Tashkent – A Call from Indonesia

This morning, my mother sent me an SMS. It says, “Papa wants you to go home for the Chinese new year, there is something to talk about.” I was so surprised. I am unable to call them back as international call is out of my limited balance. I sent them an SMS back but there was no reply.

I ask help of my friend in Jakarta to call my family in Java. My friend says that my father was healthy, but he wants to gather in the New Year’s Eve. It has been 4 years already I missed the New Year’s Eve with my family. My father is sick, he gets a heart attack 2 years ago, and I always worry about him day and night during my travel. He always says that he is healthy and fine. But I know he is a strong man and dislike people to sympathize him. Never my father asks from me something, but now, he really begs me to go home. This is a sudden call from Indonesia. It was so sudden that I am still shocked.

How about the traveling plan made up recently? I have obtained the Iranian visa, and now in the process of application of Turkmen visa. The original plan is to go to Iran through Turkmenistan, then go back to Afghanistan to do a job there. But now, I can’t describe how I missed my father very much. I think I will give up my idea. Yes, the journey stops here (for a temporarily time, hopefully).

A ticket from Tashkent to Kuala Lumpur cost 577 Dollars, then I will go to Surabaya with a budget airline. With a valid Iran visa I still wish to return back to Iran, transit through Turkmenistan and re-visit Uzbekistan before heading to Afghanistan. That way, hopefully the journey still can be continued.