As I blew out the candles on my birthday cake, I looked around to take in my surroundings. Before me stood a homemade chocolate cake baked and decorated by an Uzbekistani family. I had only met that evening. I was sitting in their warm home being treated to their local cuisine in the middle of Samarkand. 

Despite the language barrier, the family and my fellow travel agents - people I had only met a few days earlier - all sang Happy Birthday and I realised I'll never experience another birthday like this, what a magical way to celebrate your 21st (whos' counting?)!

Little did I know, "magical" would be the theme of the trip as we travelled through Uzbekistan on our trip expertly curated by Cox & Kings. I can whole heartedly say that our small group of travel experts was welcomed with open arms as we journeyed through the cultured cities of Uzbekistan, rich with colourful history and buildings. 

We started our journey in the Inner Walls of Old Town Khiva. It felt as though you were walking through a movie set, with the bright blue tiles sparkling on top of the ancient minarets and mosques. The streets were filled with market stalls displaying hand crafted goods and we were treated to rooftop evening meals showcasing the culinary delights of Uzbekistan (and a groundbreaking cheesecake) as well as taking part in folk dancing with the locals.

From here we set off through the desert to join the locals of Bukhara, a prominent stop on the Silk Road trade route between East and West Asia. Our knowledgeable guide took us through the practices of those who travelled this route so many years ago. Ensuring to respect local traditions by covering our hair with headscarves, we had access into the ongoing practices carried out in active mosques and madrassahs.

We then boarded the Afrosiyob train to Samarkand, welcomed by our new guides who were excited to show us more of their beautiful country. 

In Samarkand, we discovered the traditions and skills passed down through generations of the Uzbek people. Despite the historic attacks of Ghengis Khan and the Mongol armies, the city managed to preserve and/or restore its beauty and its traditions. This too was shown in our next stop of Tashkent, the most modern of all our stops in Uzbekistan - a true integration of multiple worlds whilst never forgetting the hardships of the Uzbek people through landmarks such as Independence Square. 

The people of Uzbekistan played a pivotal role in creating the "magic" of our journey, as we bonded with the locals, created memories and everlasting friendships with our guides and even had dinner with their children! This too would be applicable to the wonderful team of Turkish Airlines who provided a smooth journey (with good food) from Edinburgh, to the wonderful airport of Istanbul onwards to Uzbekistan.

Despite delays on our journey home, the Turkish Airlines' staff provided friendly and efficient support to ensure we reached our final destination as smoothly as possible. Also no Visa required for this journey. It was perfect!

Should you be interested in more information on travel with Cox & Kings or Abercrombie & Kent on any of their tours please do not hesitate to contact us. We are planning to arrange an instore promotion with them and should you be interested in attending please let us know. Also, should you wish to come into the office to discuss this tour with Moira please call us to arrange an appointment.

Written by Moira Scott
Managing Director
Connoisseur Travel