Steve Travels

Steve travels #38: World Nomad Games day 3

October 11, 2024

Today we begin with the most confronting, most iconic, and most popular of the nomad games: Kokpar. Think polo, but replace the ball with headless goat...

Steve travels #37: World Nomad Games day 2

October 9, 2024

For all Astana’s faults, it is nice to have good coffee a short stumble downstairs. I haven’t yet booked an event for this afternoon and settle on the final...

Steve travels #36: World Nomad Games day 1

September 28, 2024

The enormous, immaculate, car park is almost completely empty. There’s likewise no queue for security, who apologetically confiscate my two water bottles. At...

Steve travels #35: Astray in Astana

September 26, 2024

It’s hard to arrive in Astana unwarned. Even with no plans to visit the city myself, I had heard opinions from many travellers, and none of them were good....

Steve travels #34: To the games

September 24, 2024

I can’t think of anything better to do with my morning in Shymkent than to wander back to the same cafe as yesterday. The staff are very concerned at my...

Steve travels #33: Shymkent, Shmymkent

September 21, 2024

Half an hour into my train journey to Tashkent I realise: I am actually a bit curious about these World Nomad Games. Mostly I’ve resisted because it felt...

Steve travels #32: Hello, Helioplex!

September 19, 2024

The moment I heard about the Helioplex, not far from Tashkent, it was at the very top of a very short “must-see” list. A monument to Soviet hubris, a...

Steve travels #31: Seven Lakes, five hundred converts.

September 16, 2024

Carole, bless her cotton socks, has been busy with logistical research and has found her preferred guesthouse, Jumaboi near Lake 4. In the morning, we find a...

Steve travels #30: To journey in Tajikistan

September 14, 2024

I’ve long ago given up the idea of travelling in Tajikistan. An array of logistical challenges, permits, car hires and drivers to visit a country renowned...

Steve travels #29: Xcursion from Xiva

September 12, 2024

[editor’s note: Xiva is an alternative spelling of Khiva. I don’t really understand the details, but there are different ways of transliterating Cyrillic,...

Steve travels #28: Khan’t miss Khiva

September 11, 2024

My guidebook is emphatic: Forget about how far it is to get there, Khiva is unmissable. Everyone I have spoken to in the last week has said that tickets to...

Steve travels #27: The bounds of Bukhara

September 11, 2024

Still overwhelmed with the number of possible things to see, I decide to focus on some monuments mentioned passingly on the map, but absolutely nowhere else:...

Steve travels #26: Bukhara bound

September 7, 2024

An unexpected thunderstorm strikes over breakfast at an Italian themed restaurant in yet another one of Samarkand’s extensive parks and gardens. But it...

Steve travels #25: Mosques, mausoleums and madrassas

September 7, 2024

My first full day in Samarkand and I am not mucking around. Afraid I’ll be locked out of the Registan again by this music festival, I’m lined up for a ticket...

Steve travels #24: South to Samarkand

September 4, 2024

[currently somewhere with terrible internet so no photos for the moment.] The day of the Great Minimalist Travelling Experiment couldn’t begin much better:...

Steve travels #23: Tashkent

September 2, 2024

The city is so much bigger and wealthier than Bishkek or Almaty it takes some time to adjust. Bishkek has some nice modern buildings, but across the road...

Steve travels #22: Beyond Bishkek

September 1, 2024

I received an ominous text message to my Kyrgyz sim card on Friday morning. Time was up on the initial pre-pay, and if I didn’t pay another $10, it would be...

Steve travels #21: Freestyle hike part 5

August 31, 2024

My host (I never find out his name) has a nice house in the little town of Temir-Kanat. As we approach, he honks repeatedly to clear the road of small...

Steve travels #20: Freestyle hike part 4

August 30, 2024

I stare at the heaving mass of brown water for a few more seconds. It splits: part of it follows the original stream down the hill towards the road. The...

Steve travels #19: Freestyle hike part 3

August 29, 2024

After a long series of short sleeps, we go through the fierce morning sun ritual again. I have no up-and-go, and am content to watch the phone battery slowly...

Steve travels #18: Freestyle hike part 2

August 28, 2024

[Very belatedly, I’ve started using an actual email list manager. Let’s hope this works.] What tomorrow brings is a headache and a congested feeling....