Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Black Market
The existence of licensed
moneychangers in every
town has done away with the
black market in all republics
except Uzbekistan, where it
is very much alive (p223).
Cash
Cash in US dollars is by far
the easiest to exchange,
followed by euros. Take a
mixture of denominations -
larger notes (US$100,
US$50) get a better rate,
but a cache of small ones
(US$10, US$5) is handy
for when you're at borders,
stuck with a lousy exchange
rate or need to pay for serv-
ices in US dollars. Cash is
particularly useful in Uzbek-
istan, due to the black
market. Most hotels in Turk-
menistan require payment in
cash US dollars.
Make sure notes are in
good condition - no worn or
torn bills - and that they are
dated post-1994. Taxi drivers
and market-sellers often fob
off their own ragged foreign
notes on tourists as change,
so of course you should
refuse to accept old notes
too. US$100 gives you a pile
of Uzbek som as thick as an
airport paperback.
Credit Cards
It's an excellent idea to bring
a credit card, though you
shouldn't rely on it com-
pletely to finance your trip as
there are still only a limited
number of places where they
can be used. Kazakhstan
is the most useful place in
Maps
Buy your general maps of
Central Asia before you
leave home. For a search of
the available maps try www.
stanfords.co.uk.
Money
The 'stans' banking systems
have improved greatly in the
last few years, with credit-
card transactions, wire
transfers (particularly West-
ern Union) and regulated
foreign exchange available in
most towns. In the country-
side there are few facilities,
so change enough cash to
get you back to a main city.
If you plan to travel exten-
sively in the region, it's worth
bringing a combination of
cash US dollars or euros (the
latter particularly in Kazakh-
stan) and a credit card or
two for the cities.
In the convoluted border
areas of the Fergana Valley
you may need to carry sever-
al currencies simultaneously.
Try to avoid large notes
in local currency (except to
pay your hotel bills), since
few people can spare much
change.
ATMs
Most cities in ex-Soviet Cen-
tral Asia have ATMs
(banko-
mat)
that accept Western
credit cards. Turkmenistan
has the fewest functioning
ATMs.
ATMs in Uzbekistan often
give US dollars, which can
be useful.
It makes sense to get your
cash during working hours,
since the last thing you need
is to watch your card get
eaten alive by an Uzbek ATM.
Some ATMs charge a
service fee of around 2%.
¨
German publisher
Reise
Know How
(www.reise-
know-how.de) produces
good and long-lasting
travel maps to Central
Asia (
Zentralasien,
1:700,000) and Kazakhstan
(
Kasachstan
).
¨
Central Asia
(Gizimap,
1999) is a good 1:750,000
general elevation map of
the region (plus Kashgar),
though it excludes northern
Kazakhstan and western
Turkmenistan. It usefully
marks many trekking
routes.
¨
Central Asia - The
Cultural Travel Map along
the Silk Road
(Elephanti) is
a similar 1:1.5 million Italian
map, which concentrates
on Uzbekistan and
Tajikistan.
¨
Nelles' 1:750,000
Central
Asia
map is also good.
¨
Reliable, locally produced
city and regional maps can
be found in Kazakhstan and
Kyrgyzstan, but are hard to
find elsewhere. Especially
in Uzbekistan, where many
street names have been
changed three or four times
since independence, any
map older than a couple
years will drive you crazy.
DOLLARS & SOMS
Prices in this topic are sometimes given in US dollars or euros, when that is the mot
reliable price denominator or if that's the currency you'll be quoted on the ground. Even
when a price is quoted in dollars you can normally pay in local currency (and technically
in Tajikitan and Uzbekitan you actually have to).
You may need cash in US dollars to pay for visas, regitration and some services with
a private travel agency, though many of the latter now accept credit cards. Although
oicially you cannot spend foreign currency anywhere in Uzbekitan, private hotels and
hometays normally accept US dollars and often give you change in local currency at
the market rate. Mot other hometays and drivers expect payment in local money.
