I got on a bus headed for Tashkent, and noticed that it was mostly empty. Which was awesome. Until it drove ten minutes to a busy marketplace, where 68 people, with their turbans, and their chickens, and their music, got on until the bus was completely packed. Seeing this coming, I quickly looked at the driver, pointed at the seat next to me, and doubled my payment to him. He got it--I was buying both seats, to maintain my space. 18 seconds after I paid him, a big man plopped down in my second seat. And of course, I had no way to explain the situation to him. I thought for a second, and then resigned, defeated, and squished over to my side.