Day 43

As soon as the sun rises we start riding, we want to reach Khiva soon so we can visit it! The road is fine at first, but then the potholes are back. Maybe my ankle is not broken but, I can see today that I am. I’m afraid of riding! We are crossing again the desert and I’m not even looking to the landscape, I’m just fixed on the road, thinking the worst will happen at any time. Also, the knee and the ankle are hurting, so that’s not really helping.

We stop on a gas station and I’m not feeling well, I feel dizzy and nervous, I just want to go to the toilet and get some water on my face. I start walking searching for it, when a dog starts barking and growl to me. Perfect! now that’s exactly what I need… a dog attacking me!

My “lovely” new fried resting at the ghost gas station:

After what it seemed never ending hours to me, we reach Khiva. It’s quite an impressive city. After resting at the hotel, we head out ready to explore its wonders.

While we are talking to a Italian lady which we met before in Nukus something extraordinary happens. Elias (an Austrian guy which we know from the ferry!) is waving to us. Unbelievable! What a coincidence!!! We have dinner together and it seems that he has the perfect solution for my riding problems, at least for one day. Tomorrow he’ll take a train to Bukhara, so if I’m going with him I can skip the last long riding day through the desert. After talking a bit with Tià we decide that, that’s the best option for me and my ankle.