Weekend Drive by Hormazd Sorabjee: Silk road tripping

Camels, caravans, Chevrolets. Driving down the same road in Uzbekistan 30 years later brings back memories and gives one hope for the future

Our convoy of black Chevrolet Equinoxes cuts quite a sight cruising down the quiet highway from Samarkand to Bukhara, slicing through the Kyzylkum desert. Speed limits are strictly enforced in Uzbekistan, so I set the adaptive cruise control to 90 kmph to keep a steady pace and engage the Lane Keep Assist function, letting it handle the steering with a gentle touch. It feels like having a co-pilot, freeing me to marvel at the stark, endless landscape.

The Chevrolet Equinox’s eight-way adjustable powered seating is perfect for a road trip.

The double-humped Bactrian camel is still a common sight in Uzbekistan.

My last road trip in Uzbekistan in 1994 was in the hardy, noisy Mahindra Armada.

The essence of Uzbekistan’s Silk Road is best experienced through a road trip.