Samarkand


Spot the difference



Our fixers 


 Today a crime was committed. Three cars arrived at a secret location in Samarkand to change tyres (the Rolls, bring a gentle and venerable lady, need not bother with such trivialities). All good you would think. But, the tyres we exchanged were in no fit state to be discarded; hardly used, one careful owner etc. The trouble, for our planning, is we need two sets to complete 14,000 miles and we have contacts (actually Ham has contacts) in Uzbekistan and not at our halfway point which is in China. Twelve tyres were delivered from Blockeys to the secret location (given to us as coordinates only). It was always a bit lopsided, this solution, and it has been made more extreme in its folly by having the cars delivered by truck across the whole of Turkmenistan (when can I be rude about them? When will the long arm of their influence recede?) We have travelled only 1/3rd of the useful life of a Blockkey tyre but what does one do? We decided to change them because we will regret it later if we don’t. 


Off to Tashkent tomorrow via the Madrassas. Hopefully something to report tomorrow. 


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