Quick update from Tashkent.

• Applied for my Azerbaijan visa today. Arrived at the embassy at 10am, filled out the forms, and was told to come back on next Monday.
• Luckily, the Azerbaijan Embassy did not need to keep my passport. That means that I can apply for my Turkmenistan visa tomorrow. The absolute longest I think I can expect is a 10 day transit visa. However, from most people’s reports, it’s more likely that I’ll be given a 5 day transit visa. Therefore, unfortunately I will most probably need to hitch a ride across much of Turkmenistan, or catch a train.
• Anyone know how to hack the password on a Buffalo Pocket Station compact external hard disk (product number HD-DPM20U2/CR)? Can you believe this story:
  - Today I went to an internet cafe. I attached the hard disk (that contains all my photos I have taken so far (20GB worth)) to the computer, and all was well. Later today, I went to another internet cafe to back up the whole hard disk, thinking it would be too bad if the hard disk failed and I lost all my photos. Well, it just so happened, that the second time I went to the internet cafe, the device all of a sudden started to ask for a password every time I went to connect it. Madness. There is no way therefore to access my photos or videos. I have emailed Buffalo in Japan asking them about the problem. The only way I can see at present to get access to all my four months of precious photos is to go through all the possible password combinations until I get the right one (four digit number).
• Took the train here to Tashkent. Bike is still in Samarkand. Hopefully this visa thing will only take a week or so, and then it’s back on my way towards England on my bikecicle.
• Got a haircut today. Left the beard untouched though. I now look like a extreme Islamist mujahed. Getting even more looks from the natives now. Will upload photos when my hard drive sorts itself out.

« Previous Day                                                                                                   Next Day »

    Permanent Link     Comments (11)

Hi Rob

Yeah those boys toys can break or malfunction even without having abused em eh!

Anyway you can try obtaining a very cheap radio to listen to the local radio and check out their hit chart!! This lower-tech approach will sooth your boredom a little bit.

Take care

Rob, you know if you kept biking and cycled across America, you would probably be the first person to cycle around the world, certainly the first on a recumbant bicycle. You could make the Guiness Book of Records! I bet cycling across the States would be a doddle compared to what you haver done so far.

So what's Tashkent like? How populated? Are you finding the natives friendly?

Hey Roberto-San,

Yes I was thinking about the whole bearded, looking like a terrorist thing today and I have decided that you really need to watch out for those sneaky natives or they might think you are in the business and try to sell you a bomb. CONSTANT LOOKOUT! That's the ticket!

Or, alternatively you could make a few bucks on the side by actually BECOMING a terrorist ( coz let's face it – you have the looks!). But I suppose that your moral conscience may get in the way huh?! Bummer!

Hope your trip is all good and look forward to seeing you again. Love lots EmJay

Pity about the photos. Is this why there isn't one of you with the haircut?

How does Tashkent compare to Dushanbe? You'll have a few days to find out before returning to Samarkand. Nice lodgings and food? A pity that you will have such a short time thru Azerbaijan but you never know – they might make an exception foran exceptionally Muslim Cleric-like NZer! I suppose there is some reason for keeping the beard? Apart from having to SHAVE EVERY DAY!

Aunty Jenny, I am much too late to be the first to cycle around the world. In fact, there is a guy who has been at it for 40 years, and has cycled around the world 10 times.

As for Tashkent, I am disliking it so much that I am going back to Samarkand to get my bicycle and go cycling for 10 days while I wait for my Turkmenistan visa to come through. Will update a little more about that tomorrow in Samarkand.

EmJay, great to hear from you. I'm just getting concerned that with all this terrorist talk, this website will be invesitgated by the FBI or XYZ or ABCs. If I get a call, I'll direct them your way for an explaination, aye?

Mum, as I said to Aunty Jenny, I am getting out of this city and back to Samarkand while I wait for the visas. It only costs about $4 for the train to Samarkand (5 hours), so I'd rather be there than in this big city (pop. 2.3 million). Also, I am currently paying $6 for a grotty old hotel (no toilet seat – you sit on the porcelin), and that doesn't include food. The hostel at Samarkand costs $9 for a nice room with ensuite, plus breakfast and dinner. Plus, the internet here in Tashkent is much slower than in Samarkand. Dunno why…

try 8963, or mayby 2863, or 8674. Hey – they were worth a try.

Thanks for the link to the article about Heinz Stucke. He is a legend, simply amazing…

Leave a comment