2017/09/15

Day 48: Buchara - Khiva

The hotel Helene-Oasis, where I stayed the last two nights, is a really enjoyable place. When I get ready, a French tour group is thrilled, my bike and me are once again an attraction. The caretaker tries out my helmet and puts it on the head of his son, who then does not get rid off it again, because the lower part of the flip-up helmet is locked. Short panic and first tears. I intervene. Everything is all right again.

Now I have to refuel first. Since the black market unit is 5 liters, my tank was not getting full, when I was refueling on arrival in Buchara. Still a few liters fit into the tank, in addition, I use some spare Coke bottles and my reserve canister. Today I have to test how far I get with this 80 octance gasoline, since from Khiva to the border to Kazakhstan I will have a very long distance without any gas station and I have plan how much gas I have to carry with me.

The route today is bleak, sometimes 4 lanes, straight ahead. Since I am really tired and still suffering, it is difficult to ride this boring route. At some point I think I see a mirage, but there are really other cyclists and motorcyclists - a Belarussian, a Spaniard and two Britons. And from my direction, additionally the two Spaniards I know already also approach. Great hello on the highway. So I continue with Antonio and Antonia, who also want to ride to Khiva.

We arrive in the afternoon and make an appointment for dinner. I try vegetables and fries, but I really do not like to eat again.

Khiva makes a great impression at first glance, small, well-preserved and homogeneous, winding, a bit like a museum village. The intact city wall is about 2.8 km long.

I spend 51,000 Som for a 2-day ticket to all attractions, but the ticket is requested from me even once.