On the Road again

On the road againTuesday October 20, 2009 We're up early. The Brits leave today so we have to drive from Samarkand back to Tashkent and they go directly to the airport. I’ll spend one night, sort of, in the hotel and leave it at the ridiculous hour of 3 a.m. to go to the airport for my flight to Istanbul. Not much to tell about today then. I snooze a bit on the road home as we had a nice farewell dinner last night at a private residence. We stop on the road once for a look at the "Iron Gate", a pass between two sets of small mountains that Tamerlane was able to guard efficiently. A freight train came passing through as we watched. A toilet stop where the toilet was actually clean then into Tashkent. For some reason, buses and cars are not allowed to drive up the ramp to the front door of the airport. So buses unload their passengers at the foot of the ramp and porters load everyone’s bag onto one cart and push it up the ramp. We have only been together 10 days but I really like all those Brits. They all had a good sense of humor and were well traveled and here in Uzbekistan because they wanted to see some culture and history and something new and be on the Silk Road, just like me. So it was a very quick hug all around so that I didn’t start bawling and then back on the bus to go to the hotel. One other tour member is leaving later tonight so he goes to the hotel with me and again, a very quick goodbye to avoid the tears. How odd that you get so attached to people in such a short time. And I have been on trips where the groups have not gelled and it’s been a problem to remain civil to people. But this group was topnotch and the guide was topnotch as well. Loved it all (except of course the aforementioned yurt camp)