We empty the shopping bag containing last night's groceries, transfer the damp laundry and Maria heads off to reception to get it thrown into the tumble drier.Two minutes later I am met in the room by a female Hulk blowing more steam than an underwater volcanic vent.'2000 Som my arse!Can you believe they want 2000 Som per item, even for one sock?!'.A quick calculation reveals that the cost of drying our clothes alone would have been more expensive than the unfortunate 7kg affair in Turkey!Moreover, the housekeeper had grassed us up by telling her boss that we had done our own laundry in the room.'You'll have to pay for doing the washing as well' informs the manager/owner.The owner is really digging her heels in now and, in front of a lobby full of guests, Maria is squaring up for the fight and telling her where to go.

The only slight difficulty with this picture is that the owner does not speak English, and even Queen Elizabeth II would struggle to understand Maria when she's in full flow so the impact of the discourse is somewhat diluted.Needing to be understood, Maria calls our tour operator, explains the situation to him, including the breakfast debacle the previous morning, tells him that she's here to inspect the hotel and hands the mobile to the nauseating manager.As the colour disappeared from her face quicker than their breakfast buffet on a Sunday morning, she turned to Maria, smiled and said'OK. Everything OK'.

I'd decided yesterday that I needed a haircut so on our way to the Kontinent I popped into the same place where Maria had her eyebrows threaded and tried to explain what I wanted doing.Maria insists on helping by putting her thumb and forefinger together, creating a small gap, and saying 'little, little' meaning don't take too much off.I'm worried that he's going to interpret this as he wants it short and before you know it I end up walking out of there looking like Yul Brynner.As it turns out, it goes ok and I only get worried when he shows me the cut-throat razor and makes cutting motions with it.Proud of the few days worth of stubble I now have on my face, I wave my hands frantically in a no, no, leave it alone manner only to discover that he wants to tidy my neck.A wash, cut and blow-dry cost 5000 Som ($2.50).

We spend all day in the Kontinent catching up on emails, facebook, bank stuff and, more importantly, working on the rest of the itinerary and leave only when the battery dies on the netbook.The security staff in the mall won't let us plug in to recharge!

We're met in the evening by a tour guide for the Uzbek trip and we agree to go for a half day city tour tomorrow.