Sept 24: 13-17 Tashkent, Samarkand, Tashkent, home

Friday 13 September 

Free morning and late checkout before our flight back to Tashkent.

View from our shower.

Last wander round the area.

Some of the photos taken by the group.

One lone plane on the runway as we waited to board our flight back to Tashkent.

The pre flight safety information was the funniest video ever - all linked to camels, merchants and the silk road. Google Uzbekistan airlines 🤣

Back to our original hotel then out for our last group meal.

Some were leaving early before breakfast so we all said our goodbyes.

Saturday 14 September 

Lochin ordered a taxi for us and we left at 10am. A four and a half hour return journey for 1,100,000 som - about £80!

Arrived at our lovely digs.

Our for a walk to Registan Square - only a few minutes away.

Meal of some local dishes at a restaurant just over the road.

Then back for a wander round Registan Square until the colour show began at 8pm. Nice to see but not really needed as the place is just beautiful in its normal colours!

Sunday 15 September 

Lovely breakfast. 

Did a bit of shopping then wandered down to the bazaar - it was huge.

Lots going on. Did a bit more shopping 😁

Then over to the mausoleum.

The view over one side was towards the Amir Temur complex and graveyard - we had stayed in a hotel near here on our group trip.

Ice cream then a walk through the park looking at all the brides having their photos taken. 

Tried to walk to Rajestan square but stopped by the police as an important delegation was due there shortly. No wonder there were so many of them around - the area was swarming with police and their vans blocking all the road entrances.

Went to a local bar for a beer and a tarragon 'mojito'. Delish 😋

Still not allowed through the square so we walked round the back of the buildings. 

Meal at the local kebab place - very nice 😋

Room for another ice cream.

The market was closed for the night. 

Short walk as it became dark.

Little Bird craft area -  community of artisans all grouped in a lovely building.

Both tired so an early night ready for our transfer back to Tashkent.

Monday 16 September 

Another hearty Uzbeki/Korean breakfast. Boiled eggs and little sausage. Then some porridge. Then little cheese samosas. Plus everything else that was on the table. Then she brought little jam filled buns. 

Indeed a hearty breakfast which we felt obliged to eat so as not to offend 😁

Our taxi arrived promptly and off we went.

We had a 20 minute wait in the stopped traffic while four long loads - which looked like wind turbines - went past the other way.

Apart from that it was an uneventful ride until we got to Tashkent and we realized that he'd taken us back to our previous hotel instead of the new one. 

After several phone calls and a lot of back roads we found the address but no mention of a hotel. With help from a couple of locals we established that the hotel was on the 11th floor. 

It seems that they'd had to take down road side signs as the president was coming!!

Little walk to find food - found the Catholic Church instead.

Walked back to find the Very Very Turkish restaurant near our accommodation - we'd driven past it several times when we'd been in our tour bus. 

Tuesday 17 September 

Up early for our flights. 

There were a few spots of rain as we left - the taxi driver was very happy.

Got to the airport no problem. Waited for our flight.. and waited..

Boarding gate was given so we went to the assigned area and waited..

Got sent back out of the area.. and waited..

Queued again in a scrum in the assigned corridor.. and waited..

Boarded the plane over one hour late.. which would have been fine but we only had an hour to transfer between flights.

So no chance really - we disembarked a few minutes after our Manchester flight left so off we went to find out when the next flight was.. which turned out to be the day after. 

Shuttle bus out to a hotel and that was us back somewhere in Istanbul - with no luggage for both of us this time as it was still in transit somewhere!!

Meal in the evening. 

.. and I added another travel toothbrush to my collection 🤣

Wednesday 18 September 

Collected from the hotel at 4am for the 7.30 flight to Manchester.

It was raining in Istanbul as we left.

This flight was over subscribed - probably due to all the people they'd had to add from the previous day - so the airline offered €400 and a ticket on the next flight for those who were happy to be bumped. Several young men jumped at the opportunity but not us we were ready to finally go home. 

Miguel met us at the airport and took us home. 

A lovely holiday but nice to sit down with a coffee and a biscuit!