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Today we leave the hot deserts and ancient cities of Uzbekistan and cross over into the mountainous Tajikistan.
The border crossing was only 4 miles from our hotel in Samarkland, Uzbekistan. One of the best border crossings we have experienced. It was modern, efficient and friendly. Almost a fun experience. Mind you we did get mobbed by the money changers just before the border and I am sure they ripped us off but at least we got rid of our unused Uzbekistan money.
As we enter into Tajikistan in the mid morning the sun is already hot, but wow fantastic roads, smooth and no potholes or badly patched areas. The people continue to be very friendly too and the children all want us to wave to them from our bikes.
We follow a river valley with fertile fields of potatoes, cereals and other crops. There are many people seen working in the field, particularly the women. There were also lots of children seen driving donkey hauled carts. We have also got used to cows and goats grazing by the side of the road. The people continue to very friendly and the children insist we wave back to them from our bikes as we pass by. There are little pots of fruit and water melons on the side of the road for sale.
We stop at a largest town in Tajikistan about 10 miles into the border and get some more tajik money from an ATM machine. An ice cream and drink at a cafe cost me less than 50p! The cafe was being run by children who couldn't have been more than 12 or 13.
We arrive in Dushanbe and to our hotel, lotte palace and it's like a palace, bags taken to our room, sumptuous fitting and lovely gardens.
We didn't move from the hotel that evening and I had the best rib eye steak ever. The meal with a drink came to less than £10.
Dushanbe is the capital and largest city of Tajikistan. Dushanbe means Monday in the Tajikistan lauguage. It was named this way because it grew from a village that originally had a popular market on Mondays. It grew in size under Russian rule and was then called Stalinbad. In 1961 it's name of Dushanbe was reinstated.
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