The cheapest way to Lake Aidarkul is by share taxi. From here to Navoi, then another to Nurata. Then you gotta hire the whole taxi to Yangikazgan and hope they come back the next day to pick you up again. Cos I did the hard yards early and stayed in some dodgy places and took dodgy transport I have a few bucks so I can take the easy option now. I hired a taxi from Bukhara all the way there and back so no waiting for me and I get to stop where I want to. On the way there it was quite hot in the taxi so I opened the window, I dont care what he thought. They all seen to drive around with the windows up and the heater on and the weather is perfect, about mid 20s. It is so hot and stuffy in the cabs. My driver, Olim, said he didnt mind. Olim didnt speak much english but we managed to communicate pretty well and eventually had a great time together.
First stop was Navoi. There is not much there except a huge modern airport. Dont know why but Olim said it was for cargo only. A bit further up the road was a gate to nowhere. Again I have no idea why it is there.
Nurata has a few things to look at. There is an oldish mosque that they are doing up. In front of it is a new mosque. Behind them is an old Fortress of Alexander the Great. They are all here cos of the Chashma Spring. They say formed when Hazrat Ali drove his staff in the ground. There are fish in the stream that live off the mineral-laden waters and everyone was there collecting water. Even Olim took a couple of bottles and filled them up. Olim found a friend of his in the crowd so we all went and had lunch at a nearby chaikhana. First course was soup. It had white stuff floating in it and I didnt know what it was but they were all waiting for me to start so I did. Mutton fat!!! They all watched intently as I ate the soup and giggled a but when I ate the big chunk of meat in the bowl. You remember that add on TV "ahh lamb" well I think that is what it was. They ordered vodka so I had a drink but it was way too strong for me so I only had 1. Olim didnt have any. Next course was Tandouri lamb. Tasted great but was very fatty. These blokes love the fat. On the plate were 2 big chunks of fat with no meat at all. I was offered but politely declined. They jumped at them. If I EVER have to eat mutton fat again it will be too soon.
From there it was on to the yurt camp at Lake Aidarkul. When we arrived there was 1 yurt on a windswept hill that looked nothing like the pics I had seen. Olim said "yurta". I thought great? We pulled up and went for a walk. Olim said "OK" I said "OK" then he jumped in the car. I thought he was gonna move it closer to the yurt to get the gear out. We did a U turn and took off. I thought something was wrong but was secretly relieved we were not gonna stay there. A bit later we turned off on a bush track and eventually ended up at the yurt camp at Yangikazgan. The place was pretty good. I loved it and just hung out and relaxed around the place. I got to go for a camel ride and they had a few baby camels I got to pat and play with. I asked how old and Olim and the camel guy both said "yes yes" so I said "when were they born?" they both said "yes yes" There were critters everywhere, rabbits, tortoise, lizards and the usual farm animals. I thought I had the place to myself but late in the day a bus load of Germans showed up. They were pretty cool and we all just hung out till dinner. I had a yurt all to myself but the germans had to squeeze into 3. In the night a couple of times the women counted wrong and tried to get into mu yurt but I had it locked from the inside. There excuse in the morning was they counted wrong but we know better.
Breakfast was Ok but we had coffee with condensed milk straight out of the dirtiest tin you have ever seen. MMMMMM
On the way back we stopped at G'ijduvon cos there is a ceramics factory there offering free tours, and you know how much I love FREE tours. Well the french couple in front of me got a great tour in french. All I got was Olim showing me what he could. A room with some broken pottery, a room with a couple of potters wheels, a room with a stone grinding wheel and a room with a kid in a pit stoking a fire. I assume they were firing, or gonna fire some ceramics. Then straight into the showroom for the hard sell. Im sorry but they did not earn my business. They did not show some value in the product and the girls in Bukhara are offering me a better deal. I bought nothing.
When we got back to Bukhara my hotel has let out my room and I am in the "annex". I will post photos for you.
Im booked on the train to Samarkand tomorrow at 8.05. (ther bullet train)

sing... We are St Kilda greatest team of all we are St Kilda...woops I think that is one of my other teams. Dorkers are pretenders.