We had a delightful evening camping in the mountains above the town of Tavaksay Saturday night. It is our favorite camping site because it is convenient, only an hour’s drive from our home and you can drive, stop, and put up your tent right outside your car. There are several flat camping sites along the dirt road leading to the big canyon and waterfalls. My favorite aspect of camping is it brings people together. You are away from the distraction of mobile phones, the internet, and the different rooms of our large home. It was Nadia, Ocean, Obi, and me and a tent.
The night was delicious with a warm breeze and a sky full of stars. We listened to music, talked, watched satellites and shooting stars, ate and drank well, and overall had a great bonding experience. We slept OK without any interruptions from sheep dogs, foxes, etc. It is awesome to walk on the ridge, overlooking the town, with a breeze on my face, and looking up at the wonderful universe. It is so different from being at home and a refreshing break from Tashkent. Nadia purchased the complete “glamping” gear, ranging from a set of Hydroflask camping dinnerware to Russian brands of air mattresses and tables. We did not want for any home conveniences.
A funny incident occurred on Sunday morning when I went out looking for birds with Obi. I went down into a gully because there was a small creek there and I found a shoe. It happened to be a friend’s lost shoe from August 2023 when a big group of us camped. An animal must have taken the shoe from outside his tent and carried it to this place. He couldn’t find his shoe last year and donated his remaining shoe to an amputee organization. We all had a laugh when I brought back the other shoe a year later.
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