Most Inspirational Moment
It's incredibly hard to pick out anything above everything else - highlights include the women's hammam (heaven itself after the previous day's long bus ride!), getting used to a wodge of local currency and just the whole 'wow factor' of most of the places we visited. Even after days of mosques, mausoleums and madrassahs, Uzbekistan still seemed to have something to make you take a mental step back!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Having read a previous review, I'd had some qualms about what this trip would be like, but our group leader was more than up to the challenge - nothing was too much trouble for him, which was no mean feat for a group where a third of the people were vegetarians in a resolutely meat-eating culture! He always seemed to strike the right balance between being involved enough in what the group was doing but also letting people go their own way at times, while still being there for an emergency translation when our haggling skills fell apart...
Advice for Potential Travellers
The trip notes do not lie when they talk about long bus rides and anyone taking this trip needs to realise what's involved - the longest one is a bit of a killer mostly because of the poor condition of a significant portion of the road, though our driver was excellent and it never felt unsafe. Vegetarians should resign themselves to a limited menu and fill up on the first course salads (which are usually fantastic) when they can! Approaching this trip with a flexible attitude towards food is key.