Journal
Practical notes and slower stories from the road.
Plov: how it is cooked, and where to eat it
Plov is the national dish, cooked in a kazan in the morning and eaten by noon. How it is made, how Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and the Fergana Valley differ, and where and when to eat it.
More from the journal
Reading the tiles: a short guide to Timurid architecture
A few words and a few habits of looking that turn a wall of blue into something you can read: the parts of a building, how the colour went on, what the scripts say, and which tiles are old.
The desert fortresses of ancient Khorezm
Between Khiva and Nukus the sand is scattered with walls two thousand years old. What they were, which ones to see, and how a day among them is arranged.
A night in a yurt: what to expect
A desert camp near Aydarkul is a ring of felt yurts, plain and warm, a short walk from the lake. What the evening holds, how cold the night gets and what to bring.
The bazaar calendar: what is in season, month by month
What the stalls hold in each season, from the first greens of Navruz to the pomegranates of November and the dried fruit of winter, and what that means for the table.
What to pack for Uzbekistan, and what to wear
Shoes for the cobbles, a layer for the desert night, a scarf for the shrines and cash for the bazaar: a short, practical list and the reasons behind it.
Tashkent in a day
Most journeys begin in Tashkent with a day to spare. How to spend it, hour by hour, from the old city at nine to a chaikhana at dusk.
The best time to visit Uzbekistan
Spring and autumn are the easy answer. What each season actually feels like, from the blossom of April to snow on the domes, and how to choose between them.
Getting around Uzbekistan: trains, flights and drivers
High-speed trains link the main cities in a few hours. When to take the train, when to fly, and when a car with a driver is the better choice.
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