The Earl of Clanwilliam and Founding Partner of Gardant Communications, finds a fine country with a proud heritage and promising future.

In 2007 I took some friends on a  touring adventure to Tbilisi in Georgia, riding R1200 GS Adventure (BMW) motorbikes.

In 2009 we repeated the journey, but felt the urge to travel further East crossing the Central Asian countries on a 9,000km adventure from London to Almaty in Kazakhstan.

We crossed the Caspian from Baku in Azerbaijan by boat, arriving in Turkmenbashi.  With the Kopet Dag mountain range on our right we headed for the Uzbek border.  Early one sunny morning, we passed over into Uzbekistan just east of Turkmenabat.

The speed, hospitality and ease with which we cleared customs and immigration were the first indications of many of how pleasant our experience in Uzbekistan was shortly to be.

On our way East into Kyrgyzstan, our route took us across the width of the country from the most westerly to the most easterly points including Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent and Andijan in between.

I am sure that there is an instinctive spirit of adventure running through the veins of every young Uzbek schoolboy, for as we passed them in their smart uniforms on their way home from school, they would jump up with joy at the sight of us, dusty bikers, speeding through their countryside village or town! When travelling by bike, one picks up a more acute appreciation, sense of smell and feeling for a country.

Throughout our journey across Uzbekistan I was reminded not only of the magnificent beauty of the country but also the immense hospitality and kindness that was shown to us – without exception – by every person with whom we came into contact.

I have been more than a few times now to this fine country with its proud heritage and promising future.  Each visit has been as enjoyable and productive as the last.

If you seek to open the mind, free the spirit and challenge your normal routine, then I cannot recommend enough the need for you to visit Uzbekistan and its charming people in the near future.

Paddy Clanwilliam and seven other bikers raised over $38,000 for three children's charities spread along the 9,000 km route from London to Almaty which they covered in a record breaking 20 day period in August 2009.

For more info on this year's charity 2010 Rally to Bahrain via Europe, Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi contact Paddy at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or +44 7702 693621, or visit
www.london2tbilisi.com