Should you still be thinking about joining this year’s ArchSoc tour to Central Asia, I would like to let you know that there are still a handful of places available on this journey to a very exciting and ancient part of the world. There have also been some other developments I would like to let you know about. The tour is definite with 19 persons having booked.

As there was some concern about the length of the tour and the full sightseeing programme, I made a proposal to participants that the duration of the tour be shortened by two days, which was agreed to. The revised programme of the 19-day tour from 5 to 23 September is attached.

The tour was shortened by excluding some of the perhaps less important or repetitive sites, such as madrassahs and mausoleums. As a result, overnight stays in Termez and Khiva have been shortened and our sightseeing is generally a bit more leisurely. Other programme changes have been brought about by changes in regional airline schedules. In my view the new itinerary works better and provides a more comfortable tour experience. Because our tours of Bukhara and Kiva are walking tours in confined urban areas, we will likely pass some of the excluded sites.

The shortening of the tour resulted in cost savings. This has provided two significant benefits. First, the tour price is now more likely not to increase should the tour not attract the full complement of 25 participants and, second, it provides further protection against a persistently strong US dollar by the rand/dollar exchange rate being based on 18,0, rather than 17,0 previously.

I do hope that these changes may encourage you join the tour. Drop me an email and I will send you a booking form, which should be returned with proof of payment of the R15 000 deposit.

It would be a pleasure to welcome you on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Reinoud Boers - fox@boers.org.za