Tashkent in April

[diverboy70]

After communicating with a few women for about a month now, I have decided to go visit one of them in Tashkent in April (7-15). As usual for me it is a VO trip.

I found a nice deal on the Grand Mir hotel for 80 $/night. It feels ok, since I am only staying for a week, so i prioritize comfort over the cheapest alternative this time. I am Flying Turkish Airline from Stockholm, Sweden with a 2 hour stayover in Istanbul. The ticket is about 350 € roundtrip.

The hardest part seems to be the visa process. I am using a travel agency for the Letter of Invitation and then applying for the visa through the Uzbekistan Embassy in Riga, Latvia. Hopefully it will work out fine.

Any tips on anything concerning Tashkent and Uzbekistan is allways welcome

[Shadow]

Get in touch with JollyRats and BillyB. They might be able to give some tips.

Remember that any 'stan' is a Muslim area, and that means they might be stricter on some habits, and it will be easier to get in to an armed fight.
Nothing to be scared of, just keep extra care not to dwel in to unsafe looking areas.

[UTRO]

Welcome back DB and Good Luck to you! 

[diverboy70]

Slight change of plans:

After some consideration and discussion with the lady I think an apartment maybe would be a better choise after all. I know some of the members here have experience from this area, so if you guys could give me some advice on apartments it would be greatly appriciated.

And again I am not looking for the cheapest apartment available. Comfort and location is more important than the cost this time. I will spend my 40th birthday down there, so I will feel free to indulge myself a little bit 

[JR]

Ohh CraP!!!!

We are competing for the same damsel (((( Well I'll be there before you so I'll probably win her heart ))))

I am using the same apartment agency that BillyB used. I have spoken with them on the phone and I'm getting a two bedroom apt. for the price of a one bedroom. I think things are slow there so you should be able to work a deal. They can get you a sim card for an unlocked phone, register your passport and stuff like that.

[diverboy70]

Jolly-> We will see about that!

I just talked to the lady and she seems to have found an apartment for 200 $ a week, and according to her it should be nice one, its even got an "jacuzzi" That just leaves me with the trouble of getting a LOI and the registration 

[JR]

see if the apartment people can take care of that for you. my travel agent is doing it for me.

Here is the link to the apartment:

http://www.apartment.sk.uz/

[diverboy70]

Ok, first crises of confidence! Suddenly last week she just "disapeared", never online and just short or no answers to my sms. Finally today she came online again. Explaining that she had had a fight with her ex and the father of her child about his approval of her getting full custody of her son. She said she had been in a "bad mood".I tried to explain to her that it is hard enough to build trust in each other without her pulling these stunts of just disapearing. It is not the kind of behaivour I am looking for in a future partner. For me an open communication is the basis of any future relationship.

Maybe I am overreacting or are too hard on her. But it really raises some serious issues for me about trust and honesty.

Well, we will have a video chatt on Skype tonight, and hopefully we can sort this out.

[Boethius]

Bad sign.  If the father doesn't even want her to have full custody of his son, what are the chances he will allow his son to leave the country?

[JR]

Diver, same passing judgement until you've actually met her and formed a real relationship with her. Right now you are just a guy on the internet.

But the part about he child is valid. The father could hold the child ramsom or like me he could be of the attitude of "I'll never let my child go." That's a hurdle you're going to jump when the time comes.

[Donhollio]

Jolly-> We will see about that!

I just talked to the lady and she seems to have found an apartment for 200 $ a week, and according to her it should be nice one, its even got an "jacuzzi" That just leaves me with the trouble of getting a LOI and the registration 

 Does Finland have a Uzbekistan Embassy or consulate ?  If not you can get a visa to Uzbekistan at the Tashkent airport, but you will still need the LOI.  Have you visited a local travel agency to see how the visa and paperwork can be done with as little stress as possible ?

 As for her disappearance I agree with JollyRats, I had a very similar issue happen with me from a Tashkent girl. The ex got her upset and she went silent. If she does that to you after you have visited her and the relationship looks solid , then I'd be concerned. 
Currently my GF is getting the LOI done and it will take about 30 days. Your passport needs to be translated and notorised... real pain.