From the diplomatic bag

Another update from our man in Tashkent:

He seems to be keeping himself relatively out of mischief. He's played another football match (did I mention the one where he tackled the Israeli ambassador?), but this time with the Italians, playing against the guards. He scored a peach of a goal (it says here...) and didn't get booked. Which has left me wondering whether the rules are different out there, or something, since he ALWAYS seems to gets booked playing football back home. Particularly as his defensive strategy involves knocking over anyone who can run faster than him (i.e. everyone else on the pitch). Perhaps that is actively encouraged in "Uzbek-rules" football. Who can say?

This weekend he went to Samarkand in a taxi. It was a four hour drive, and cost a fiver (which is a scary thought - I mean, you can squander a fiver in Starbucks without even blinking). The cultural commentary I have had back from him so far indicates that it was interesting enough, but once you've seen one islamic monument, you've seen them all. Strangely, Wikipedia does not quite view it this way, and describes the Registan (pictured) in Samarkand as "One of the most awesome sights in Central Asia, if not one of the most remarkable in the world..." But perhaps I am doing him a disservice - echoey long distance phone calls not being the best medium for discussing one's aesthetic response to 17th century Madrassas.

The diplomatic bag has yielded no further updates recently, although perhaps I should quickly find time to boast about getting thirty separate 30th birthday cards from him. Presumably all purchased in the UK before his departure. I'd better start collecting now for his 40th...