SHOTS: Tetanus/diphtheria, typhoid, and Hepatitis A as a minimum. If you plan to be in the south, consider chloroquine pills as a precaution against malaria.

GETTING THERE: A number of major airlines fly to Tashkent, including Lufthansa, Turkish Airways, Air India, and Pakistan International Airlines. Uzbekistan Havo Yollari (Uzbekistan Airways) connects Tashkent to over a dozen European, Middle Eastern and Asian cities. Consult your travel agent. There is a $10 US/person airport tax when leaving Tashkent Airport.

GETTING AROUND: In Tashkent, the Metro (underground) is quick, clean, and inexpensive, costing about one or two cents per trip. The bus and trolley system in Tashkent is very efficient and city maps show all the routes. If you are traveling by bus or train, take your passport and visa to the OVIR (the Uzbek version of the KGB) in the station to get your travel plans approved. Be prepared for long waits in the ticket lineups. The nicest train in the country is the Altin Wadi ("Golden Valley") which runs from Tashkent to Andijan in the Ferghana Valley.

WHERE TO STAY: Some of the larger and more prestigious hotels can cost you as much as $120 US/night for a double room. Most hotels are much cheaper. In Samarkand, try the Hotel Sayor (opposite the SUM store, near the train station) or the Hotel Saikal (on Sharaf Rashidov Street). In Bukhara, try Mubinjon’s B&B, Ichoni-Pir, Stadionya Str. 4 (phone: 011-7-36522-420-05) or Sasha & Lena’s B&B, 13 Molodioshnaya (phone: 011-7-36522-338-90). For more detailed information on accommodation, see Central Asia: The Practical Handbook, by Giles Whittell (Cadogan Books, 1993).

WHERE TO EAT: Uzbek food is tasty, but not overly spicy. There is usually an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables available in the outdoor markets, as well as meat, nuts, and dairy products. Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before eating. Many roadside stands sell shashlik (shishkebabs) or palau (rice pilaf). In general, if the food is hot, it is okay to eat. It is not customary to tip in a restaurant or a tea shop. The most authentic eating experiences can be found in the small chaikhanas (tea shops) that abound in every city in Uzbekistan. Do not drink unboiled water; tea and Coke are always available. If you are fortunate enough to be invited to join an Uzbek family for a meal, you will be offered a sumptuous spread, including palau, nan (bread), fruits, tea, and vodka.

TOURS: To arrange tours in the country, try contacting Raisa Gareyeva, 5th Microrayon, Building 9/3, Apt. 12, Bukhara 705030, Uzbekistan (phone: 011-7-36522-233-98). Maksuma Niyazova, who works in the Museum in the Ark, can give you an English-speaking tour of most of the major attractions in that city. Her address is The Ark Museum, #2 Karl Marx Street, Bukhara (phone: 011-7-36522-470-56). In Urgench, Svetlana Aminova may be able to help arrange a tour of Khiva (phone: 011-7-36222-646-58).

MONEY: In general, Uzbekistan has a "cash only" economy. Only a very few stores and hotels in Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara take credit cards. Travelers’ Checks are unknown and cannot be cashed. Although American dollars, British pounds, and German marks can be changed at most banks, the US greenback is the only money which talks in Uzbekistan. Make sure your bills are clean, not written on, too old, or too wrinkled. You can change money either at a bank (rates vary, so check around) or in the market (where a higher rate is offered, but there may be risks involved). Carry cash in a money belt; although it is not a common occurrence, beware of pickpockets, especially on public transit.

COSTS: Kebabs and tea for two in a tea shop: $1; dinner for two in a nice restaurant: $4; bus from Tashkent to Samarkand for two: $6; train from Bukhara to Ferghana for two: $5; taxi ride in a city: $1; museum entrance fee for two: $1-$2; atlas silk fabric: $1.50/meter; silk table cloth: $4. In general, prices in the bazaar are usually cheaper than they are in the stores (bazaar prices are flexible, whereas store prices are fixed), but shop around to make sure you aren’t being charged "tourist prices." In the market, it is generally acceptable to bargain before buying something. If you pay in dollars, you will pay more than you would in som.

LANGUAGE: Almost all residents of Uzbekistan speak either Russian or Uzbek. If you can speak Russian, you will be able to get around without too many problems, but if you can learn some Uzbek, you will certainly endear yourself to the Uzbeks. A few Uzbeks, mostly young people, can speak some English, since they study it in school. Currently, Uzbek is written in the Cyrillic alphabet that is used for Russian. However, like the rest of the Central Asian republics, Uzbekistan is in the process of switching over to a modified Latin script, similar to that used in Turkey. Colloquial Uzbek, a four hour cassette course, is available from Audio Forum, 96 Broad St., Guilford, Conn. 06437.

PHONES: The moral of the story with phones in Uzbekistan is "If at first you don’t succeed, try again." Phones can go dead, dial a wrong number, or give a busy signal when the number is not busy. To make a long distance call within the former USSR, first dial 8 and then wait for the dial tone. To call overseas, dial 8 followed by 10. Uzbekistan shares the same country code with the rest of the former USSR: 7. City codes within Uzbekistan are as follows: Bukhara (36522), Ferghana (3732), Urgench-Khiva (36222), Samarkand (3662), and Tashkent (3712).

WEATHER: The best times of the year are the spring and the fall, when temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold. January and February are the coldest months. June and July are unbearably hot. May and September are probably the most pleasant months of the year.

WHAT TO TAKE: suitcases, not backpacks; Central Asia: The Practical Handbook, by Giles Whittell (Cadogan Books, 1993); comfortable walking shoes; a pocket photo album (makes a great conversation starter if you get invited into an Uzbek home for a meal); disposable syringes with a note from your doctor (in case you need to go to hospital for any reason); a portable water filter and water purification tablets; voltage converter (Uzbekistan uses 220/240 volts).

WHAT TO WEAR: Dress conservatively, due to Uzbekistan’s Muslim culture. Tashkent is becoming increasingly less traditional, but tradition still rules in the countryside and some of the smaller urban centers. In Tashkent, most Western clothing is acceptable, but you should still dress modestly. Outside of Tashkent, the following guidelines should be followed: neither men nor women should wear shorts, and women should not wear skirts or dresses above the knee, pants, or sleeveless tops. Low necklines are a definite no-no everywhere in Uzbekistan. EMBASSIES: