The collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s created several independent nations in the ?soft underbelly’ of mother Russia. Thus far, these new nations have been feeling their way into a new, more commercial, reality. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan have developed significant tourism potential, and even the more easterly states of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which are in my opinion the most scenic countries in Central Asia, are proving to be welcoming of exploring visitors. This is a travel destination unlike any other and this double-sided map, covering from the Aral Sea to the Himalaya chain, is just the map to use to explore this fascinating part of our world.