the way, we had to stop because 1 of the 3 convoy cars has broken down. A quick check we found out that the engine has blown. Gasket gone. Radiator gone. The weather is killing! Again we have to thank God because our phone has a signal in the middle of the desert and we can ask for rescue.
We reached Zarafshan at around 11am, earlier than initially planned. Did our inspection and I was snapping away when I finished my rounds. Somehow the sleep in the car did me good.
After a quick lunch at the club’s restaurant which is located next to a beautiful man-made lake, we are on the road again!
This is considered the best road trip ever.. cause we were seated in a VW Caravelle MPV 3.2 V6!..
Everyone that was seated in this MPV loves it! The air-cond is cold plus it has a lot of funny gadgets. Josey and I were like kids in this car. Pulling, pushing and pressing every single button we can see. Alas we managed to flip open a round table in the middle of the MPV! See below..
Ben was fast asleep cause the car is really comfy.. even when the roads are horrendously bumpy and bad, the cushions is really doing its job in absorbing all the bumps. Look at him..
We reached Bukhara City at around 6-ish.. just enough time for us for an internal meeting before rush to board our flight at 9-ish. The thought of going back to Tashkent & having back my iPhone really brightens my day up.
We board the Uzbek air at around 2135hrs and the plane leaves exactly on time. So I took a nap. After an 1½ hrs we landed safely.. only to find out that we are again in Urgench!!?! WTF? We were asked to go to the terminal and wait for the plane to re-fuel and pick up more passenger.. WAHLIAO.. what is this? Bus Mini ah? Pick up more passengers and going the opposite direction?!
After about 45mins of waiting, the crew actually called us back and ushered us back to our seats once again. Another 2hrs on the flight and finally we’ve reached Tashkent. What a flight!
Anyhow, I’m already back in Tashkent and am so glad that the hotel has internet and a good bed. I was shrunken into a hibernating lil piglet. Totally forgotten about my iPhone and I made it a point to get it back tomorrow no matter what.
I’m an Uzbek because:-
1) I own a Nokia.. so are my family, friends, acquaintances, enemy & strangers
2) I love watching MTV wherever and everywhere I go.
3) I don’t eat fast-food. Sorry we ah dun have KFC nor McD nor PizzaHut
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