The Charms of Central Asia

For our elders, travel continues to be one of their favourite hobbies. Ms D. Banerjea and her husband, both members of Support Elders, chose a road less travelled and visited Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan earlier this year.

For nine days, my husband and I, travelling with a group, enjoyed the vibrant culture of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Our journey through Almaty, Tashkent, and Samarkand was punctuated by stops at the local eateries. We delighted in their breads, soups, desserts, and various kebabs with a range of sauces—they very kindly made chicken preparations for us. There was a sizeable population of Indians living there, and we even dined at an Indian restaurant!
It was March and still quite cold. One day in Almaty, the temperature dipped to minus eight degrees Celsius, and it snowed throughout the three days we were there! Because of the chill a few places were inaccessible to us, but we still managed to travel to breathtaking landscapes of rugged mountains topped with snow.
Cold though the countries may be, they are inhabited by very warm people with a great sense of hospitality. I was happy to note that most of those working in the public sector, at the airports and in banks, were women. The country was a part of the USSR, and a Soviet influence can still be seen in the way they continue to dress.
We loved our trip—it is certainly a destination we would recommend!

(as narrated to Support Elders by our member)

photo courtesy: Ms D. Banerjea