02/05/2014

(Friday)

Nice easy morning and absolutely no problem getting onto the train and getting off at Bukhara. 

Once at Bukhara , however, began a chain of irritating events.
 

Bukhara

The hostel is on the Bukhuwuddin Nakshbandhi Street just below the monument numbered 13, which is the Chor Minor

To start with I got the right marshrutka, but the idiot helper decided. I needed to change buses, so he pit me on one with instructions to drop me 10 km outside of town. When I discovered this, I got back on the next bus back in - which was the exact same bus I came out in - and it dropped me almost beside my hotel. I also noticed that the very first bus runs past it. Damn these half-wits. So, I thought I'd get here at 4 and have time for a look around, but it was stuck getting here by 6:30 and arranging things until about 7:30.

When I got to the hotel I found first that there was no wifi, and they loaned me a router for a while, but it's not permanent. Then I found there was no water. They assure me they will fix it, but as I went out to dinner I saw them chatting and doing nothing in the courtyard, so I told them I wouldn't be staying if there was no water.

I went downtown for dinner, and had a very satisfactory kofta and chips with salad, bread, and Pepsi. When I got back most of the waterways running, but not the toilet, so they gave up and put me in another room: one which is just as nice. I feel better about this place now.

03/05/2014

(Saturday)

I spent the first many hours of the day 9:30-2:30 sorting out most of my onward arrangements. I'll be staying at this hotel a night longer than first booked, and then moving on. I bought a plane ticket to Tashkent which cost me US$72, which was US$22 (~50%) more than my guidebook had claimed. That was the only real shock I had. The rest of the ticket prices I thought were quite reasonable. US$360 from Tashkent to Urumqi , and US$410 from there to Beijing . Hotels are booked in all places for all nights, except for Urumqi , where I intend to investigate the possibility of tripping out to Kashgar and back. I need to let the Urumqi hotel know that I will be arriving very early in the morning.

In the afternoon I explored properly the area behind ( north of) the Lyabi-Hauz up to the Ark. There were some impressive sights, but the Ark itself is not worth paying 17,000UZS to see inside.
  

My room

It's an historic building, which adds charm but subtracts convenience.

The Courtyard

A nice enclosed and quiet space

The Lyabi-Hauz

The centre of the old town and tourist area - and a very nice place to spend time. The restaurants around the pool are a little expensive, however.

The Bride

This attractive couple were marched all over the scenery having their photographs taken. Given the temperature, I don't know how they managed to stay so fresh throughout the day.

Mulla Nusruddin

A statue to this famous semi-comical figure in Sufi folklore and literature is just outside a converted mosque on the East side of the Lyabi-Hauz. As you see, he's getting just the amount of respect that he would expect.

Bags in the bazaar

North of the L-H. Plenty of colour, a real tourist trap.

Plates on display

Skyline of Domes

Further north from the bazaar

Domes in detail

Broken tiles and a pigeon

This area is yet to be renovated.

The walls of the Ark

Still further north of the Lyabi-Hauz

This is where the ruler of Bokhara threw two British emissaries into a dungeon known as the 'Bug Pit' and then had their throats slit in the public square. Charming! Picturesque! Authentic!

Columns

Made of wood and delicately carved in the coronation room

Ceiling 

Made of wood and delicately carved in the coronation room

I told the boy in the office that I'd be staying for another night, but I wasn't sure that he understood, so I had to speak to the real manager later. All good. I had a rest in the room in the afternoon, then went back out for dinner. I just had a couple of hamburgers and an ice cream and some water. That was quite enough, and only cost 12,000UZS.

04/05/2014

(Sunday)

Had a long sleep: bed at 11 and was knocked up by the staff at 9:20 saying that breakfast was ready. I feel very relaxed and had a leisurely breakfast. I was also brought in the guest book to write a few comments. They obviously think I think this place is wonderful, because they are very keen for me to write a few comments on their booking.com reviews as well. I think I recall that this place had too few reviews to get a grade, and I picked it because it was the cheapest reasonable-looking place that was still available. I think, despite the mess at the start, and the lack of wifi, they deserve a good review.

I noticed that there was a pile of books under the TV in the dining room, and upon investigation I saw that these were in Hebrew characters. One, at least was a Torah, but I don't know what the others were. I didn't look long enough to determine whether they were in Hebrew language or the Bokhari that was used by the Jews in this area.

After breakfast I walked around to the Chor Minor, which is just near my place in the maze of streets called the old city. Interesting, a little. Walking on to the centre (Lyabi-Hauz) I passed a place labelled as a house museum, which was just the ruin of an old house where a little man 'showed' me around (points and says 'ugh') and then demanded money for the privilege.
    

Chor Minor 

Those aren't minarets and this isn't a mosque.

A House Museum 

Come and tour before it is demolished. The guy lives there - camps there rather.

Minaret 

From here the muezzin can call in comfort

Fancy brickwork on the minaret drum 

North of the bazaar

There's really not much more to see here, though I did go to the very tatty modern art gallery where there were some nice pictures - but most of them would not have been remarkable in any amateur exhibition. I took photos of two that appealed to me:

1. Kayldalov, 'Wind from the West,' 1945-8.
2. Unk. Artist, Portrait of Azinjon Yokubov,' beginning of XXth C.    

05/05/2014

(Monday)

06/05/2014

(Tuesday)

I don't think I got much sleep last night. I had a terrible cough and sneezes, my whole body is aching, my nose is running like a tap, my throat and nose are sore, my voice is croaky, and I'm sweaty. The latter is probably just due to the heat in the room. It seems to have retained the days heat well. I was dying for a drink of water but there was none to be had. I even went outside at three to look for a roadside stall: they were of course all shut. So, eventually, I decided to get up at 7 and get sorted. The shower was hot - after a long while - but it's got no shower hook and only one clothes hook. The clothes have to be put on a piece of loose wood left in there. Oh, I really am looking forward to the feedback request for this one.

I had intended to get a bus up the road to where I could catch 67 to the airport, but it was peak hour and I couldn't face struggling onto one of those. I don't think I could have anyway: they were all pretty packed. Instead, I got a taxi for just 6000.

The airport is pretty well organised and not too hectic, but the formalities are ridiculous. Again, I did the customs forms, this time with no pushing and shoving. Again they unpacked all my stuff; though, as a blessing, they didn't insist on seeing all my photos and videos. Nor did they accuse me of either homosexuality or terrorist sympathies, which is always nice isn't it. I handed in the registrations and went through three screenings to get to the departure lounge. That makes four including the screening and passport check just to get into the airport. (I note that I was allowed to take my big bottle of 7-up all the way through, though. Presumably, I can take it on the plane with me! Obviously, it's all just Security Theatre, just like home.)

Almaty airport is also ok from what I've seen of it. There's a bit of a scrum at the transit desk, but that's normal. There's excellent wifi, but waiting in a lounge for 9 hours is no fun. My illness has me shivering in the air conditioning while others are in short sleeve shirts. Really, I'm just feeling pathetic and wanna go home! And to top it off I've now apparently done something to my back and can barely walk. I hope this doesn't get any worse. I have visions of being immobilised by a recurrence of the old pinched nerve. 
 

07/05/2014

(Wednesday)

On to the plane. Had to suffer another ignorant fool who insisted on invading my space. I had the same on the previous flight. At one point he actually had his arm on my nose. That was too much and I pushed him away. He seemed surprised. He should be surprised I didn't poke him in the nose. It was a relief to finally get to Urumqi.
 
Managed to get a taxi at a reasonable price (60Y) - considering the time was 3:30am - but it took ages to find the hotel, and we eventually got there only by phoning for directions. Got some sleep last night. At last! But the back was feeling bad. And when I woke up I noticed that I had a bit of a rash on my waist: I wonder where that's come from.

Luckily the back seems to be getting better already. It's now just an irritation.

Got money out. On the bus to the long distance bus station by accident. Back to Hong Shan. Booked a single room for 3 nights in the Mei Tian where I stayed in a dorm previously. I think it's worth noting that I tried booking this online previously but none of the apps I used showed it available. I'm glad my suspicious nature led me to check it out in person.

Had a big meal at the restaurant downstairs. Thank god I'm out of the 'Stans: the food there was just awful. It was so bad that I was reduced to getting really nasty hamburgers and hotdogs and such like. Even the airplane food was inedible. Then off to Agape for a coffee and a restroom stop (native facilities - I almost fell in.) There I continue to read the Phaedo on the rooftop: so far I've found affirming the consequent and false dichotomy. I begin to see why Popper was so scathing about Plato's argumentative technique. It's rubbish. It doesn't even take much philosophical acumen to see where he is being disingenuous or dishonest.
 

08/05/2014

(Thursday)

I may have spoken too soon concerning the back getting better: it was quite painful this morning and it took quite a bit of planning and patience for me to be able to put my shoes on. It seems to be better after I've been up and moving around though. Nevertheless, I think I'm just going to have to resign myself to staying in one place and trying to rest it up.that seems a bit of a waste of a week, and It puzzles me that I wasn't able to organise things to get in a trip to Kashgar, Kucha, or Khiva - all places that I very much wanted to see.

The rash on my waist has a new outbreak on my back, and I'm now quite certain that the last place had bedbugs. That's the first time in all my travels that I've had that problem, so I guess I shouldn't be too outraged. But I am surprised, because it was actually quite a nice cheap businessman's hotel otherwise.

I've moved into the new hostel and I'm very impressed with the room. It's very clean and airy and well-appointed. It even has an armchair, which is the first time I've had that on this trip.
  

09/05/2014

(Friday)

Spent the day mostly in my room save for short excursions to buy snacks and drinks and for breakfast (awful) and dinner (good) in the restaurant below. The back was diabolical when I woke up, I think because I was lying prone, but improved a good bit as the day went on. 
 

10/05/2014

(Saturday)

Again remained in my room. Back is much better, but walking is still a little difficult and I intend to be very, very careful with it for the next little while.
  

11/05/2014

(Sunday)

Relatively easy day today - in that there were no major hold ups. I got the airport bus outside the Southern Pearl Hotel, which involved me going from unlabelled bus to bus asking if this was the one. The bus seemed to be full of peasants, which made me nervous. But it turned out the plane was full of peasants too. When we landed some idiot leapt up to grab his bags in the pointless way that they do, and stuck his elbow in my ear and pushed my head aside: I grabbed his arm and pushed it away, and he got upset! What the hell is wrong with these people? Anyway, before that I had to go in the checkin line 3 times. The first time I wasn't listed so I had to go to the ticketing desk to sort that out; the second refusal was at security where they decided (for the first time in how many security checks?) that the tripod could not go in the cabin. Jimmy Crickets, it's lucky I gave myself a ridiculous amount of time to get onto the plane - leaving the hostel at 8:30 for a 12:50 boarding. I only got to the boarding  gate with 30 minutes to spare.
 
As soon as I got to Beijing however, everything went smoothly. 
 
My bag came out ok, the-airport express train was easy to operate (as it should be by now), the train from Dongzhimen to Dongsishitiao was easy to find, and it wasn't peak-hour crowded as I feared, the streets I was to follow were clearly signposted (omigod!), the hostel was easy to see, and the room is very, very nice. I'm a little bit less down than I have been the previous few days.

On the other hand, my back is still a 'little' sensitive, and the bedbug rash is so painful that I am now unable to sleep. I am exhausted. 
   

12/05/2014

(Monday)

Things are a little better. The back's still delicate, the rash still painful - but not as much as before, the cough is still there but not as painful or as frequent.

I made a couple of calls: one to mum which I was supposed to do yesterday, on Mother's Day, in which I explained how disastrously things had been going for the last week while she laughed and laughed and said oh, that's so sad. Humph. I also made an appointment with the Bond medical centre for 2pm on the day I arrive. I am very eager to get there and have this looked at. Mum thinks it must have been infected, because bedbugs are only supposed to give you red lumps like normal insect bites, and this is nothing like that.

I had a good breakfast this morning. Bacon and sausage and scrambled egg and tomato and toast with jam. No mushrooms though - Pah! Followed by two caffe lattes. Followed by three trips to the toilet. Please God, do not let me get the squits just before a 14 hour plane flight. This is getting ridiculous. It's like I'm collecting the set or something. One more and I get the next one free.

Happily, the squits did not fall upon me, and the trip home seems to be going smoothly. No drama or confusions so far. I'm having an $8 cup of filter coffee in Guangzhou airport. I decided I couldn't bear to miss out on this opportunity, because their airplane coffee is undrinkable.  

13/05/2014

(Tuesday)

Finally got home to the Gold Coast via Brisbane.

I had made an appointment to see my doctor while overseas, because I was worried about the persistence and the painfulness of my rash. I was right to do so: it turns out that the bedbugs bites were, in fact, shingles. Yay, for this trip.

Let it also be noted that about a week after I got home there was a terrorist attack in Urumqi, in which two vehicles were driven into an early morning market and there were also explosions. About 30 people were killed.