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The Bicycle box

UZBEKISTAN

Mar
2004-09-14 15:10:54

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(12/07/2003) People are pushing in the queue for the Aeroflot check-in desk at Schiphol airport so we adjust as well and run for the third desk that is about to open. While we are in the check-in process the Boeing 737 is replaced by a good old Tupolev, very promising, will there still be parts for plains like this? Meanwhile the group of goodbye-wavers is growing en the KLM stewardess starts a discussion with Raymond about the transportation of our bicycles. Our strategy has worked so far, simply wrap the bikes with carton en make sure that the wheels can rock and roll. Its very international, who in the world wouldn’t know what a bicycle is and how it works? And its way better than the KLM Bicycle box; although it is clearly marked “Bicycles”, don’t expect everyone to know what’s in, the airport staff in Asia will without a doubt open the box out of interest. The supervisor of Aeroflot understands and can’t hide a laugh. “But what about damage liability?” asks the KLM stewardess to the supervisor. He only raises his shoulders. 1-0 for Raymond because the bicycles arrive in very good condition and without any scratch, even after one baggage transfer in Moscow and a very noisy, rumbling Tupolev.

Tashkent, getting to know Vodka and the Militsiya
On arrival just after 2:00 in the morning, a man is waiting for us to bring us to the guesthouse. Through the internet I have found Airat who promised to make reservations at a guesthouse and he wrote a “letter of invitation” for us that is still needed to get a visa. Just for the record, he has organised a very exclusive trip around Uzbekistan. We like our bikes better. Hopefully The Netherlands will soon get in contact with Uzbekistan because citizens of the UK, France and Germany don’t need a letter of invitation any longer. 25 dollars for Airat, per person.
Raymond and me start laughing when we look at the Lada that is supposed to carry three bags of 55 kg en two ...