Category: 旅のエッセイ_Travel Essay

I have my air as a seasoned traveler; nonetheless I am not fond of sleeper trains.

After taking a Japan National Railway (JNR)’s Blue Train (regular sleeper train JNR/JR used to operate) from Hiroshima to Tokyo back in elementary school days, I had not taken a sleeper train until I boarded Amtrak as an adult. Even though I booked a private cabin for the journey from Seattle to San Francisco, I did not enjoy being stuck in a small cabin for so long time besides the bathroom facilities were shared. For subsequent long-distance trips, unless day-time train was an option, I would do everything to find flights instead. As for the sleeper trains, Orient Express was the only exception I took, but it should be considered as a historic experience rather than a mere mode of transport.

I have suffered from insomnia with a bit of claustrophobia. On top, I snore loudly and toss around in bed. Given all this, not just a small private cabin, but also a four-person compartment with bunk beds common in many countries also appears to be a difficult place for me. Needless to say, a six-person compartment with three-tier bunks is completely out of the question.

However, the inevitable moment had finally come. To get from Samarkand to Khiva, another World Heritage Site in Uzbekistan, the best option is to take a train. There were a few trains per day running from Tashkent to Khiva via Samarkand and Bukhara, but they were all overnight services. It may be romantic to say taking a train along the Silk Road, but the reality is that there was no other efficient choice. Since I have such a strong aversion to sleeper trains, I wanted to be thoroughly prepared before boarding.

Reading through various websites, I found many mentions the difficulties involved in using Uzbekistan Railways. Such issues include a lack of platform information even at major stations, and station announcements made only in Uzbek. Delays are highly likely; if boarding a train at an intermediate station, the exact departure time is often unknown. Yet, I managed to make it work during the trip to Uzbekistan last year. As long as I secure my tickets properly, I should be able to manage this year too.

On my final day in Samarkand, I headed to Shahrisabz first thing in the morning. Afterward, I spent a packed day seeing the sunset at Registan Square, night view of Shah-i-Zinda, and then returning to Registan Square for the light show and night scenery. I checked out the hotel before 1:00 a.m. and headed to the station.

When I arrived at Samarkand Station, a train had already stopped at the platform. I checked with the ticket gate staff and learned it was the earlier train bound for Khiva. I spent the time taking photos of the late-night station.

Despite the late hour, the waiting room at Samarkand Station was crowded, due to many overnight trains in and out of the station. I figured I could just follow the crowd when the time came to move. I bought a coffee and a hot dog to kill time till my train would arrive.

After passengers for a Tashkent train had moved, a quiet spell settled in. Despite the coffee I just had, I was sleepy that drifting off. It was a long day after all.

With time to spare, I went out to the platform around 2:00 a.m. to shake off the drowsiness, and saw a train was stopped there. I felt foggy and watched the train leaving, only realizing afterward that it was the train heading toward Khiva.

I rushed back to the gate staff, who told me that my train just had departed right on time. I was overcome with despair. I tried to think of alternatives, but the Uzbekistan Railways website was down for maintenance. In any case, waiting until the following night’s train seemed a waste of time; perhaps I should go to Tashkent and catch a domestic flight instead.

Just as I was literally tearing my hair out, the station staff whom I had spoken to waved at me. We communicated via an app, and it turned out there was another train to Khiva at 3:00 a.m.

I was taken to the ticket counter; the first step was getting a refund for the tickets for the train I had missed. What I really wanted, however, was tickets for the next train. After refund process was completed, the ticketing agent informed me that there was only one ticket available to Khiva on the 3 a.m. train.

I was literally tearing my hair out again. There seemed to be two choices. I would take the train to Khiva alone and remotely arrange my wife’s transfer and domestic flight to Khiva via Tashkent. Alternatively, we might be better to stick together, and both would go to Khiva via Tashkent. Either way, I needed to check schedule and seat availability on the flights from Tashkent to Khiva which I believed to be operated only 2-3 flights per day by narrow-boy Boeing 737s.

Just then, unexpected third choice came in. The station staff said he would negotiate with the train conductor. At this point, I would not have complained even if we were in a luggage car; if they would let us ride on the locomotive, I would pay whatever price they named. After waiting on the platform until just before departure, they found spots in a first-class sleeper car though my wife was in a separate compartment.

Since we had not bought official tickets, I was told the fare would be settled on board. After we were taken to our compartments, I was summoned to the end of the car. Using universal hand gestures, the conductor asked for cash, and I handed over the amount the station staff had told me. It was a reasonable price, essentially the standard fare rounded up, though an under-the-table deal.

We had finally secured transport and places to sleep, but I was in an upper berth and terrified of falling. I recalled the JNR sleeper train had safety ropes to prevent falls, whereas the Uzbekistan Railways sleeper car only had a low guardrail. To make matters worse, while my wife ended up sharing her compartment with three young female travelers, mine was packed with middle-aged Uzbek men. Looking back, perhaps I should have insisted on changing rooms at the expense of my wife, but I simply did not have the presence of mind for that at the time.

Middle-aged men are the middle-aged men all over the world. The compartment, already stiflingly crowded with three of them, the heat trapped in the upper berths, making it impossible to fall asleep. Besides, the drowsiness that had been stronger than coffee vanished had gone and I had exhausted myself mentally just getting on the train; sleep became the last thing on my mind.

With nothing else to do, I booted up MacBook Air in the dim light and spent the time editing photos using Adobe Lightroom. It kind of reminded me of developing films and making prints in a darkroom. It was a sign, perhaps, that I was finally settling down mentally. I have come to hope to catch a glimpse of the sunrise from the night train if possible.

The train arrived in Bukhara at daybreak. A different conductor from the one I had seen earlier came to me, apparently telling me to bring my luggage along. He led me to my wife’s compartment and, using gestures, explained that since the cabin would be empty from Bukhara onwards, we were free to use it. Everyone was just so kind.

The journey from Bukhara to Khiva took another five hours or so. Since I had a lower berth on this leg, I was able to sleep. As I drifted in and out of sleep, the train pressed on along the Silk Road. The scenery outside was so unfamiliar that it felt like a waste to sleep through it; I spent the time photographing the landscape passing by the window.

It turned out my air as a seasoned traveler was just a facade.

Last September, I finally went to Samarkand in Uzbekistan. At that time, I was interested in Shahrisabz, a historic town near Samarkand. However, even though it was a solo independent trip, I had time constraints.

Since I was not sure if I would have another opportunity to visit Uzbekistan, I was torn between enjoying Samarkand to the fullest or packing my schedule to go to Shahrisabz. There is a Confucianism text regarding the proper order of things, “To climb to the high, one must start from the lowest.” I was not fully sure whether I should climb it or not.

Even at the time I was in Samarkand, I still considered whether I should climb it or not. In the end, since my trip was mainly for photography, I prioritized taking my time to explore Samarkand. I only had limited information about Shahrisabz; I thought it would be better to get a grasp on the lower ground before attempting to climb to the high where I did not know what awaited me.

Unexpectedly, I ended up visiting to Uzbekistan for the second year in a row. Since it was my wife’s first trip to Uzbekistan, we could not miss Samarkand, the country’s top tourist destination. Since I already knew the must-see spots in Samarkand, there was no need to take a leisurely itinerary like last year. It was about time to climb to the high. I decided to go to Shahrisabz this year.

I searched again, but there was not much information on how to get to Shahrisabz. Finding a group tour would probably be the easiest option. However, since my focus was photography, I wished to have freedom to move around as I wish. Apparently, there was another option of taking a local shared van to Shahrisabz, but it could be very crowded and getting to pick-up points would be a hassle and waste of time.

I wondered if there would be an easy way to climb to the high.

Uzbekistan is a natural gas producing country, and its cars run on inexpensive methane gas. Taxis are inexpensive unless getting ripped off. However, I can effectively negotiate prices at work only, negotiating fares on the street would be a waste of time. I decided to ask the hotel to arrange a taxi. In any case, traveling with my wife should reduce the cost impact compared with the last year when I traveled solo.

Since cost management at work uses unit cost as a benchmark, I felt the cost would be halved by two people. However, from a household budget perspective, the cost of taxi fares is ultimately the same. Without realizing this, I received a quote from the hotel.

Maybe due to the lingering influence of former Soviet culture, unlicensed taxis are common in Uzbekistan. I have seen men attaching taxi signs to their private cars multiple times, so it is possible there is not a licensing system in place. In any case, aside from ride-hailing apps, fares are negotiable and while there may be a going rate, there is no fixed one. It was only at this point that I finally realized the magic of two-people taxi cost, but considering the round-trip fare plus waiting fees, I decided to believe that the amount seemed reasonable. By the time I requested a quotation, I was eager to climb to the high, already made a first step. This is why I do not have negotiation skills on street.

The driver who showed up was, as expected, an older man who seemed to be an acquaintance of someone at the hotel. I handed the cash to a hotel clerk, and the staff passed it to him. I was sure a few bills were taken in between, which must be the difference between the foreigner rate and the local rate. I just considered it as a handling fee.

Between Samarkand and Shahrisabz lies the Takhtakaracha Pass. I chose a clear day because I heard that I could see the Zarafshan Mountains, the border with Tajikistan, along the way. When we stopped at the viewpoint, I could see snow on the distant mountains. I had also seen the magnificent snow-covered landscape of the Tian Shan Mountains from the plane to Tashkent, which I supposed they were two advantages of coming to Uzbekistan in May.

However, upon arriving in Shahrisabz, the heat and sunshine were so intense that I forgot all of those advantages. The Historic Centre of Shahrisabz has been overdeveloped and designated a World Heritage Site in Danger. As a result, it is artificially isolated from the surrounding city area, and there are only a few places to eat and drink within the Historic Centre. It reminded me when I succumbed to the intense heat at the Hue Imperial Palace in Vietnam.

Although it is a World Heritage Site in Danger, overdevelopment is mainly the infrastructure of the Historic Centre. Restorations of the ruins and building are moderate and charming. Shahrisabz had significantly fewer tourists than Samarkand, making it easier to take photos.

However, the lack of tourists also meant there were fewer sights to see, combining with the Historic Centre where almost became a park, I might have felt that I had wasted half a day if I came to Shahrisabz last year. Nevertheless, together with the snowy scenery of the Zarafshan Mountains, it was a satisfying little trip for me as a second-time visitor.

Getting a grasp on the lower ground before climbing to the high was well worth it.

I went to Uzbekistan for last year’s summer vacation. It was my first time visiting one of “stan” countries and I really enjoyed. I suppose it is human nature to try to catch lightning in a bottle twice. On my way back from Uzbekistan, because I had some hours to kill during transit at Seoul Incheon Airport, I started looking at this year’s calendar although I knew it was too hasty.

Japanese calendar works in favor this year. If I add two days off to Golden Week in May, I will have a nine-day break. Similarly, if I add two days off to Silver Week in September, I will have another nine-day holiday. With two opportunities of long vacations, I hoped to catch lightning in a bottle three times.

Thinking as an extension of the Uzbekistan trip, two keywords came to mind: secular Muslim country and Eurasia.

Turkey immediately came to mind as a country that fits two keywords. Although I visited Turkey around 2010, it has already been over 15 years. I still have a clear memory that two credit cards I used at the time were skimmed. Moreover, it was difficult to tell the difference between the many people who were genuinely kind and the many of whom were scam-like fake guides or rip-off taxi drivers. I traveled via Dubai back then, but All Nippon Airways (ANA) operates direct flights from Tokyo Haneda to Istanbul three times a week. With ANA, it is possible to depart from Tokyo on Saturday morning and return the following Sunday at noon. It looked like it would be a very efficient trip.

Another area that caught my eye was the Caucasus region. Countries like Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan seemed to have old Orthodox Churches. Armenia, in particular, has many ancient churches and is famous for its brandy. It looked like I would travel via the Middle East, and Japan Airlines (JAL) operated direct flights to Doha. Due to the aircraft configuration, it seemed I could fly in Premium Economy on Economy fare even for the long-haul route between Tokyo and Doha.

Since my summer vacation schedule does not align with my wife’s, I asked her if she would like to go to Turkey or Armenia during the Golden Week, and she immediately chose Turkey. Then, Armenia would be my destination for the Silver Week. Since both trip dates were likely to be crowded, I decided to book flights immediately even it was right after my return from Uzbekistan.

I began making various arrangements, such as domestic transportation in Turkey, from the beginning of this year. Geographically, most of Turkey lies in Asia separated by the Bosphorus Strait; but the travel expenses are on par with Europe. Although I was daunted by the higher-than-expected costs, I finalized the arrangements for trip to Turkey in January.

This year was significant because I might not be able to set off on the Golden Week trip as planned. War had broken out in the Middle East. Immediately after the outbreak of hostilities, JAL’s flights to Doha were canceled but ANA’s flights to Istanbul were still operated. Since Turkey is a NATO member state, the risk seemed to be lower than the Gulf; yet the country was temporarily targeted due to the presence of U.S. military bases.

Amid the uncertain regional situation, I decided to consider the possibility of having to postpone my Golden Week trip to Turkey. I was surely unable to analyze the situation in the Middle East, so I just reworked my plans for the two long breaks.

First, I reconsidered whether I really wanted to go to Armenia. I concluded that Turkey had higher priority. By postponing the Turkey trip to the Silver Week in September, I would be able to make better assessment of the situation. Meanwhile, I needed to find a travel destination that seemed to have lower geopolitical risks during the Golden Week in May. I decided Oaxaca in Mexico as a candidate. It is a city I have wanted to visit, and it happened to be in the dry season.

Once I had alternate plans in place, I began negotiations with my wife to move things forward.

Citing the uncertain situation, I asked if she would be willing to go to Oaxaca and she immediately answered: No. It was a valid argument for an average Japanese woman, she apparently could not see the necessity of going to Mexico two years in a row. So, I asked her if there was a place that could serve as an alternative to Turkey. Even though she had shown absolutely no interest last year, she again immediately answered: Uzbekistan.

This unexpected counteroffer added another option to the mix. I may not be an average Japanese man, but even so, I find it hard to see the necessity of going to Uzbekistan two years in a row.

The course of the negotiations had shifted, making it harder to decide. The issue was how to handle the new proposal. I would ignore it, respect it, or take a hard line. In other words, I faced with three options: to take the risk and stick with the Turkey plan; to make compromise and go to Uzbekistan; or to leave my wife behind and go to Mexico by myself.

At the times when world leaders were negotiating over the war, my dilemma seemed utterly foolish.

All I had was a strong determination to go somewhere for both Golden Week and Silver Week. That was my bottom line in the negotiations. Just like world leaders, I supposed that I needed to evaluate the pros and cons.

In any case, since they were peak seasons, available seats on flights were limited. Besides, with bunker prices rising, higher airfares were inevitable. I needed to rebook tickets as soon as possible.

I could not assess Turkey’s geopolitical risks, but I could at least to tell that traveling to Turkey would be expensive. Moreover, if I were traveling alone, I would be satisfied with visiting mosques in provincial cities; but if I was going to Turkey with my wife, we would have to go to Cappadocia. Since it is a world-famous tourist destination, hotels are expensive, and, perhaps due to inflation of the Turkish lira, air balloon rides and local tours require cash payments in Euros. On the other hand, going to Mexico during the Golden Week leaving my wife behind would cause many issues with high risks in a different sense.

Thinking about it again, there were still places in Uzbekistan I had to visit. On last year’s trip, I missed out on staying at Hotel Uzbekistan in Tashkent, did not have time to visit Shahrisabz near Samarkand, and had to give up on visiting Itchan Kala, the historic district of Khiva, due to scheduling constraints.

After careful planning, I was able to put together an itinerary that would allow me to check all those items off list. Besides, the merger schedule between Asiana Airlines and Korean Air had not been announced back then, so I could still earn ANA miles on Asiana flights. As a Star Alliance Gold member, I was even able to take advantage of keeping emergency exit rows for free. In the end, I came up with a pretty good plan; it was the time to accept the counteroffer.

My deal was sealed before the world’s leaders could reach theirs.