Desert to Samarkand

Wednesday 02 October

It was naturally a chilly morning but I’d managed to shed the fleece by breakfast and had my standard fare of eggs, a slice of cheese and rice cakes - I’m so glad I brought these with me!   

Our driver then took us down to Aidarkul Lake.  It’s a freshwater lake containing fish and a natural magnet for birds.  We wandered along the shore line enjoying the tranquility of a still lake, reeds, sand etc. The water was v clear. 

The lake is obviously slowly diminishing as evidenced by the salt-encrusted tree roots seen along the water’s edge.  We found a flock of sheep.  There were cloven hoof prints all over the beach.  They appeared unshepherded but I imagine your flock is not going to disappear into the arid desert for long before heading back for a drink.

We had lunch by the lake, provided by the tour company who produced plastic tub after plastic tub of provisions from a van.  I was pretty stuck food wise as today’s lunch was non (bread), pasta, salad, fruit buckwheat and stuffed peppers (stuffed with meat).  I eventually settled on the buckwheat, which is actually not a wheat despite its unhelpful name, and the outsides of the peppers.  As usual I avoided the salad and fruit which is sad but sensible.  We then headed off on the 4.5 hour drive to Samarkand.

Our route took us south and parallel with the lake for a couple of hours.  A dry, desolate landscape was our view and a bumpy jittery ride was had.  We sometimes were close to the Nuratau Mountains which host, amongst other things, a walnut tree nature reserve.

The roads evolved into smooth tarmac, and the single carriageways into dual.  As the road condition improved the traffic increased.  The last couple of hours were therefore smoother under-tyre but more swervy as we vied for road-space with the other vehicles. Our B&B was tucked behind a tall wall in the city centre.   This wall was apparently erected by the local council keen to keep the old city intact and shielded from the modern eyesores of a 21st century city.  At night this wall is lit externally but internally it’s just whitewashed.  The old city is a labyrinth of narrow streets and now the government has kindly ensconced it in a high wall blocking any view.  It results in the feeling of being ghettoed.