Khiva

Since the girls are on a limited time schedule, they leave for Khiva (Хива pronounced Hiva) a day earlier than I do. I share a car to Khiva with an Italian guy Gianluca who’s planning to travel Iraq, Afghanistan and the Caucuses. We get talking and decide to one day buy a Lada 1400 or Uaz (former military jeep) and drive around Russia.

Can you spot the foreigners?

Along the way, the bridge just out of Urgench (not far from Khiva) is interesting for one special reason.

The bridge is made out of old ships parked and welded next to each other.

We stay in the same guesthouse and later in the day bump into the only other guests there, Alice and Georgie and make plans to go to the Aral Sea with them.

The day we show up to Khiva happens to be a national holiday, Independence Day and everyone comes out to celebrate. They celebrate by walking around town, for the whole day, doing pretty much nothing, there’s no big party no drinks, no music, just people spending the day out with their families and friends.

Inside the mosque at Khiva old town.

Khiva old town.

Khiva seems to be the one town in Uzbekistan where almost everyone is clued in on my I’m a Tashkent local scam.

Me: How much is the local price?

Ticket seller: Do you have any documents?

Me: They’re in my hotel, this isn’t a passport regime, I don’t need to show you anything.

Ticket seller: then you pay the full price, 11,000

Me: I’m from Tashkent, Chilonzor, opposite the bazaar (My friend Igor Supertramp lives here)

Ticket seller: Fine 5,500.

Me: No way is the local price 5,500, give me the proper local rate.

Ticket seller: Come back tomorrow with your passport.

Even sweet talking one of the old ladies at one of the museums doesn’t work.