Tashkent First Trip: The Quest for Green Leaf

On November 11, 2025, when my feet truly stepped onto the land of Uzbekistan, my heart was filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness—it was my first time traveling abroad. Tashkent, a city carrying the memories of the ancient Silk Road, was full of unknown surprises for me. When we arrived at Tashkent International Passenger Terminal, the afternoon sun was gently shining on the terminal building, with local-style patterns faintly visible on the walls. The flow of people was mixed with conversations in Russian and Uzbek, and the exotic atmosphere hit me head-on.

Standing by the road in front of the terminal, I exchanged a look with my Han Chinese companion and tacitly waved at the passing vehicles, planning to take a city taxi to a nearby hotel. Soon, a car stopped slowly. The driver was a local man with a dark complexion, his eyes showing simplicity, and he warmly opened the door when he saw us approaching. Due to the language barrier, we gestured “hotel” with our hands while squeezing out a few Russian words we had memorized in advance, trying hard but earnestly to explain our needs. The driver seemed to fully understand, nodded with a smile and signaled us to get in the car, and even took the initiative to carry our luggage into the trunk.

The car set off smoothly and drove along the roads around the terminal. Along the way, we could see many buildings with Soviet-era traces, interspersed with new-style shops. The streets were neat and orderly, and the branches and leaves of the street trees stretched out, casting dappled light on the road. The dry air occasionally wafted the aroma of food sold by street vendors, adding a touch of warmth to the unfamiliar city. More than ten minutes later, the car stopped at the entrance of a hotel with a simple appearance. We thanked the driver, paid the fare, and walked into the hotel lobby to check in. The front desk staff told us in accented English that the reserved standard room was very spacious, with a soft king-size bed inside, complete facilities and clean hygiene. The cost per night was 250000 Uzbekistani Som, which was affordable and cost-effective after conversion.

After getting the room card and entering the room, we first tidied up our luggage. I carefully opened the suitcase with the eye-catching Green Leaf Group logo—inside were 13 types of the group’s products neatly arranged, from soft and breathable women’s sanitary napkins, fragrant shampoo, mild and skin-friendly facial cleanser, to delicate cosmetics, and well-packaged health capsules. Everything was placed in order. These were the core of this business trip, bearing the responsibility of connecting with local businesses, and there was no room for carelessness.

After a short rest, we couldn’t wait to go to the local Green Leaf Supermarket to promote the connection. Walking out of the hotel to the street, at first glance, most of the passing taxis were Chevrolet brand, ranging from small hatchbacks to spacious SUVs and practical vans, with various models available, which had become a iconic scenery on the street. We stopped one casually, got in the car, and first returned to the hotel room. Taking advantage of the Internet connection, we installed Google Maps, and with the help of a translation app, we told the driver the location of the first Green Leaf Supermarket according to the store information marked on the map.

The driver skillfully controlled the car and shuttled through the streets and alleys of Tashkent. The scenery along the way kept changing. The busy sections were lined with shops, and the windows were filled with a variety of commodities. Occasionally passing through lively street corners, vendors shouted loudly, fresh fruits and vegetables, and characteristic handicrafts filled the stalls. The passing pedestrians walked at a leisurely pace, and some even cast friendly glances at us, making us gradually let go of the restraint of arriving in a new place. But when we arrived at the first Green Leaf Supermarket, the scene in front of us made our hearts sink—the rolling shutter door was tightly closed, there was no business prompt on the door, and no one answered after knocking for a long time, obviously it was not open.

We didn’t give up, and immediately searched for the location of the second store on the map, and continued to set off after communicating with the driver. We were full of expectations along the way, but when we arrived at the destination, the door was still tightly closed. Two consecutive setbacks made us inevitably anxious, and even began to worry that all local stores were closed. Just when we were at a loss, we found a contact phone number under the location information of the third Green Leaf Supermarket, like grabbing a straw of hope, and dialed the number immediately. With the help of a translation app, we carefully asked about the business status and specific location of the store. The staff on the other end of the phone was very enthusiastic. He not only told us that the store was open normally, but also described the surrounding landmark buildings in detail to facilitate our search, but reminded us that the store was a bit far away and needed to drive a longer distance.

After hanging up the phone, we quickly synchronized the information to the driver, and the car immediately turned around and drove towards the third store. The scenery along the way gradually changed from the busy urban area to the quiet residential area. The trees on both sides of the road became more dense, the branches and leaves intertwined to form shade, and the sun shone through the gaps to cast golden light spots. Occasionally, we could see children playing on the street and old people walking leisurely, and the peaceful scene was very healing. I don’t know how long we drove, the mobile phone navigation showed that the total distance had exceeded 50 kilometers. Just as we felt a little tired, the familiar Green Leaf Supermarket sign finally came into view at the corner ahead.

The car stopped slowly, and we couldn’t wait to open the door. We saw the supermarket door was open, warm lights came out from the store, and the staff was standing at the door waiting. When they saw us coming, they immediately stepped forward to greet us warmly. Looking at the open store door, thinking about traveling more than 50 kilometers all the way and experiencing the disappointment of two setbacks, all the hardships at this moment turned into full of steadiness and joy. Walking into the store, the familiar brand atmosphere came to us. We took out the product samples we brought and carefully communicated with the staff about the connection matters. The crisp sound of conversation echoed in the store, drawing a meaningful end to this first trip to Tashkent, and also filling us with confidence in this business trip.