Tashkent

[Black Shirt]

In regard to airfares to Tashkent from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Guangzhou or Beijing, what would be considered a good price. The cheapest fare I found was around $1000 on China Southern. You cannot find Ubezkistan Airways on any booking site.

Please advise and thanks.

[Prosal]

MY TASHKENT SUMMARY


- VISA/TRAVEL/ARRIVAL : Unlike Russians, Uzbeks are very enterprising and arrangeant people and getting a visa is totally hassle-free, at least for EU citizens. If you're not from a EU country, you'll need a Letter Of Invitation. The max for a tourism visa is one month, nonetheless if you want to stay longer (as I did on my first trip) a two or three monthes business visa (100 €, two entries) is quite easy to obtain.

For my two trips to Tashkent I flew each time on Uzbekistan Airways, which is IMO a good company. The food is very decent, the hostesses nice, and the planes (B 767) quite recent and well-maintened. From what I noticed, flights are rarely full. People on the plane are mostly cultural-tourists on their way to Silk Road cities. No hassles at customs, as Uzbek custom officers have a quite lax and relaxed attitude. They are fairly slow and totally desorganized though, so waiting lines are often long. They is a VIP service for arrival that is quite convenient, and whose cost is $30.

- APARTMENTS/HOTELS : I used for both of my stays www.apartment.sk.uz/index.htm ; highly recommanded. Anton, the company's manager, is a decent and helpful guy. He charges an outrageous $15 for an airport pick-up though, wich is really expensive as taxis to center cost $4 at max. Another option is http://www.makler.uz/en/apartments.htm. Expect to pay around $600/month (including weekly cleaning and ironing) or $30-35/day for a big two-rooms apartment. My favorite area to stay in Tashkent is Darhan, a nice upscale neighborhood close to the center, with lots of convenient stores all around such as groceries, internet cafes, aptekas, ect. Kashgar area (Amir Temur Bld vincinity) is nice also.

There's a whole range of hotels, from the lavish 5 stars (Intercontinental, Radisson, Grand Mir, ect) to the backpacker guesthouse. In the center, near Amir Temur Square, there's some nice 3/4 stars in old renovated buildings, like Poytaht Hotel or Tashkent Palace. Many of them seem half-empty, and some others totally deserted. Rates seem to vary from us$140 for top-notch to $50 for mid-level. Dunno about guesthouses !!

People in Tashkent are not used to see foreigners staying in apartments BTW. Taxis and girls could not believed that I was NOT staying in a hotel. Anyhow they are not used to see western tourists (let alone mongers), even in hotels.

- MONEY/COST OF LIFE : The currency in Uzbekistan is the soum. Biggest bill is 1000 soums ...which is 0,5 € !! ...that means you have to go out with huge heaps of bills filling your pockets. Highly annoying. There's no western bank in Uzbekistan, and at most five or six ATMs in the whole city (notally one in Intercontinental and one in Uzbekistan Hotel, both operated by NBU - National Bank of Uzbekistan) ...which are frequently out of service !.

No problems to change cash. I used to change my $$ either in bars (JSmockers, Irish Pub), either to the informal money changers hanging around in front of Mir Mall (very reliable guys). There's also NBU change counters in all 5 stars hotels.

Cost of life is damn cheap, notally restaurants and drinks in clubs ...in Basha, one of the glamest club in town, a long-neck Baltika costs 5000 soums, a Black Russian 6000 soums, and a 25cl superior vodka jug 16 000 soums ...a fine dinner for two doesn't cost more than 50 000 soums in JSmockers (Tashkent's most "in" and expensive cafe), as in upscale Uzbek restaurants such as Art Cafe Urch Kuduk, Sim Sim or Caravan Art Cafe.

- POPULATION/CITY : There is about 2.9 million people in Tashkent. It's the third largest city in FSU after Moscow and SPb (Kiev being 4th).The main ethnic groups are Russians, Tatars, Persians, Koreans and of course Central Asians. All the shades in-between exist also. What strikes immediatly is the astonishing variety of women that covers all the types you can dream about and that is truly unparallelled on the planet. Tashkent truly carry an insane number of tall and gorgeous women from all ethnicities. Some are lethal creatures I'd even say. Yet I am perhaps not totally objective as I have a fascination both for persian looks combined with hot russian bodies and for typicals blonde russian-ethnic Natashas, exactly two of the varieties that abounds here.

Many people seem to speak at least a few words of english. Strangely, many Russian-ethnic Uzbeks seem to be proud to NOT speak uzbek.

Tashkent is the nicest and cleanest city I've ever been to in FSU. Wide smooth streets, large tree-lined avenues, dozens of beautiful parks with plenty of fountains, ect. Also what is great from a touristic point of view is the enjoyable blend of Soviet, Oriental and Central Asian atmospheres/architectures. Truly exotic. Cops are everywhere and street-crime is non-existent. It's definitely one of the safest city I know. Never been stopped or controlled for passport or registration BTW. Seems that the days when tourists were hassled by militzia are loong gone. Uzbek guys are a bit rude (pardon, hello, thanks are unknown words, and smiles mostly non-existent) and seem a bit overfilled with testosterone but in fact are very friendly and nice persons. I never once came close to feeling threatened or unsafe, save by some drunk foreign punters (there's quite a lot of Turkish and Indian mongers) in discos. They are also genuinely honest. Never once been swindled by a taxi driver, an informal money changer, a bartender, a waiter, ect.

- HANGING AROUND : What is great in Tashkent is that almost every car is a potential taxi. You just make a sign, a car stops, you go in, say where you go, and pay 2000 soums (1 €) whatever the distance. Wherever you are you never wait more than 1 minute before a car stops to pick you up. Await to pay a bit more (something like 4000 soums) late at night if you use the cars waiting in front of Diplomat, Juliano, FM Bar, ect.

The Metro is worth a try. It can compete with Moscow or SPb in term of imposing Soviet "beauty". Nonetheless "taxis" are so cheap that taking metro, marshrutkas or trams for hanging around doesn't make sense.

- ACTION : Tashent is by no means a balls-out wild city and has a fairly quiet and provincial atmosphere. Yet pros are plentiful and literally everywhere and there's not less than three huge freelancers discos (Diplomat, Sky and Juliano) with every given weekdays night 30 to 50 working girls in each spot, and much more on weekends (with also on weekends a significative proportion of "occasionals" or "amateurs" who usually come by pair, which is great for arranging threesomes). Diplomat is IMO the best option. Asking price for quality russian-ethnic pussy runs from us$50 to $100 TLN. Most girls are fun-loving and provide great GFE, both in the club and in the sack. If a girl (pro or occasional) fancy you and if you make her drunk enough it can happen that she will go with you for free.

Also there's in Zharatshan Komplex (Broadway) a strip hole named FM Bar which is quite simply one of the greatest strip club I've ever been to. It's a small and rather sleazy place where 90% of the girls are really attractive (all ethnicities are represented), where atmosphere is cool, and where prices are very fair : 3000 soums for a one song lapdance and 4000 soums for a long-neck Baltika. Girls don't get totally naked and stay in underwears or sexy outfits yet are really, really good at driving you crazy. Great place indeed. Girls are only dancers, yet if you hit it off with one of them you can quite easily date her for a lunch or a drink the next day, and more if affinity.

Regular nightlife is also good on weekends with four great "in" and glam clubs, Basha, Opera (the newest upscale option in town, opened in November), KTKomba (semi-outdoor place open exclusively during summertime, property of Karimov's daughter) and Niagara (which is more a middle-class option, and my personal fav non-pro club in Tashkent). There's also a whole host of hip and happening cafes, bars and pubs like JSmocker, SMI, Fashion Bar, Red’n’Black (great place, opened last month), Salvador Dali, Pivovar Dudek, Chelsea Pub, Irish Pub, Gasthaus, La Riva Cafe, Johnnie Walker, ect where to meet non-pros on weekdays (and also find working girls). Of course, like everywhere else, scoring non-pros requires a bit of work, but mongers with "game", time and cultural awareness can do VERY well in Tashkent, much more so than in EE over-runned destinations.

BTW one of the great thing about Tashkent is that girls don't drink expensive silly cocktails like in Chisinau or Bucarest but are perfectly happy with beer or vodka. Even in Diplomat, which is a quite upscale place, I've almost never spotted any girl drinking anything else than Baltika or vodka shots. And as everywhere else in FSU, they drink like Cossaks !!

- FINALLY : Tashkent is definitely not a 7/7 sex-marathon wild destination, but it's an enjoyable city, safe, clean, exotic, dirty cheap, still off the beaten tracks, swarming with outrageously stunning girls from all ethnicities, with great bars, cafes, pick-up clubs and discos, a good non-pro potential and an active and relatively unspoiled P4P scene. The only minus is the totally outdated FSU everyday lifestyle, with all the drawbacks, hassles and absurdities that it implies. In resume, I see absolutely no reasons for an experienced monger for not going to Tashkent.


Hope this help.

[Prosal]

On site until March 10.

Anyone in town interested to down a few Baltikas please PM.

[DirkDingy]

I am going to Tashkent in ten days and would appreciate it if someone could show me around. I will buy the beers. I am a 43 year old Canadian who speaks a bit of Russian.

I will be in Tashkent sometime within the next two weeks. If you want, we can link up and I can show you around. I know the cool places and I know some girls in the game and some who just like to party.

Please tell me how much you pay for your visa. Thanks.

DD

[Mua Tur]

Dear fellow citizens of ISG,

I want to monger in Tashkent after having read so many reviews about it... can anyone help me with the following please:

1. How do I get a visa (A Pakistani resident working for a british MNC throughout my carrier and heading the organization in Pakistan) so what are the visa requirements?

2. Where is the chemicals industry located in Uzbekistan? I want to make a weeks official tour! Probably do some market research, set a few meetings and spare the evenings for mongering

Any help on the above two would be greatly appreciated.

Did you got your Visa ! If you need assistance PM me, may be there some links I have.

[Crackerjacker]

I am going to Tashkent in ten days and would appreciate it if someone could show me around. I will buy the beers. I am a 43 year old Canadian who speaks a bit of Russian.

[Prosal]

Saw a large variety of girls to suit all tastes.

Women's variety and Silk Road cities are the two wonders of Uzbekistan.

[Wilts Boy]

Just plain wrong.

Sky Club is still in Grande Plaza Hotel, in the back of the complex.

Have to agree with the above, just back from 5 days in Tashkent, how you can say the girls are not beautiful !!!. Saw a large variety of girls to suit all tastes.

Was a bit disappointed with the Diplomat Club, but maybe just went on the wrong day of the week. Otherwise great time.

Word of advice on hotels, stayed in Hotel Markaisy, fine but a little drab and food sort of Ok (not more than 3-4 stars max), spend an extra $30-$40 per night and stay across the road in the Dedeman instead.

[Prosal]

Sky Club is not at the Le Grande Plaza Hotel anymore.

Just plain wrong.

Sky Club is still in Grande Plaza Hotel, in the back of the complex.

[Oleee]

Are not at the Le Grande Plaza Hotel anymore.

In fact Diplomat look like a bad place and Sky Club exist but I do not now how easy it is to pick up girls there.

I think it is many places in the world that are much better than Tashkent if you are looking for girls and remember almost all girls look like Turk and some asian and there are very few blond girls - my best advice is to stay away.

[Wilts Boy]

Thanks & no offence meant by use of ''Horror Story'.

Am sure It can't be any worse than LHR !!!!

I personally didn't experience any hassles nor "horror story" at Tashkent airport. Uzbek custom officers have a lax and relaxed attitude. I prefer 1000 x going through customs in Uzbekistan than in US or Australia where you inevitably have to endure intolerable inquisitions from fascist assholes.

Nevertheless as the whole place is totally disorganized you risk extremely long waiting lines if two or three flights arrive +/- at the same moment. To avoid losing time there is a VIP service that seems quite convenient and whose cost is $50.

[Prosal]

Have also heard some horror stories about Tashkent airport.

I personally didn't experience any hassles nor "horror story" at Tashkent airport. Uzbek custom officers have a quite lax and relaxed attitude. I prefer 1000 x going through customs in Uzbekistan than in US or Australia where you inevitably have to endure intolerable inquisitions from fascist assholes.

Nevertheless the whole place is totally disorganized and you risk extremely long waiting lines if two or three flights arrive +/- at the same moment. To avoid losing time there is a VIP service which seems quite convenient and costs officially $50. One of the Diplomat bouncers, who also works part-time at airport security, told me that it's half cheaper if you have contacts and offered me his "services", that I gonna definitely use for my next trip to Tashkent.

[Wilts Boy]

Prosal,

Thanks for the advice, look forward to my trip. Have also heard some horror stories about Tashkent airport. Any further advice of this would be appreciated.

WB

- I stayed in an apartment so I'm not really sure about that, but Tashkent is pretty much a liberal place so you shouldn't have problems for bringing girls back in your hotel room.

- Most of the girls involved in prostitution in Tashkent are russian-ethnic, so no problems for you to find blond-haired blue-eyed Tatianas, Lenas or Svetlanas.

- Yeah, asking price for quality russian pussy is $100 LT. Best pros congregate in Diplomat. Be careful there though, not all girls are working.

[Ararat]

Markaziy is most likely GF. It's the former Sheraton I was talking about in my previous post.

[Prosal]

- Anyone know whether Hotel Markaziy (former Sheraton) is GF ?
- Prefer the Blond Slavic look, what places would you recommend ?
- Is the general price level still around $100 LT ?

WB

- I stayed in an apartment so I'm not really sure about that, but Tashkent is pretty much a liberal place so you shouldn't have problems for bringing girls back in your hotel room.

- Most of the girls involved in prostitution in Tashkent are russian-ethnic, so no problems for you to find blond-haired blue-eyed Tatianas, Lenas or Svetlanas.

- Yeah, asking price for quality russian pussy is $100 LT. Best pros congregate in Diplomat. Be careful there though, not all girls are working.