"The plains offering Camels, Steppe and more vodka" Foegoer's photos around Khiva, Uzbekistan

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• published: 21 Dec 2010
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Preview of Foegoer's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/foegoer/6/1254758919/tpod.html This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Entry from: Khiva, Uzbekistan Entry Title: "The plains offering Camels, Steppe and more vodka!" Entry: "Summary: At our last stop in Russia, Astrakhan, we camp outside a hotel, easy access to toilet, WiFi, phone and a frozen bottle for the still not working fridge! Functional shopping and on our way to Kazakhstan! Interesting border crossing at night! See details below. My first Kazakh night: Playing pool, pivo, vodka and husband nr.2 on offer! We have to cross Kazakhstan quickly as we are behind on schedule. This part of the country is mostly vast steppe plains, with many camels, salt lakes and some villages! Interesting to see that there seem to be more 'death people' villages then 'living'ones! The graveyards are impressive here with amazing tombstones. Within 5 days we cross into Uzbekistan: Central Asia Silk Road country. Our welcome could not be more hospitable. The first day we spend with 2 truck drivers, who escort us across the desert, share meals with us and help us out in many ways. Ochin Spasiba! Hope to meet you in Tashkent! We make our way to Khiva (Xiba), the first Silk Road place on our visiting-list. And it is amazing: full of madrassas, beautiful tile work, cozy chaighanas (teahouses)! Unfortunately also lots of tourists, souvenir stalls and people who wanna rip us off ;-) Ichan Kala (Old Khiva): In many ways a place to remember! After leaving the little village with a car full of melons we make it to Astrakhan, our last Russian stop before we go into Stan-territory, starting with Kazakhstan. This city grows on you quickly. We camp in front of a 4-star hotel, which is very handy, as we do not sleep there, but can use their toilet, bottle in the freezer, ask away at the English speaking reception desk, receive phonecalls and 'borrow' WiFi connection internet 24 hours a day ;-) As this will be the last opportunity for a while, we do the necessary shopping (not easy as Russian shops tend to hide themselves...little doors, no shop windows!). We also stock up on (very cheap) Russian cigarettes as I assume more bribing needs to be done later on! We also have special give-away photos printed, as we do not have enough Dutch things with us as a thank-you-for-your-hospitality. After this functional stopover with internet overtime during the night (we had a LOT of catching up to do) it is time to cross borders. For those interested, the procedure Russia-Kazakhstan was: Russia out very quickly, entering customs area, quick vehicle check, quick passport check. They take the special paper (bought when entering) and give us a token which we have to give to the guy at the bridge 3kms down the road. After crossing the bridge we have to wait in line for Kazakhstan customs. Tough luck, we have to wait an hour (dinner time). After filling out declaration forms and waiting our turn we can finally enter customs area. Mira (passenger) has to go with passport to the terminal. I get a little paper for 1. vehicle check (quick job, nice guy) and 2. passport check at another desk. Electricity problem: so nothing to do but wait and socialize. Within 10 min. I can become someone's 2nd wife! Thanks, but no thanks. After about 1 hour all is ok. Then I am taking away by 2 guys (Mira nowhere to be found) for customs papers and insurance... money-change guys swarming around me. First desk; filling out papers and entering in computer. I wonder how much this will cost me, as this is done OUTSIDE customs area I am guessing it is not obligatory. When he is done, he asks for T3000...in the end I give him 4 cigarettes ;-)) Insurance: No clue about prices and exchange rates, seems like I am getting ripped off, so no deal for now. One guy tells us about hotel within 500m, we can park there. Fine, as it is 22.00 o'clock and we are exhausted. No fun, crossing borders in the evening. Total time: 3,5 ..." Read and see more at: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/foegoer/6/1254758919/tpod.html Photos from this trip: 1. "_to place top right corner_Astrachan" 2. "_Astrachan" 3. "_Camp at hotel" 4. "_cooking IN the van" 5. "_russian shops" 6. "_Fioletova 52" 7. "_typical russian" 8. "_the russian van" 9. "_roof top lunch break" 10. "_russian bridge crossing" 11. "_Kazaghstan bordercrossing" 12. "_border hotel camping" 13. "_kazak vodka welcome" 14. "_and playing pool" 15. "_clay house villages" 16. "_death people village" 17. "_death left and alive right living together" 18. "_many camels" 19. "_like little dots on the steppe" See this TripWow and more at http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/tripwow/ta-00c1-7e44-bb40?ytv4=1