The India Journals (Part 3)

4 October - Tashkent, Uzbekistan - 23:00

Still in the transit area of the Tashkent airport, only now we have been kicked out of the restaurant and are now sitting in the waiting room. Half of the chairs are broken, missing cushions or are almost destroyed. Windows are broken, furniture is broken, all the display cases are empty, the carpet is ripped and rolled up along the seams. There are a few open "windows" which I don't understand at all as there is another outer wall of windows, 2 feet or so further out, which are closed.

We are now trying to get ahold of anyone that speaks English or German, Spanish, French or even Hebrew., but to no avail. I just want to know what is going on and what the status is. The only thing I have learned is that everything costs 3 US dollars. The guys that have been here for 5 months have cornered off a section of the waiting room near the television. They have mats to sleep and sit on and are basically camping here. I was surprised to hear them speak the language, but as nobody seems to speak anything other than Uzbekies, I guess you have to adapt. They are willing to translate for us, but that was only once and I didn't give them any money so they are probably not going to help us again. Perhaps I am wrong.

It is very hot in here and I have started smoking again already. I just want my passport since now I feel very vulnerable without it. There is nothing to do but wait at this moment. I will never again go anywhere without the visa in my passport...