Where next?

I now have to make some difficult decisions. How am I going to get through central Asia? The only places I really want to go are Samarqand in Uzbekistan and the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan/Kyrgyzstan. It looks like I won't be able to get an Iranian visa so I have to either take the ferry across the Caspian Sea or fly over. I want to cycle the whole way if possible so a flight is a last resort. Here are my options:

1. Try to get Iran and Turkmenistan visas in Istanbul and cycle through Iran and Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan.
2. Get Turkmenistan visa in Istanbul and get the Caspian Sea ferry to Turkmenbashi. Need about 8 days to cross Turkmenistan from the port. Won't get a visa for more than 5 days so would have to take a train part of the way.

3. Get Kazakhstan visa in Istanbul and take ferry from Baku to Aktau in Kazakhstan. Ferry only once a week and involves crossing the desert around the Aral Sea in the middle of nowhere. Could either cross border and cycle through desert in Uzbekistan, south of the Aral Sea or go to the north and cross into Uzbekistan near Tashkent.

After researching it and contacting stantours, a travel agency, I decided on option 3. I probably won't get an Iran visa with my British passport without having to jump through a million hoops and spend a lot of money. The Turkmenistan visa takes 10 to 14 days and it's not guaranteed. So option 3 was left. I plan to cross the border at Beyneu and cycle Karalkalpakstan in North East Uzbekistan.

It's gonna be a seriously remote crossing on a dirt track but people have cycled it and its definately doable. I'll give it a go and if anything goes wrong there is a train I can take across the desert.

So gotta get visas for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Krygyzstan in Istanbul. Wish me luck!!