Uzbekistan
A border crossing in the middle of the night—by train.
Crowded wagons. Heat. Unease.
Uzbekistan felt like the true arrival in Asia.
A culture completely new to me.
Food, heat, a sense of wonder—and a goodbye.
A goodbye that marked the first time I would travel on alone.
Excited. Nervous. Wide open.
Crossing the border in an old Soviet train
was already an experience on its own.
And just like that crossing –
Uzbekistan revealed itself to us with full intensity.
We arrived in Khiva,
and I immediately remembered the woman from Turkey,
the one who was born there,
who had told me about her oasis city in the desert.
I had made it.
I kept my promise.
Khiva felt like a dream –
a walled city near the Turkmen border,
a place that looked like it belonged in stories,
not in real life.
Remote, silent, golden in the heat.
After a few days wandering its narrow streets,
we moved on to Samarkand –
a huge personal highlight.
This city had been on my list for years.
Bazaars.
History.
The Silk Road.
Good food.
It was everything I had hoped for.
But then came a setback –
food poisoning.
A rough reminder
that my body had to adjust to this part of the world.
Still, Uzbekistan was full of surprises.
And one of them –
though not truly a surprise –
was the farewell to Sebastian.
He flew back to Georgia.
And I stayed.
From this moment on,
I was on my own.
For the first time since the journey began.
It felt strange.
A bit scary.
But also… necessary.
This was the chapter
where I would finally learn to be with myself.
Something I had avoided for a long time.
And I was ready.
Or at least, I wanted to be.
To Sebastian –
Our time together was filled with change –
on the outside and the inside.
You were part of a meaningful chapter on this journey.
Thank you – from the bottom of my heart.
🎒 Travel Mode
Backpack
📅 Date From: July 2024
📅 Date To: July 2024
📍 Points of Interest
🏯 Khiva – An oasis town with a historic old city, once a vital stop on the ancient Silk Road. Surrounded by desert and steppe, this remote gem felt like stepping into another time.
A true highlight of my journey.
🌙 Samarkand – A city full of culture, bazaars, and delicious food. The architecture and atmosphere felt like a dream from One Thousand and One Nights.
A long-held wish come true.
🔥 Bukhara – In the midst of scorching desert heat, we stopped for a break. Bazaars and a spontaneous invitation to a meal made this short visit unforgettable.
✍️ Experience Snippet
One of the strangest border crossings of the journey.
An old Soviet train, packed with people.
The heat was heavy. The air didn’t move.
We only needed the basics –
and the train gave us exactly that.
Around midnight, the train stopped at the border.
It felt like a moving sauna.
Everyone was checked.
One by one. Slowly.
Sleep was impossible.
What we didn’t know:
every time the train stopped,
the toilets were locked.
And now – of course – I needed one.
Badly.
With the escort of a border guard,
I was allowed to step off the train.
Just to pee.
Under watch.
It took four hours.
Everyone was checked – except us.
It started to feel strange.
Then suddenly –
we were asked to get off.
We crossed the tracks,
walked for minutes down a long platform
lit by searchlights,
following a tall officer.
The air was cool.
Silence.
We were questioned one by one.
Why Uzbekistan?
Why this route?
Serious faces.
Careful words.
Eventually, they let us back on.
Half an hour later, the train moved again.
What an experience.
👉 Want to see the full route?
Check out the route below.
🗺️ Route Legend
🔴 Red – Bicycle
🔵 Blue – Ferry
🟣 Purple – Hitchhiking
🟡 Yellow – Bus / Taxi
🟢 Green – Train
⚫ Black – Airplane
⚪ White – Planned Route
