runnersmom, woo-hoo, I'm glad to hear that your son made it to his destination safely and is happy! That's the most important thing. You might get a bunch of interesting stories especially about traditional Uzbek food. 100 degrees or not, the tea is always hot and the food is very fatty (think of 1/2-inch layer of fat covering your soup). And it can get very warm down there. Have you seen those thick, long robes Uzbeks wear in the summer? They protect their bodies from the heat, since the outside temperature can be higher than normal body temperature. If your son ventures out into a local marketplace to shop for souvenirs or fruit, he has to bargain. Accepting the "sticker" price used to be considered as a sign of disrespect towards the seller. But things change, so it could be different now
