Uzbekistan…again the length of visa is a problem to cross the country

I didn’t have enough time to stay in Tashkent to visit the city. I arrived late at night after I got rid of jail in Kazakhstan and directly I went to Nargizia’s house which was going to host me in Tashkent. I only had a day and half to stay in Tashkent which I already had lost half day in Kazakh jail!! So I had to organize everything and meet people I was suppose to meet in just one day, also I had to write my dairy and update my website which actually took few hours. It was Friday and I was at home working till afternoon. I had some contacts from CS’s and I could call just one of them to meet and I decided to meet the one who is working in education field. I called him and we were planning to meet in the afternoon but before our meeting I went to visit Red Cross to organize some work with them. In Red Cross I met Dena from UK and we had a nice conversation about my project. Sometimes I go through some people who has a deep concern about weneedtrees which makes me really more determined to continue and gives me courage to go farther and Dena was one of them. I met Andrew ( the guy from CS I was supposed to meet) at 6pm in a park called Babor. It was not hard to find it. Tashkent is not a big and complicated city, so a very simple map can guide you to where you are planning to go and distances are not too long. it took me 20 min from Red Cross to reach the park and then I met Andrew. A Russian Jewish working in American club!! Such a nice combination. I was thinking how life can be beautiful and how people can get along easily out of politics, out of borders and out of all rubbish we have kept in our mind for a long life time. He is Russian, Jewish and working in American club and I am an Iranian Muslim. In our political map we have nothing to do with each other or even worth we are not ignoring each other but also we suppose to be happy if the other side face a big problem but here in the real world, in the world out all political shit we can be friend, we can talk easily and we can enjoy helping each other. We can create a vibration of peace and love careless of all shit politicians are making for people. Even we didn’t need to talk about our religious, political point of view or so but we talked a lot about human beings, new education system and how to create more joy in our life which will consequence peace in our hearts. I think I will go back soon to Tashkent because I didn’t travel around Uzbekistan, I had just only 3 days transit visa. But this time I definitely I will stay with Andrew. We already promised. The next day I left home at around 9 am. Nargizia was still sleep and I would like to say her goodbye but she didn’t wake up. I had breakfast with her father and I left their cozy house. They were so kind and her parents could speak Farsi which was pleasant talking to them. I looked at the map and I followed the road. I had 112km to a city called Angeren and 135km to the next city called Qoqon and 40km to the border. I had around 280km which the first 120km was flat and then in regard of my map I would have around 55km up hill and 35km down hill and again flat all the way to the border. I left the city a bit late around 3 pm, so in that day I could at most cycle to Angeren. just 5 km before Angeren I was trying to find a place for my tent which an Uzbek guy invited me to his house. Actually he does not live there but he opened the door for me even though he didn’t stay there himself. some of his neighbors came to visit and talk, in between just a lady could speak English. There was a deep sadness n her eyes. He very sweet and beautiful girl began to talk to me in Russian. I was pretending I understand but I was not. She was so sweet. The owner of the house was there and 2 more guy standing at the door while the lady was sitting on a very small seat smoking cigarette.The owner also had a bottle of alcohol in his hand, it seemed he is some how addicted to the alcohol. He explain to me the reason he is drinking a lot is the way he lost his family and the deep sadness made him to start drinking to forget, such a wrong way to forget the pain!! And the lady was telling the hard life and her difficulties while her Syrian husband is a Dubai how makes her sad and down. I was like a invisible witness on their life and they easily would talk to me, they knew I am going to leave and I wont judge them or look at their eyes talking about their sadness while they don’t like to talk about it, that’s why they kept talking. I had the same pain in my heart while I was listening to them, and I was thinking of that beautiful sweet girl which should grow in a sad atmosphere. Always I was concern how to make people happy, how people can change their life from a sad and hard point to a happy level and like always I found just one way…”To know them self and accept what they are “ I do believe humans desire and wishes make them getting away from their origin as far as we go away from our origin we will have more pain in our heart and we will feel less comfort in our life. Comfort is not something about having a luxury life, some can have enough comfort living in a simple life. I slept while my mind was still busy with their life…. I woke up very early in the morning at 5. I knew I will have a long and hard day, so I had to save the time. we made a coffee and we had it outside in the garden with the owner and I left home at 7. as soon as I left the Angeren hills began and after 30km a very hard climb started. a couple of trucks offered me to put my bike in their truck but I was happy to cycle even though it was really hot and hard.In between I had to stop many times when people were asking to me take picture with them. I had no time and even I didn’t have lunch but I couldn’t say no when people were asking me to take picture. I can ignore my desire to stop but I cant ignore people which are the reason of my journey. I finished the hill at 3pm and then I had a long downhill. It was around 5:30 pm that I stopped somewhere to have lunch but someone told me there that border will close at 8. Still 80km and just 3 hours. So I left without ordering any food. I began to cycle very hard to save the time. But imagine when you are cycling that hard and you are out of time just a car stops and ask you to have a picture and ask you some questions. I didn’t like to refuse and actually it was for me such a test to find out how patient I am and how I respect people who is interested on my work. I stopped for all those requests and Ijust had to push myself a bit more. I was estimating how long it would take to reach the city and then border and how fast I have to cycle to manage it. but in between a flat tire exactly when I had that much rush was not pleasant at all. I fixed it quickly and began to ride again and also every few km I had to stop to show my passport to the police men and register my name. honestly it seemed stupid to me to register my name 4-5 times in a day. I was passing a tunnel, they asked my passport at entrance, again asked me at the middle of tunnel and again asked me when I get out of the tunnel going to enter the next tunnel which was 200m after the first one. I told them I was passing a tunnel and nothing has changed in 300m!! but no way…but I should honestly say that they were very polite and except one time that they opened my one of my bag the rest they had a nice behavior. I never feel happy when people open my bag and put everything outside and then tell me take your stuff!!!! I arrived to the city 7:30 and almost it was impossible to reach the border by 8pm. I knew Uzbeks are crazy with visa stuff and I didn’t like to face any problem like what I had in Kazakhstan at the border. there was no sign board and I asked few times people to show me direction. I asked a group of police man and they all showed me a way to the border. It was totally dark and I kept asking people direction every 10-15 min. the road supposed to be 40km to the border but I cycled 55km and still nothing… Finally at around 11 I reached to a control post..oh my GOD finally finished. In that day I had cycled 185km in 12 hours and I was really tired. I went to the post, they asked my passport and then they told me here is not the border!!! What? !!!!I opened the map and I showed them my location but they pointed to a village in my map absolutely away from my direction. I think I took the wrong way from very beginning. The guy told me I have to back for 10km, then turn left and continue for another 12km and then turn right and go for more 15km to rich the border….. It was not easy at all…but what to do? I had no choice except doing that. They told me the border will be open till 24 but it was 11 and almost impossible to cycle 37km in one hour. I began to cycle again in dark. I just was pushing myself and a few times being chased by dogs was what I remember from that road. I reached the border 1:30 in the morning after 220km cycling in 14 hours in that day…the border was closed and it looked all my effort to reach the border on time was failed. I called the guard and I showed him my passport…I told him my visa is finished and I am here an hour late. He told me wait for an hour… I just lied my under tent mattress there in front of the door and I lied. I grabbed the mattress around my body and I slept on the asphalt like a poor stray dog. I was trying to stay calm, relax and do not think of any problem. at 5am I woke up while my neck was cramped because of bad position I had last few hours on the ground. I called the guard and he opened the door…he looked at my passport and showed me the date which was already expired. I had no courage to argue, so I just told him ok!!! What should I do? Let me know then I will follow it. he talked to another one and he also called the third one…finally I got my answer” No problem” this is the best word I have ever heard in my journey…No problem. my passport was stamped and in 10 min I was in Tajikistan where I understand people and I can talk to them in my language…

12 July 2011