Uzbekistan First Impressions

Uzbekistan First Impressions October 10, 2009

First impression was it's a pretty dark place but it was 5:30 in the morning when I was traveling from the airport to my hotel. So far Uzbeks have been quite friendly. They don’t look it. They all seem to have a scowl on their face and look quite ferocious but when you smile at them, they light up like a Christmas tree. I’ve found a smile works wonders in most countries.

Already wrote in my "airport woes" blog about the touts at the airport trying to get me into their taxis. Even they were quite friendly about it though and weren’t aggressive and pushy as some touts are in other countries I could name (but won’t). The British Council man helped me a lot and was quite concerned that I might be abandoned. Made me feel that I wouldn’t be up the creek if people were willing to help that much.

I had arranged for one night extra at the hotel as the tour doesn’t actually start until October 11. As I am riding to the hotel, I am thinking, what does a 5 a.m. check in constitute? Will they let me in or will they tell me I can’t check in until 3 p.m.??? I’ll sleep in their lobby then.

Luckily, after we found the desk clerk, he was happy to let me have a room and even carried my bag up the two flights of stairs. I crashed briefly but I turned on my cell phone and suddenly was getting lots of messages from my daughter and my husband so that took another half hour before I was able to go to sleep.

This morning I slept through breakfast and didn’t care at all. When I did get up, and get ready to leave the hotel, it was after noon. I had heard a bus pull into the drive and saw that it was probably the rest of the tour group arriving. Changed my money and walked down the street looking for an internet café but couldn’t find one. Did find a large fruit and vegetable market in a large covered area with smaller markets around the edges for meats and breads and sundries and household items and such.

I decided to get some yoghurt and the store I picked had one clerk who spoke a bit of English. They were delighted that I was there and all started chattering among themselves pointing out the American in their midst.

Then I went to get some fruit. Stopped at two fruit stands and the man at the first one helped me pick out some lovely bananas and the lady at the next ran around and picked out the best apples she could find and insisted that I take some persimmons as well. Lovely fruit. Glorious fruit. I haven’t had good fruit in several days.

Walked back to the hotel and decided to rest my feet and hips as I’ve been giving them pretty hard usage the last few weeks. My first impressions are it is a delightful country that is trying hard to overcome a Soviet past and friendly people all around. Fell asleep.