Nukus was a great rest for a couple of days whilst I work out the plan for the rest of Uzbekistan. The steppe had been tough and I wasn’t sure I wanted more of it. It was also a chance to meet two other cyclists, Sebastian from France and Ollie from the UK. Julia had decided to cycle every kilometre and this would mean having to leave after one day. I was willing to take a train for a bit to avoid more steppe. This meant we had to say goodbye and cooked a meal for our hosts Julian and Nora.
There is also the Svitsky art museum, which houses the largest collection of Soviet artworks. Sveitsky saved many of these from destruction after the fall of the Soviet Union. The museum is well planned out and you have time to appreciate the artwork; however, just be ready for the school children. There are many groups and it did become noisy.
I found out that Seb and Ollie had decided to leave a day earlier, which meant we could cycle together towards Khiva. The first day of the journey would be mired once again by wind and ended up a very long day at 90km. I had spotted a nature reserve to camp in. Seb added a detour into the route and we ended up 20km short, camping at an old fort. There was not much left. Just a wall to be precise.
We finished very late in the evening and we discussed the time of finishing riding. I prefer to have an hour or two before sunset to relax and cook dinner. I’m not a fan of having to cook in the dark. Luckily we had a shorter day the next day, only 60km. I even got to use the yoga mat that I had been carrying since Aktau. Not sure it was a worthwhile investment.
Khiva Kanate
The next day we had a short ride to Khiva and our accommodation. Ollie wanted to rest, but Seb and I headed straight for the old town. Even though it is a reconstruction of the original town, Genghis Khan decided to destroy everything he found.
The town is very touristic with street sellers on almost every corner of the small alleys. You cram past all the other tourists but the sights are amazing. The Kalta Minor planned to be a minaret but never finished, stands tall just after the entrance. The town has many madrassahs, educational establishments, and many also house a museum to some element of life in Uzbekistan.
Many people still live in the old town but it is becoming more and more touristy each year with many cafes, restaurants and hotels popping up. I feel something might be lost with all the developments. One of the highlights is the Jura mosque; its old wood structure and solid low roof give the place a dark and secluded feel. The two light-wells in the roof cast light on a singular tree in the middle.
Three bikes, bags and one train… surely there would be no issues!
Our travel to Bukhara would only involve a day of riding and then a train. I knew I didn’t have the days in Uzbekistan, only 30 days visa-free, to get to Samarkand where I can do a visa run. This meant a quick ride to Hazorasp. We had spotted a stopping point in Sheikh Muktar-Vali’s mausoleum but first came across Khiva Khan’s summer palace.
Evidently, it is meant to be a tourist stop but has long been left to the local farmers. I managed to find a way in and up the structure to the top. It commands amazing views over the landscape and the farming below. The Sheikh’s mausoleum was also a peaceful place and very much off the tourist path. We were the only non-Uzbeks there. As well as the cemetery and mausoleum they have also created an area for rest. Provided with carpets on raised platforms and futon mattresses, it is a perfect place for a lunch stop.
The next day we took the train from Hazorasp, the first task is to find the station. Google Maps does not have the right location and we had to resort to asking for directions. Then the real work starts.
The train rolls into the station, an old Soviet locomotive and carriages from the 70s/80s pulled along behind. I found that we were going to store the bikes in the vestibule end of the carriage, first though we need to get them in and close the door. The bikes went in front of the doors; let’s just hope we don’t crash. The bags were then piled into whatever gaps were left.
Whilst I had a seat, the person opposite decided they wanted a bed so I would either have to take a top bunk or find somewhere else. I opted to sit in the vestibule end on what I found out were the sheets for the bed. But I did have a window seat and I could see what we were missing on our ride, Steppe and lots of it.
Bukhara and the Emir
The final bit was the train not stopping in Bukhara but about 15km away. It was like taking Ryan Air! Our hostel in Bukhara was excellent. The breakfast was large and the host was amazing in helping us with anything we needed. The hostel also had a courtyard with a large tree in the middle; this had the useful impact of reducing the temperature and making it possible to sit there during the day.
Bukhara was full of old reconstructed buildings and mosques, some in better condition than others. Others, which they should call the engineers in before they fall over! The fronts of the madrassahs are quite amazing, with each one trying to outdo its neighbour. We also visited the Ark, the palace of the Emir of Bukhara, famed for taking two British soldiers captive for delivering a message who didn’t bring a present for him. They lived in what was described as a bug pit and eventually met their end after being told to dig their own graves.
We also had the chance to meet fellow travellers at a couch-surfing hotspot come photo gallery. It was nice to hear others’ stories of travel and relax in their company over tea. Our host also cooked his guests a traditional meal of Plov. This is a rice dish with carrots, onions and meat, usually beef or lamb. Again another perfect meal for cyclists. I’m starting to like the food here in Uzbekistan.