hi first off from Taskent to Nukus will take you by car at least 24hrs+ including stops and thats if you can find a driver to take you. Another option is train which takes about 17.5hrs you normally arrive the next day. The other option is what i did i took a flight from Tashkent to Nukus, then stayed at Jipek Joli hotel, (which is very good for the price) i organised a tour with them as they were the cheapest i could find. I them went with the guide and stayed 1 night in a tent over night at the Aral sea, but if you only want to sea the boat cemetery then you wont need to camp over night. Once i had finished in doing the Aral sea and with Nukus, i got a driver to take me to Bukhara overnight drive. spent a day there, then got the overnight sleeper train to Tashkent, i had already visited Samarkand when i came over the border. but if you wanted you could get off at samarkand if you want to spend time there which i think is worth it. The trains in Uzbekistan are really good for the region and unlike UK trains they run on time, and some services operate high speed trains. As for the Aral sea you will need a guide and dont fall for someone in Nukus telling you they know the way. Its best to get a guide as you will experience so much more. I think it worth going to the Aral sea seeing as its only got 8yrs left before disappearing. When in Nukus there two things you should try the Karakalpakstan vodka, its cheaper here than anywhere else in Uzbekistan, and fermented camels milk called Kumys or Shubat, normally found in large plastic buckets in the market in Nukus. hope this helps, i have writen other reviews on Uzbekistan on here, but if you have other questions please ask. Dom