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e had a joyous "homecoming" in Samarkand, and the courtyard was quite festive for a Sunday night. Unfortunately, Dave woke the next morning with a high fever that would last a week. This was not the only illness that afflicted Dave in Uzbekistan. Click here for the gross and gory details of an additional ailment (squeamish beware!). Local pharmacies offered a host of Russian drugs for inexpensive over-the-counter prices (we saw everything from anti-biotics to Novocain to injectable drugs). Most locals, though, cannot afford professional care or advice on illnesses so there is a bounty of homegrown diagnoses and cures. (We heard a large smattering of them). Interestingly enough, Russian vodka seems to be the cause and the cure of most ailments. The locals believed that the vodka he was offered the evening before was the cause of his problem while at the same time they recommended small doses of the hard liquor as his cure.

uring this time, our host and the people who live in the other apartments around this courtyard offered us countless extra blankets, food, tea, "medical advice", and hospitality. It was hard to know how we could repay them apart from sharing our lives with them, and teaching them a few American card games. When we finally left, some of them cried telling us to write often and come visit again. We were struck by their fragile treatment of us as "precious cargo", and convicted of some of our own perceptions towards foreigners at home. We hope to change some of that in the future.

e finally said good-bye to Uzbekistan as we boarded an overnight bus to Bishkek, Krygyzstan. As morning dawned in this new country, we were immediately dazzled to find a fresh six-inch blanket of fluffy white. This, courtesy of an early "freak" snowstorm. We have been excited to visit this land of mountains where 40% of the terrain is over 10,000 feet, but sadly realize that the season for venturing into the high country is past. Consequently, we find ourselves content with catching our breath at the white mountains that loom over Bishkek. As we finalize plans to cross into China, we realize that our time in Central Asia is rapidly drawing to a close. It is hard to believe that we have been to these places that were only pipe dreams just six months ago. It is certain that their memories will last a long time as our adventure continues.