Then down the road which would take you to Afghanistan in around 100 miles and the final mountain pass at a little 2000m. At the top are stalls selling nuts and spices and we stop to take some pictures and you are immediately surrounded by people asking are you Russian and how much is the bike worth, where are you heading etc
Lot more check points on this route as this is one of the main drug runs from Afghanistan but then we turn back on ourselves and head NE. We could have simply gone due East but that border crossing would have took a whole day with all the trucks that go that way.
We have around 10 minutes of rain due to a thunder storm but quickly dry out in 33 deg C heat.
The hotel is reached by 3 pm and a quick shower and a wander round. We are only 20 miles from the Tajikistan border in a place called Danov and there really is nothing here except the one hotel and they really do not seem to have many guests.
Apparently the restaurant is fully booked for a wedding reception and we will have a meal in one of the conservatory rooms of this room.
Wedding [party arrives at 7 pm to the traditional music and then a small band starts turning the volume on the latest Uzbek rhythms. No one moves and then there are two dancers who take it in turn to dance for the 300 plus guests.
We are divided by a partially mirrored door and they can see us and then they are trying to unlock the dividing door from the wedding side and cannot find the right key.
All of a sudden the door is wrenched open and streams of guys come in pushing a dancer in front of them.
Typical, she makes a straight line for me and pulls at my hand to dance. Big cheer from everyone
“SHIT”
What do you do to this crazy music?
“PHEW” she got diverted by one of the wedding party and Adam (Cameraman) did not get my feeble attempt at the local moves on tape (fingers crossed but only time will tell). Also Robert tried to film me with my camera but struggle to get it going in time “DOUBLE PHEW”
I have not had any Alcohol this evening as it was a choice of Vodka or Vodka (YUK!)
All blokes and no women were dancing and they thrust 1000 Som notes at her to dance in front of them. They then start drinking the Vodka we have and dragging us all up to dance and they are having a rare old time. It almost seems that they think they will have more fun with us than in the wedding reception. We think we might have been the cabaret
Off out of our room they go and it all goes quiet.
Five minutes later they are back in again with the other dancer and same stuff but all blokes and the woman are all sat down at the tables in the reception room. How different ids that to the UK
It turns out that these are sort of belly dancers but in good Muslim tradition, they are covered from the neck to their feet but with all the usual suggestive, thrusting, gyrating movements
By 9:30 pm all the guest’s say goodbye to the bride and groom and they are gone, literally within 10 minutes the place is empty.
WOW it was over so quick and all the staff came in to clear and pack up
I really like Uzbekistsan and recommend anyone to come here. As soon as you enter the country you feel the warmth and friendliness of everyone even just riding down the road. Lovely place
Time for sleep as I am sure we will have a little bit of time at the border into Tajikistan, OH and they like to ask for bribes!
5882 miles - Denov, Uzbekistan
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