We didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to Olga . After the security cleared us to go in she immediately left. Maybe she needed to catch her train back to Moscow. Olga was with us since we were in Moscow. She was about my age but very active and energetic. But the most important aspect of her was that she’s very accommodating looking into our needs and requests.
Marina was a lovely tall lady. Her knowledge about the subject was excellent. She knew everything and talked about it in great details. I listened every single bit of SP from her and could visualise the description vividly.
This place is rich with history and the narratives about Russian aristocrats were not without gold and glamour. Looking into the lifestyle of the Russian rich and famous, one couldn’t avoid being pitiful to the common people. They must have lived a hard life struggling just to stay alive. Therefore, revolution was inevitable. So we left SP with all of its grandeur palaces and the sad end of the monarchy.
The flight to Tashkent was okay.Nothing to complain just the chaotic behaviour of some passengers really made me uncomfortable. You came into the cabin with all sorts of grocery bags and tried to fit your big one into the overhead cabin. How did she pass the security I don’t know. The aisle was small and when people running up and down trying to find the toilet; they made me nervous. In addition, no one ever followed the buckle your seat belt sign. I closed my eyes trying to get some sleep and the crew came to serve dinner.Chicken or beef? she asked. Chicken …..i said hoping for a piece of chicken meat topped with something tasty. She slammed my food on the tray and moved on.Not only it was tasteless the presentation was intimidating as well. The landing was pretty rough like someone was chasing the toilet for his morning shit. By 7:30 we reached the hotel for a good rest and breakfast.
As the rest of the group went sightseeing at a mountain resort, I dived and slept in. I read somewhere that the worst travel buddy you could have is someone that likes to sleep in when people rather go out and have fun. Well I needed the sleep. Full stop.
By Zohor I was up and ready for masjid. Alhamdulillah met the imam and his colleagues. We went for lunch. with plov on the menu my short visit here was complete. Imam Akmal, Esamuddin and Mohamed entertained us as their spontaneous guests. Their hospitality was the best; even though we just met, they treated us like we were their long lost friends. It was our brief encounter but the perfect one, nevertheless.
Tashkent was special in so many ways.One of them is the nature; green grass and the mountains. We went to the city park and enjoyed the shades under the trees. Well, until we wanted to pay at the grocery store and realised the wallet was gone. The wallet full of dollars and som. I panicked as my mind went bizzerk didn’t know what to do. Looked into my wife’s eyes and they filled with tears and fears. it ripped my heart ruthlessly apart to see the place I grow to love betrayed us. How come you put a magic on us and robbed in the middle of the field. May Allah put a curse on whoever did that.
The purse was stolen and the phone was hacked; that left us with nothing . We had to walk back to the hotel for a long distance. Soon we would leave Tashkent with all the good and bad memories. The place we hate to love.
The flight was delayed until the early morning of the next day. I continued my journey back to Malaysia with the same shitty airline— Uzbekistan Airways. The A321- neo was small. cramped and the single aisle really bothered me. and the food was tasteless. and the cabin crews were mean and ugly. and the seat really made pain in the ass. But because I am poor shitty man this airline is maybe the perfect one for me. Hahahah an excellent end to a perfect adventure with Transiberia Train Journey.
