Trekking the Silk Road of Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan, literally Land of the Uzbeks, is a melting pot of races. The Uzbeks are predominately Turkish, but if you visit you'll see significant influences from both Persian and Mongol immigration. Photo by Robert Davis

Dear International Living Reader,

While the Republic of Uzbekistan may be a relatively new country, its cities and people have a history dating back more than a thousand years.

I had read where Marco Polo pitched camp in the Ferghana Valley while on hunting trips with Genghis Khan. And Alexander the Great crossed the mighty Oxus River so he could challenge King Darius to battle. And more recently, the race for empire in Central Asia brought a handful of English explorers to the ancient cities of Bukhara, Samarkand, and Khiva. What attracted these men? That is what I wanted to find out.

Joining me on my trip was explorer, writer, and frequent lecturer of Asian History, Harold Stephens. Our exploration took three weeks and brought us across a vast land that included the legendary Silk Road and into the Ferghana Valley. We traveled by coach, train, and a 4-x-4 jeep before our journey through Uzbekistan was finished, loaded down the whole trip with maps, reference books, and trekking shoes.

The U.S. dollar goes a long way in Uzbekistan. We exchanged money and carried off bundles of som (Uzbek currency). Our first stop was to Tashkent, the capital. I marveled at the mammoth Russian-built avenues, busy with the traffic of buses, trams, and trolleys.

"Built wide enough for Soviet tanks," the taxi driver joked, displaying a dry, sarcastic humor.

In the center of the main park--Pushkin Park--stands a statue of the general, Amir Timur. Mounted on a black stallion with a mighty fist raised in victory, Timur, known also as Tamerlane, is a national hero to the Uzbek people. The history of his life is colorful--he conquered Persia, captured Baghdad, and led expeditions to Anatolia and India. He also resurrected once-famous cities using the labor of slaves and artists captured during successful crusades.

We left Tashkent for the drive to the city of Namangan, nestled deep in the heart of the Ferghana Valley. We were told the drive would take six hours, maybe seven. Travel in Uzbekistan is easy and inexpensive. Trains and buses are the most common form of transportation, but since we would be making frequent stops, we decided to hire a car and driver.

Under a full moon, we drove in silence through the barren Kuramin hills. My thoughts were filled with what it must have been like here centuries ago. Some of the most savage conquerors came and ruled these lands. Alexander the Great set up at least eight cities in Central Asia before the caravans began traveling through the Silk Road, after China opened its border to trade. Huns and Turks came from the west and brought with them a new religion--Islam. Most of the cities were destroyed during the invasion of Genghis Khan.

The car continued to climb, and we crossed between the Syr Darya River and the Tian Shan mountain ranges just as dawn broke. Nothing could have prepared me for the vast vista that opened up before us. With the windows down, the crisp cool air of the snow-capped mountains made the drive exhilarating. I understood why the locals call the Tian Shan "mountains of heaven"…

Robert Davis
For International Living

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* Lanterns for $2.60…silk shirts for $5…and other irresistible buys for the would-be exporter in northern Thailand (bring an empty suitcase)

-- Steenie Harvey

"It's amazing what you can buy in Chiang Mai's Night Bazaar for a dollar or two. Bead 'n' seed necklaces, sweet-smelling jasmine bracelets, miniature ceramic boats carrying cargoes of joss-sticks; bamboo fans, jars of rheumatism-relieving Tiger Balm, snacks of deep-fried grasshoppers; scented soaps, candles, and baskets made from the fibers of water hyacinth...and off-beat birthday cards with the most eco-friendly credentials.

"'What a lovely card!' exclaimed my daughter, Magdalen.

"'Yes, I thought of you straight away.' (Evil cackle from Mommy Dearest.) 'It's made from elephant dung paper.'

"Until this return trip to northern Thailand, I never dreamed paper was manufactured from elephant dung--I promise, it doesn't smell!…"

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* Six-hundred miles off the beaten track--why would tourists flock to the Galapagos Islands?

-- Sven Lorenz

"Famous for their giant tortoises, the Galapagos Islands have for decades been one of the world's ultimate fantasy travel destinations. Most of us dream of a chance to see this unique environment up-close, yet a mere 80,000 tourists have visited this group of volcanic islands, partially due to restrictions on the number of visitors, but also due to the distance and the comparatively high costs of getting there.

"This is changing. A trend is emerging that may mean a dramatic increase in the annual number of travelers to these shores, located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. Historically, 90% of all visitors have boarded ships to cruise around these islands. On Santa Cruz, the Galapagos' main island, however, the first signs of a land-based tourism industry are emerging…"

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