Just been in Tajikistan for 3 weeks and wanted to mention that teh Lonely Planet Central Asia book is rather out of date when we tried to use it for reference in planning the trip.
Soe points - Penjakent to Samarkand ( Uzbek) - border remains closed - so no way through inless you go to Kholand or Dushanbe.
Road to Khojand no has been upgraded by a chinese tunnel which cuts of 2 hours of travel - also the snow is not closing the road so much now.
Maps of Dushanbe are very out of date - the whole city has expanded with new Presidential Buildings and gardens. The park with a small sky train is not working and the area is now full of houses.
Museums - well not open when we were there - but it was November.
Statues of Lenin remain few and far between - the one on Kholand has been replaced by the Samonid king ...there were 2 spotted in Penjakent and Istarafshan.
Visa now $58 for UK citizen - long wait at the air port to do this .....if you get the visa at the border...come off the plane into the waiting area and see a little room on the right where the visas are prepared.
All travel prices and hotel prices were out of date - double it and add more! Hotel prices - 3 times more and note that rooms are costed per person.
Interesting place to visit - when will the book be updated???? A waste of money buying it actually!
Regards,
