Exploring Tashkent & Motorbike Maintenance

I wonder why Tashkent gets so less attention compared to the three major silk road cities in Uzbekistan. It was a lovely place  for any overlander like myself looking for a place to crash and rejuvenate for a few days.

Most days were spent on foot exploring Tashkent via their subway system which was like a Art Museum. I could not help but keep stopping at random station just to have a look at the architectural beauty of its station. A clean city and most times I was just walking around randomly at parks

Cosmonaut Theme Station

Beautiful Dome Architectural Ceiling

Not sure ... Modern Art in Subway Station of Tashkent

Also, for a biker, this was the only reliable city to get any maintenance done to the bike in the entire country of Uzbekistan. A quick message to my saviour Sergei from back in Tajikistan Anzob tunnel for a meet up was quickly drowned in sorrow. 

He was going overseas for work that week and I would miss the chance to catch up in his home city. Still, he gave me the run-down how to get bike parts in the city which was quite interesting on its own.

First off was to track down the Auto-market or bazaar which has every motor, car, tractor, bus, truck, bike parts shop jammed into a size of a football field with some unknown system that took me time to decipher. 

Eventually I found the area where bike parts were sold and then it was the issue of getting the right parts. I needed sprockets, chain, engine oil, fork oil, brake pads, spark plugs and probably some things I was not even aware of.

Bike Parts Shop in Tashkent .. I kinda forgot the name since it was in Uzbek letters

Replenish Parts 

Great Owner that help me identify the correct part type 

The second issue was that the bike parts shops like any other country in Central Asia, only sell the parts and don’t have the mechanic to tinker with the bike. The master as the call them (mechanics) was at another place and after much translation, I got a contact for a bike pit called Moto_Garage13.

Somehow between translation, google maps and some local directions, I managed to find the unmarked Moto-Garage and the boyz. They did a great job servicing my front forks, changing sprockets and even welding back my hole ridden exhaust. 

Absolute master works I would say as I hang out with them the whole day while they worked on the bike. Apparently, they had training in Russia for bike maintenance and most bikes in Uzbekistan was so niche that only a few mechanics were available.

@moto_garage13 - Tashkent

Patched all the Exhaust Holes 

Front Fork Oil Change & Service 

After major maintenance was done, I did a day trip the next day to Chimgan Valley and somehow notice that my exhaust guard protector was missing. Probably dropped off somewhere (It has already dropped off a few times but those times I noticed and picked it up from the road). This time it was gone with the wind, and I returned to Moto-Garage hoping something could be done.

A custom-made exhaust protector was carved up from scrap metal, and upon my request, they carved up their Instagram ID onto the protector which makes it even more special to me.

@moto_garage13 - Tashkent

A photo with the Boyz which help fix up Bragge

Travelled on: July 2024

The Passing Dream of Samarkand

There are some stretches of a journey that I forget to record them. I somehow missed writing Samarkand into my journal and now had to think hard of what I even did there. Photos helped jogged the memory of places visited but the blank state of mind while wondering and exploring Samarkand feels like a visit during a dream and not real

I remember arriving late in the evening, the lights of the city flickering to life. After the preserved, almost theatrical silence of Bukhara and Khiva, Samarkand hit me differently. This was a proper, breathing modern city. Cars, people, life. And yet, woven into the very fabric of its bustling streets were monuments so grand, so ancient, that the only comparison my tired mind could conjure was Rome. History isn't kept behind velvet ropes here; it's just part of the city's furniture.

Registan Square - Samarkand

Registan Square - Samarkand

I spent my evenings in the simplest, most profound way. I would walk to Registan Square, find a spot on the cool stone floor, and just sit. As the last light of day left the sky, I'd watch the three majestic madrasahs put on their own light show, their turquoise tiles glowing against the deepening blue. No guidebook, no plan, just me and the ghosts of caravans that once gathered here. It was my nightly ritual, a moment of perfect peace.

The days were for wandering. I found my way to the quieter, but no less fascinating, Hazrat Khizr Mosque, then walked under the colossal arch of the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, trying to comprehend its sheer scale. One afternoon, I abandoned the quiet streets and hopped on the back of a rattling moto-taxi for a trip to the outskirts. It took me to the remains of Ulugbek's Observatory, a testament to a mind that looked to the stars while empires crumbled below.

The modern side of Samarkand 

Ulugbek's Observatory

The Inside Scale measurement of Ulugbek's Observatory

Ulugbek's Observatory

From there, a long, contemplative walk led me to the quiet, sacred spot of the Prophet Daniel Mausoleum. It's a humble place, nestled by a stream, but it holds a story that stopped me in my tracks. Daniel, I learned, is one of the few figures revered by all three Abrahamic faiths—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The Jews know him as the prophet Daniel, the one thrown into the lions' den and saved by his faith. Christians revere him the same way. For Muslims, he's known as Prophet Daniyar (or Khoja Daniyar)—a saintly figure, even though his name doesn't appear in the Qur'an, he's honoured in Islamic tradition.

Khoja Daniyar Mausoleum

Khoja Daniyar Mausoleum

Travelled on: Jul 2024

A quick stop in Bukhara and onwards to Tashkent

Doubling back to Bukhara, I spend two nights mostly just strolling around the city. There was nothing much new to see but then when one has a bit too much free time like me, other ideas started to pop up. I decided that constant hunting for flag stickers was a waste of time and effort hence I decided to find a sticker printing shop.

Randomly Walking Around Bukhara 

Even tracked down a local Shopping Mall for Air Conditioning 

Bukhara is a true gem that I have found some of the most unexpected things in this city. A computer repair shop, a tobacco shop and now a sticker printing shop. I made all the country flags in one go including for all the possible countries I would visit in the near future as well. 

The cost was reasonable to me, but I figured that I probably got a tourist price. Still, I was happy and the hunt for stickers is complete.

Sticker Printing Shop in Bukhara 

Custom made flags Stickers 

With this done, I now stopped thinking of finding stickers every new place I go and can fully focus on exploring and immersing. Its funny how these little things can side track our minds from the bigger picture so easily.

The roads from Bukhara to Tashkent was nothing spectacular but it was long and burning hot. I was definitely heat exhausted and borderline heatstroke prone. I stopped so many times in shade just to rest up and every stop becomes more frequent and gets longer and longer.

Travelled on July 2024

Little Khiva and Daytrip to Ayaz Kala Fortress

Khiva was a nice getaway and long break from the constant travel. I stayed a total of five nights in Khiva but mostly doing nothing other than walking around during sunset and just lazing in the Hotel. 

Partially also due to Khiva being very small and easily completed within a day. The weather was also brutal in the summer with temperature scorching up to 41 degrees. It was helpful as well that the private room with private bathroom only cost USD 10 a night.

Khiva City Walls 

The unfinished Blue Minaret of Khiva 

The old town Itchan Kala where most of historical buildings reside had an entrance fee of 200,000 som. It’s not a must but that ticket gives entrance to multiple museums throughout the ancient city for 24 hours. 

Luchs gave me his ticket which was still valid for the next day and I quickly abuse it as much as I can to save up some money. That night was the last we three caravan would dine together as Luchs would make their way to Turkmenistan in the morning

Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum 

Khiva City Walls 

Itchan Kala Minaret - Khiva 

Thinking back, those days I would not part with the extra money to arrange a guide to cross over Turkmenistan and then a hefty cost of carnet de passage for the subsequent crossing over Iran to Turkey. 

Now that the Iran war blow up in 2026, the only feeling I felt was that time is short and one should travel and explore while they can. It may be 10 years or 20 years in the future before the region would be open again for a world traveler exploration and then it would never be the same.

Khiva was very compact and very picturesque. It was a good proper tourist destination but for me it was the perfect do-nothing city to catch up on writing and planning. Donkey would leave on the following day after Luchs for Nukus going towards the Russia to transit towards Europe.

The day they left was also a daytrip day for me from Khiva to visit some ruins nearby. Donkey decided to join in, and we did a daytrip together to visit Ayaz Kala and Topraq Kala fortress. 

Daytrip Riding in the Desert

Ruins of Ayaz Kala Fortress

Ruins of Ayaz Kala Fortress 

The burning heat riding that 100km to the fortress at the edge of Kyzylkum desert was no joke. Abandon civilization in ruins with no people in sight felt surreal and under normal touristic circumstances I would have skip it. The benefit of doing a long-term travel was that, there was always time for little things.

After visiting the fortress, we parted ways for the last time where Donkey would make their journey west and me going back to Khiva for one more night and thereafter mark my furthest point ride to the west. 

I would backtrack going east riding alone starting the long journey home to Malaysia. Back to solo travel with no more mental support. It was going to be different somehow.

The ride back from Khiva to Bukhara on familiar highways felt more difficult somehow. I knew the road and the expectations now, but the desert heat was really biting through all my protections. 

Jaloladdin Manguberdi Monument in Urganch

It was really hot going up to 41 degrees and with minimal chance for rest stop, I had to just burn through 100km at a time non-stop before spotting that small hut by the side of the road for a long rest.

Traveled on: Jun 2024

Playing Chess with the Locals in Bukhara

I caught up with Team Luchs and Team Donkey in Bukhara that evening. It was a reunion and we had a good long chat over dinner with Donkey telling their story for the Van repairs while I share my unexpected adventure falling and nearly dying inside the Anzob Tunnel.

All of us stayed in different places in Bukhara and the next day Luchs pushed on for Khiva while Donkey and me stayed in Bukhara to explore. How they managed to cover Bukhara in a day was beyond me. It was small alright, but I felt that this silk road city was a place where I could really slow down and just soak in the atmosphere.

Bukhara and its many monuments and buildings that looks like a storybook from Aladin

Simply Beautiful Architecture in Bukhara 

A Fruit Shop in Bukhara 

I ended up the first day in Bukhara playing chess with the locals. Two boys were just playing their own game in front of their shop and I stood watching their game and once it ended, I was offered a game. One game let to another and a good two hours was spend playing with the boys until the father came up and stop the game for lunch. If I had hang around I would have probably be treated to lunch as well but I carefully excused myself to go see at least one attraction in Bukhara.

Watching the Boys playing chess at their Fathers Carpet Shop

I got a few games in ... Did not know Chess was popular in Uzbekistan

Chor Minor was a unique little Madrasah which was unique even with all the old buildings in Bukhara. A long walk under the hot sun but it was beautiful and I was enjoying the slow pace travel now after a chaotic Tajikistan.

I took a good long walk in Bukhara but only manage to cover the eastern half for the day. The historical monuments were definitely eye-catching but going round the building shows how much in deterioration it was going through. The restoration efforts seems to be just enough to keep the tourist interested but not enough for it to be fully occupied and functional as a dwelling or business shop beyond the few near the arch.

Chor Minor - Bukhara 

Poyi Kalon - Bukhara 

Poyi Kalon - Bukhara 

The next day I decided to stay another night while Donkey push on for Khiva. I was more or less done with rushing the sightseeing and since I had an extended timeframe now with Tajikistan taking less time than anticipated, it was about time to really slow down and catch up with rest and chores like writing the journal entry.

That night however, my computer decided to go crazy. Screen was just blank but with lights on and no matter how much I tried with the long power button, short power button, F2, ctrl+shift+B or any other gimmick recommended from the internet, the screen refuse to show the normal startup. I tracked down the computer service shop the next day and they managed to fix my computer at a cheap but costly price to me.

Getting My Laptop Fixed in Uzbekistan

My SSD hardisk was fried. The computer store could fix it for a small fee of 400,000 som (USD 40) but then I would lose every data I had in the whole HDD. There were not much important files in the computer as most of my backup photos was already in external HDD but the one thing I lost painfully was the 2024 journal. All my entry from China, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan was gone and it was not going to be easy to remember the finesse, nuance with so much going on.

The next few days would be at least a crazy writing time to recall back as much as possible before resorting to boring blanks filling. At least I would have a complete Uzbekistan entry.

Travelled on: Jul 2024