Turkmenistan Trip Journal from May 21 to June 07, 2010

To return to the Turkmenistan Pictures Page 1 or Turkmenistan Pictures Page 2.

Country: Turkmenistan
Duration: May 21 to June 07, 2010
Distance Traveled in the Country:  ~ 2500 km (900km in a vehicle and 1600km on the motorcycle)
Memorable Impressions of the Country: 
To enter and travel through Turkmenistan took a bit of planning and fair amount of cash, but it was worth every minute and every penny spent. We were faced with two options. Option 1 being a Transit Visa, which did not allow for sightseeing or deviation off the main throughway. Option 2 was a Tourist Visa, which required a guide to be with us at all times outside of Ashgabat. The answer was clear, we might never be back, option 2 it was to be. Note that this is not a way we like to travel, but StanTours provided an excellent guide, who made our journey through Turkmenistan more like traveling with a friend. It also gave us the opportunity to learn a lot more about the history, culture and people, beyond what is covered in the guide books. Some key highlights were Yangykala Canyon, Dekhistan, the homestay in Nokhur, Gonur and the Darvaza Gas Crater in the Karakum Desert. The people again welcomed us with open arms and the pictures say it all. We had a wonderful time in Turkmenistan.
Gasoline Cost: approx. $0.22CDN/litre
Accommodations Cost: Unknown (included in StanTours Package)
Food & Drink Cost: Eating out around $10.00 to $15.00. 
Exchange Rate: 2.84 Manat = $1.00CDN
Border Formality Costs:
Visa: $174.00US for 20 days for both of us. Letter of Invitation required for Visa application, provided by StanTours and takes approx. two (2) weeks to process.
Motorcycle: $289.00US for both motorcycles includes vehicle disinfection, entry and transit passage, compensation of fuel cost, third party liability insurance, processing the entry permit and administration fee.
Mandatory Tourist Escort Cost (required for Tourist Visa):
Excellent Service provided by StanTours. $3,380.00US, which includes the Uzbekistan Visa LOI, Immigration & Customs support at borders, additional day in Dekhistan and our extended hotel stay in Ashgabat. 18 days in Turkmenistan not including dinners at hotel stays, tour guide tip, gasoline and $463.00 for Visa & Motorcycle Fuel Tax/ Insurance.

May 21, 2010. We were still anchored off shore rocking slightly back and forth. A shower helped to freshen us up and then we waited and waited. The crew was relaxing, hanging out, fishing and listening to Russian music, the same song over and over. Walking around the ship a few crew members let me onto the deserted bridge and I could pretend to be the captain on the steering wheel. With limited English spoken, all we could find out was maybe today maybe tomorrow we would be able to make landfall. A few hours later, sitting in our comfortable cabin we suddenly can hear a rumble, is that really the engine kicking in? It is 12pm, 25 hours after we dropped anchor 5km off shore from the Turkmenbashi port. In minutes we start to move and an hour later maneuvered skillfully into position and tied up to the dock. We unstrapped the motorcycles, only to be called back to the crew dinning room. Turkmenistan Customs and Border Officials had boarded and were reviewing the passports and bill of lading. After handing over the Turkmenistan Letter of Invitation, we are told to wait with the motorcycles. A trucker moved his load and the tie-downs for the train carriages were removed. Now we were able to ride the motorcycles off the ship. A military officer points to an area to park the motorcycles and we entered an air-conditioned building with several offices and a baggage scanning machine in the center of the room. Everyone is lined up at the first window. We had not yet received back our passports. As we get to our turn in the que, we see our passports sitting on his desk. We explain to him that we require a Visa and that we are with StanTours. Handing him a piece of paper with Oleg's (StanTour's Guide) number on it. He Pulls out his cell phone and after a short conversation advises us that our guide is on his way over. Oleg arrives at 2:30pm, the immigration office was deserted. Oleg apologized for being late, his vehicle was in the garage, the taxi took it's sweet time. He had not expected us until the next day, as when he had called earlier he was advised that there was another six (6) ships ahead of us and we would not dock until May 22. We had been lucky, as we found out later, another guest on the ship had some type of higher status and pulled a favour for the ship to move ahead of everyone else. A bit flustered, Oleg started the ball rolling only to find out that immigration was inspecting another ship and we waited another half an hour. The immigration officer returns and Oleg shakes hands with him. A conversation in Russian occurs and we can feel Oleg's frustration. At any other entry border point getting a Visa with a Letter of Invitation takes 15 minutes. Except here. Oleg explains that copies of the Visa are not kept at this office, but down town Turkmenbashi and that the person in charge of the Visas is difficult to reach. History repeats itself and we are told that his vehicle is broken down and he is unable to make it to the port. After further discussions with the immigration officer, Oleg is handed a black briefcase. He tells us to hold tight as he takes a taxi downtown with our passports to get the Visa's. We realize, that Oleg has a very good rapport with the immigration and custom officers, as they trust him with the documents. By 4:30pm our passports complete with Visa are back at the immigration office. While the information is entered into the computer we pay $174.00US for two (2) Visa's and administration fee at the Cashier's window. A hand written receipt complete with time is issued for each transaction. Meanwhile Oleg completes our Customs Declaration forms in English and Russian and disappears to pay some other outstanding item, like the bridge ticket etc. Presenting the receipt for the Visa we receive an entry stamp. At 5pm we proceed to customs. Our motorcycle registration are required and three (3) guys help each other to fill out the motorcycle insurance paperwork. The insurance is made out from May 21 to June 04 for 15 days. We explain that we would be in the country until June 07, but they were unable to accommodate it and advised Oleg that we would have to pay at the exit a penalty. Oleg was not too concerned. We returned to the cashier window to pay another $209.00US for vehicle disinfection, entry and transit passage, compensation of fuel cost, third party liability insurance, processing the entry permit and administration fee. Next is the final sign off from customs, we move from one office to another receiving stamps. With all the paperwork complete we return outside to the motorcycles and for the luggage search/inspection. It seems everyone has gathered to watch us leave. Oleg is able to convince customs not to worry about in depth search of our baggage and at 6:30pm we pull out of the port following Oleg in a taxi through Turkmenbashi to our hotel. We are staying at the Hotel Turkmenbashi. Under normal circumstances we would not be staying at a fancy place like the Hotel Turkmenbashi, but we had arranged for the mandatory tourist escort through Turkmenistan through StanTours. Travelers have two (2) options to pass through Turkmenistan. Option 1 is to apply for a normally 3-day transit Visa. Or Option 2 apply for a Tourist Visa, which requires a Letter of Invitation approved by Immigration and normally allows for a 20 to 22 day Tourist Visa. With a Tourist Visa, an escort/guide is required anywhere outside of Ashgabat. The only option for us is the escort/guide as we want to see the countries culture and historical sites. With a transit Visa you are not allowed to deviate off the main throughway. Our original itinerary had been for 13 days in Turkmenistan, but due to the Azerbaijan 3-day motorcycle limitation we had extended our stay in Ashgabat and additional (5) days, as we could not enter Uzbekistan until June 07, 2010. The hotel is located overlooking the Caspian Sea and our room is on the second floor. Oleg drops us off and goes to the garage to get his Toyota Forerunner, we meet at 8pm in the lobby and have dinner in the restaurant.

May 22, 2010. After breakfast we hit the local market. A colorful, bussling covered marked, where everything is available from fruit, vegetables, fresh meat, nuts to car parts. Our guide changes $200.00US for us into the local currency with a guy at the market, then he goes off and purchases some groceries for our overnight camping trip into the canyon, while we purchase lots of water and some trail mix. Thinking that I was still fighting spring allergies, we realize that I had caught a cold. Stocked up with lots of Kleenex and pumped full of flue and cold medication, we hit the road. We start our journey east toward the Yangykala Canyon, but first we have to stop at a gas station as we were completely empty. Pending on speed we normally get around 300 to 400km on a 20 Litre tank. There is no functioning gas station for 340km and not to cut it too close we planned to fill up the (2) 5 litre fuel canisters. One of (many) Turkmenistan's querky rules as we find out is that gas stations are not allowed to fill gas/fuel canisters or they loose their job. En-route to the gas station we are waved down by another vehicle, as we can not stop without the escort stopping, we tell him to meet us at the gas station. It turns out he is a Canadian from Edmonton working in the Oil & Gas Industry in Turkmenistan. Not often do we met other fellow Canadians in places (off the beaten path) and it is always an exciting encounter. Gas stations in Turkmenistan are far and between. If you find one they have 6 to 8 pumps, but only 1 or 2 in service. Gasoline used to be $0.02/litre (that is not a typo). Then a couple of years ago they increased it to $0.22/litre for 95 Octane gasoline. To avoid a upheaval, the ruler of Turkmenistan issues a coupon every 6 months for 600 litres of free gasoline per car owner. Turkmenistan is rich in natural gas resources. Natural gas is free for all Turkmenistan residents, which means no conservation. Households never turn off their gas stove or hot water heater. The benefit of course is that you always have hot tea available, as numerous pots are simmering away on the open flame. It is hard to comprehend that type of waste. The remainder of the gas is sold to Iran and Russia, making Turkmenistan quite a rich country. A similar concept exists with the supply of electricity, generated 20% by natural gas turbines and 80% by hydro turbines. It is extremely cheap, which explains why all the new buildings, parks and roads are brightly lit during the night. With no conservation of electricity, meaning keeping the air-conditioning running 24/7 and lights on, the average household pays around $8.00/year (no typo yet again). The old style Russian Apartment blocks are covered in Satellite dishes. A small dish is around $250.00 to install and gets approximately 600 channels with no monthly fees. At the gas station we fuel up and the total litres the motorcycles took was almost 41 litres, probably the emptiest they have ever been. The bill came to $9.00 for 95 Octane gasoline. We are ready to hit the road. Outside of Turkmenbashi by the ferry port the first check point whistles at us to stop. Oleg has a discussion with the officer and has to fill out some paperwork. Shortly after leaving Turkmenbashi and the Caspian Sea behind, we turn off the main road onto a still paved single lane road toward Yangykala Canyon. There are almost no road or sightseeing signs. Without the help of a guide some of these places due to their remoteness we would have never found. Even with a GPS coordinates, in the desert there are hundreds of trails going off into different directions and it is easy to get lost. The landscape gets more desolate as we continue. The last 60km of the road is pretty destroyed by potholes, not bad on a motorcycle to maneuver around, but poor Oleg's Toyota had to take some major hits. Some sanddunes had now made their way across the road. A meter of soft sand slowed us down a couple of times. Not a problem for the Toyota, but I get completely stuck and Mike has to come to rescue. A bit of fun reminding us of Africa. Finally we start to reach our destination, our first glimpse as we descend into a valley, the colors change, a canyon opens up in front of us. White, pink and brown layers make a stunning backdrop to the blue sky. After another 20km we turn off the road onto a trail and follow the canyon escarpments for about 5km. The narrowest part to cross with a huge drop off on both sides is only 20m wide. Oleg stops at all the right places for amazing pictures. We are lucky and have only a slight breeze, which makes for a pleasant camping spot on top of the canyon. It is hard to explain, unless you have been in a similar situation. There has been only a few camping spots to this point that really drive home how incredible lucky we have been to experience a spot like this without another human being for miles and miles. This canyon should be on everyone's itinerary when visiting Turkmenistan. It might be a out of the way location, but really worth the effort, especially when rewarded with calm winds and blue skies. StanTours provides tents and sleeping bags, but we prefer to use our own. We set up the tent only meters from the canyon drop-off. The canyon walls are actually quite brittle and large chunks can easily separate and plunge to the depth below. While Oleg gets busy preparing the fire and supper, we pack our camelbags and descend into the canyon. There is no trail, and after a few errors we made it to the bottom of the canyon. Oleg had mentioned to watch out for shark teeth, which can occasionally be found, as this area used to be covered by the sea. Looking at the formations and along the different color layers, we strike gold or better a shark tooth. They are actually pretty hard to find. Happily we return to the camp and confirm our find with Oleg. He also points out all the petrified shells covering the ground. For dinner we have chicken not barbequed on the fire, but slowly cooked over the coals without touching the flame, the Turkmenistan way. Fresh bread and salad make up the meal. Beer and Vodka flows freely as we celebrate Oleg's birthday. Followed by tea. Tea is prepared of course the Turkmenistan way. A kettle is placed into the fire, once the water boils, the tea leaves are added. Three cups are poured and each dumped back into the kettel, then the tea is ready to be served. Not used to all the alcohol, we watched the sunset and soon were ready for bed. Our first night in the tent on this trip.

May 23, 2010. Sitting cross-legged on a Turkmenistan carpet around the table, having our breakfast, Oleg gives some more insight to Turkmenistan superstitions. The cushion he is sitting on has several strings, which are supposed to represents snakes warding off any danger. The motives on the carpet depict the design of goat horns and snakes, which both help to protect you. We pack up our gear and head to Balkanabat through the Balkan Mountains. Just before we return to the main highway, Oleg pulls over to clean his truck. All vehicles in Turkmenistan have to be clean or you will be fined. After that we noticed the clean cars and people pulled over on the side of the road polishing away before entering the any main highway or major settlement. As we enter Balkanabat, we stop for a picture at the Monument to the Desert Explorer and then onwards to the Hotel Nebitchi. Another very nice place and normally out of our price range, but Balkanabat has not much for accommodations. The benefit of the hotel is that it has the registration office located right beside the reception. All tourists must be registered within 3-days upon arrival. We relax in the room and clean up. In the evening we meet up with Oleg for supper in the hotel restaurant, were we are introduced to Russian Salad, which we really like.

May 24, 2010. The registration office does not open until 9am. Our passports and two passport size pictures each are required for registration. During supper the previous night we had changed the itinerary and added a visit to Dekhistan, which meant one less day in Ashgabat and a bit more money. Luckily StanTours is flexible. As the motorcycles can not deviate from the route indicated when we entered Turkmenistan, we leave them parked at the hotel and jump in with Oleg. The new plan was to visit Dekhistan, which would be around four (4) hours of driving (return) and a couple of hours visiting the site. Then we would ride another three (3) hours to Parau Bibi. We were registered just after 10am and ready to go south toward Dekhistan. Speed limits are strictly enforced. Only a few kilometers outside of Balkanabat we are pulled over by police. Wondering why, as our GPS indicated that we had been below the posted speed limit. Oleg explains after paying a fee that he had flashed his head lights in warning of a speed trap to approaching traffic, which is not allowed in Turkmenistan. The goal is not to slow down traffic, but collect tax money. Luckily fines are not steep and, of course, negotiable. After Gumdag the road gets rougher. Camels can be seen left and right and even on the highway. We pass through salt flats, where iodine is being harvested, followed by a sea of oil pump jacks. The only other traffic on the road are truckers from Iran. After 1 1/2 hrs we turn off road and fly across the flat takyr (clay) landscape. It is a harsh environment, sanddunes and sweltering heat. There are tracks everywhere in the sand, Oleg is not using a compass or GPS, and finds his way via experience. After another 40km we can make out the minarets of Dekhistan, like a mirage, distorted by the flickering heat hovering above the desert floor. Our first stop is 7km north of Dekhistan at the ancient cemetery. The ruins of five (5) mausoleums can be seen. In the early 20th century there were 12 mausoleums, but during Russian occupation those were destroyed. The Shir-Kabir Mosque-Mausoleum, is said to be the oldest mosque in Turkmenistan, has been rebuilt/restored. Recent excavation has uncovered the base of a minaret. Excavation at this cemetery and at Dekhistan are an on and off going process. The cemetery has gravestones in the shape of ram horns and a cup is placed at the top to collect water so that the soul of the person in the grave does not go thirty. Driving across the flats toward Dekhistan (also known as Misrian). The ancient 11th century silk road oasis city is surrounded by a now crumbling barely recognizable city wall with numerous towers. Fired bricks had been used in the construction, but after the abandonment of the city in the 15th century due to lack of water and other natural resources, the city fell into ruins. All that is left inside the walls are a couple of towering minarets and the entrance portal of a mosque. Excavation surrounding the mosque and minarets show the outlining walls of residential houses. The grounds are littered with broken ceramics pieces from ancient pottery. Only a small portion of this old city has been excavated and who knows what lies below the sand and dirt. Climbing to the top of one of the minarets gives a 360 Degree view of the desolate surroundings. It is hard to believe that anyone ever lived here. Temperatures are getting unbearable and even the air conditioning can barely keep up in the Toyota. The windows are hot to the touch. We return to Balkanabat after 4pm. The sky is getting swallowed by a approaching sand storm. While we gear up, Oleg hits the market for some dinner ingredients. We leave Balkanabat around 5pm and the storm has hit. At times we are barely able to make out the road as the sand blows straight across. After an hour of a massive side wind we are lucky to have the wind shift to the tail. To our surprise the main highway is in very poor shape. It takes us three (3) hours (190kms) to reach Parau Bibi located at the foot of the Kopet Dag Mountain Range. At this point we were now ahead of the storm, but it was approaching fast. The mausoleum of Parau Bibi is a pilgrimage place. At the base of the shrine, permanent pilgrimage tents/housing, complete with primitive squat toilets and open-air kitchen, has been set up. This is our home for one (1) night. Carpets are piled up high in each covered area, the grounds are spotless. We pull several carpets and lay them out on the ground. Only about 30 pilgrims are present, which even surprises Oleg. Fewer pilgrims means a quieter night for us, we are not complaining. It is 8pm and Oleg is preparing Chili at the communal kitchen. Mike takes a rest on the carpet and I make friends with the other pilgrims. The shrine is mainly visited by women, as it is said to improve fertility. The women showed me how they prepared plov, a dish consisting of rice, meat and carrots, a typical central Asia dish. I was bombarded by questions, not much English was spoken, but we were able to communicate via sign language. The laughter and instant friendship was caught on camera, as a local girl took a picture of us with our camera. Dinner was ready by 9pm and we sat cross legged around our little table eating delicious chili. Suddenly we were approached by one of the women I had spoken to earlier. She had a bowl of plov for us. Our first taste of the dish. Homemade, it could not get any better. We were all pretty beat. The storm finally caught up with us. Huge wind gusts would cover us in sand. The electricity lines would touch and display scary lightening shows. We had laid out our thermorests and crawled into our sleeping bag. There was no getting away from the dirt and dust. The gusts continued for another couple of hours, followed by dead calm. Every part of our bodies had sand it.

May 25, 2010. We awake at the first rays of daylight around 5am. At 6am someone's car stereo is playing loudly traditional Turkmenistan music. People start to move around, Oleg is bundled up in his sleeping bag not far away from us with a touque pulled over his eyes. We cleaned up our site and have some breakfast, after which we visited the still active karyz irrigation canals. These canals are unique to Central Asia. Only a few active ones remain. The canals can easily be spotted once you know what to look for. Every 50 to 100m in a line a mound of dirt can be seen. The mound of dirt is the opening to the underground irrigation system. Each hole is approx. 5-10m deep and connects to the horizontal water channel. The vertical holes were required to access the water channel below for cleaning. We proceed to the base of the shrine. 269 steps lead to the Parau Bibi Mausoleum, tucked into the hillside. We watch as women climb the rocks around the mausoleum and rub/place their backside into the niches of the hill. This is supposed to improve your fertility. We return to the main highway and after 150km turn toward the mountain range. As we start climbing, the pavement ends and a fairly good gravel road winds its way to Nokhur. A small village, very close to the Iranian border, located in the Kopet Dag (Mountain Range), allows us to experience the rural life. We stay with a local family. Gaib and Enebai welcome us with open arms. A traditional mountain house, our room reminds us instantly of our time in Yemen. A large room covered in colorful red carpets and cushions with pillows for a bed. A very generous snack is prepared outside under the shade of some grape vines. Being at the higher elevation, temperatures are pleasant. The snack consists of peanuts, chocolate bars, bread and a homemade pickled salad, accompied by tea. Refueled, we jump in with Oleg and his Toyota to explore more of the village and its surrounding mountains. The village streets are narrow and the houses are surrounded by high mud brick walls. In the centre of the village, Oleg shows us a traditional Turkmenistan House and outlines the method of construction. Close by are the remains of a yurt manufacturing place. A yurt stay was still coming up somewhere in Tajikistan. Meanwhile Oleg demonstrates how sticks were bent by placing them in a stone form and then placed in an oven for hardening. Each stick for the roof of the yurt is handmade. He also explained that Tulips originated from the Kopet Dag Mountain Range and later were introduced to Turkey and eventually the Holland via the silk route. On the outskirts of Nokhur lies a unique cemetery. At this cemetery each grave, has a wooden vertical post (acting as a gravestone) with a horn of a mountain goat strapped to it. The wooden post has steps carved into the sides to help the souls/spirits step up toward heaven. Beyond the cemetery is Qyz Bibi, another pilgrimage shrine. A huge tree is covered with pieces of clothing and configurations of baby cradles made out of fabric. Similar to Parau, pilgrimages visit this site to pray/wish for healthy children. The Nokhur inhabitants are a unique tribe and Nokhur the main (largest) village of numerous other ones dotted in the surrounding mountains. We continue on a dirt road to gain elevation to a view point on top of the mountain range. At around 1700m (as per Mike's watch) we reach a look out point, which gives us a view of the vast steppe below. Another detour takes us to a remote waterfall. Oleg turns over rocks to expose scorpions, reminding us to watch out for the dangers of our environment. After a relaxing time at the waterfall we return to the homestay. We are too beat to bother with a shower. The bathroom, though primitive, is deluxe. Several open natural gas flames from a pipe continuously boils the water in the vertical vessel and at the same time heats up the room. The toilet is two (2) houses down the road and consist of a 2x2m tiny outhouse with two (2) holes in the ground. It is always kept clean and shared with the family. We take dinner outside again. The amount of food served is staggering. A whole army could be fed. While Enebai serves Plov, salad, bread, peanuts, chocolate, her husband Gaib joins us for dinner. To drink we have tea and fresh sour yogurt milk. Oleg provides the Vodka. We hit the bed at 8pm and Gaib laughingly makes fun of us by saying that not even the chickens go to bed that early.

May 26, 2010. Another huge feast awaits us for breakfast. This time the main dish is potatoes covered by fried eggs. The drink provided beside tea is a huge bowl of warm fresh milk. All dairy products, like butter, cheese and milk are produced right at their home. It does not get any fresher then that. Oleg realizes our interest in local culture and people and proposes to take a stroll to the neighboring house. We enter a private home, a 2 year old boy sits cross legged on a carpet stuffing his face with breakfast. Kids are sleeping on the floor and in the back room a women illustrates to us the use of a loom to produce silk scarfs. We are able to purchase a silk scarf for $15.00, which served two purposes, supported the locals and made for some very happy women, who normally do not earn any money. Back at the home stay Enebai pulls me to the side and gives me two pairs of socks in gratitude. Refusing a gift would be rude, therefore we accept. It is always the same all over the world. The poorest people give everything. Then she provides some local dresses and head scarf for me to put on and ask for a picture to be taken with her and I. At first we could not get her to smile, but then a bright smile showing her gold covered teeth. From here it is back to the river valleyand the heat. Our first destination is the Murche Ruins. All that remains of the original village of Murche is some mud brick walls. During Russian occupation the people where relocated into alternative housing a kilometer down the road. A significant building remains dating from the 15th century, which is a square roomed mosque. Typical to a mosque at the time in Turkmenistan. Mosques did not come with domes and minarets. A niche facing Mecca is the only reminder that it is a mosque. The roof is supported by wooden columns with capitals in the form of goat horns. Close by is the reconstructed Zenni Baba Mausoleum, a place of worship for people with domestic goats and cows. We continue onwards to Row Ata Underground Lake. Originally not recommended by StanTours as the entrance fee is quite steep at 40 Manat ($14.00)/person, but well worth it. There are not many places in the world where you can access a underground lake located 65m below the cave like entrance point within a mountain. Beside the never ending stairway descending into darkness the underground lake has been left natural. Beside its unique location and accessibility the lakes temperature is a pleasant 27Degree Celsius. No showers exist, only a couple of primitive change rooms. It is a bit spooky/weird as you start swimming deeper into the underworld. The cave lake is not lit and therefore it does make your mind question what lies below and ahead. Creatures of the unknown. It was hard to capture on the little waterproof digital camera as the lighting was too low. Smelling of sulphur or as we say rotten eggs, we continue toward Ashgabat. Just off the main highway in Geok-Depe at the Turkmen's last stand against Russia, now stands the very large, empty Saparmurat Hajji Mosque. One might find 40 muslims on a Friday inside the prayer hall, otherwise it is deserted. The muslim population of Turkmenistan believes that prayers can be held at home or outside and often choose to pray in other holy places instead of a mosque. Turkmenistan original religion is Zoroastrian. But over time of history, Christians, Buddhists and Muslim all have spread their religion. To no surprise to us, the largest mosque in Central Asia was built by President Niyazov (or President Turkmenbashi as he liked to be referred to) is called the Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque. The structure and inscriptions do not conform to any normal mosque. Yet again the huge prayer hall is deserted. The most disturbing aspect is that the inscriptions are in Roman letters (not arabic) and indicate that Ruhnama is a holy book, beside the Quran. The Ruhnama book was written and published by President Turkmenbashi. Even the oversized minarets have inscriptions from the Ruhnama book in Roman letters. Beside the mosque is his grand mausoleum, located on the exact spot that his mother and brother were killed in the 1948 earthquake. Oleg gives as a tour through downtown Ashgabat en-route to our hotel. Ashgabat was almost completely destroyed in the 1948 earthquake. The current and former ruler have made it their mission to rebuild the entire city with palaces, huge golden statues and white marble highrises. It is like driving through a deserted movie set, a facade with nothing behind it. The apartment blocks that line the perfect manicured super highways, 3-lanes wide in one direction are barren of people and vehicles. There seems to be no rush hour. During the early morning hours hundreds of women are on the streets with brooms cleaning away. The city is spotless. A police officer stands at every corner, pulling vehicles over at random, checking for registration etc. money seems to be no object, as construction of more white marble highrises continue to pop up everywhere. All buildings are constructed by a French contractor. A lifeless city. Most tourists are located in the Berzengi district. Approximately 20 hotels in a row are along the main road. Hotels are only two (2) storey high and have maybe 20 rooms. Entrances are all grand, but beyond the facade the places are falling apart. It is a 10 minute ride to downtown. We are staying at the Hotel Aziya. It could do with a swimming pool. The rooms are large and come with a TV. The biggest drawback is the location of the hotels. The closest grocery store is a 5 minute drive. No restaurants or kiosks exists along the strip. On the main floor of our hotel is a Chinese food only restaurant and unfortunately, through very good, the food is expensive for Turkmenistan standards. Oleg drops us of at the hotel and this is were our tour escort ends for the next five (5) days. No tourist escort is required within Ashgabat. Oleg promised to touch base with us in regards to Tour payment and helping us to find a garage where we could change the oil of the motorcycles. After a shower we ride to the Yimpas Shopping Centre. A Turkish run franchise. This 3-storey building has a well-stocked grocery store on the main floor. The shelfs are always fully filled with labels facing towards you. The second floor consists of various clothing stores and the top level has a internet cafe and several food outlets. A money exchange booth is conveniently located at the entrance of the grocery store. There is a continues line of people exchanging mainly crisp $100.00US bills to Manat. Most people must be paid in US Dollars. In 2009 Turkmenistan came out with new bills and coins. 5000 old Manat equals 1 new Manat. The exchange rate does not vary on the black market or at the bank and $1.00US is 2.84Manat. This shopping mall is a one-stop get it all place. The Turkish restaurant on the top level has excellent service and provides a wide range of Turkish and other dishes for cheap. On average we would spent 30 to 40 Manat ($10 to $15) for dinner.

May 27, 2010. We receive a call from Antonnia (StanTours) at around 9am to arrange for payment of the Tour and advise us that Oleg would be taking us to his garage shop to change the oil. At 10:30am Antonnia met us at the hotel lobby. The bill came to $3,880.00US, which includes the Uzbekistan Visa LOI, Visa & Customs support at borders, additional day in Dekhistan and our extended hotel stay in Ashgabat. 18 days in Turkmenistan not including dinners at hotel stays, tour guide tip, gasoline and $463.00 for Immigration & Motorcycle Fuel Tax/ Insurance. We received a $500.00 credit later has a couple of Dutch travelers joined us for the second half of our Turkmenistan Tour. The amount can only be paid in cash. ATM machines do not exist in Turkmenistan. A couple of banks in Ashgabat allow cash withdrawals on Visa and Mastercard but charge a 3 to 4% commission. We would have to wait until Tashkent in Uzbekistan, one month down the road to restock on US Dollars. At 12:30pm Oleg picked us up and showed us where to buy eight (8) litres of Mobil 5 - 40 Fully Synthetic oil for 220 Manat ($77.50). In a back alley a garage is located. All work stops on other vehicles as we pull up. Our motorcycles are first priority. Mike get's out the special BMW tools to remove the filter and open the oil refill cap. An eager young mechanic copies each movement of Mike and changes the oil and filter on my motorcycle. The whole procedure only took about 10 minutes and they even disposed of the old oil. When we asked skolka sto-it (Russian for How much does it cost)? They did not want any money and we got the feeling that they were more honored that we choose their garage for service. We said good-bye to Oleg, and after some groceries at the Yimpas Shopping Centre, enjoyed the air conditioned room with the flat screen TV, giving us a choice of eight (8) channels, all Russian or Turkmen. We got hooked on the Russian Music Channel. Every music video must have a half naked pretty girl and some type of disco sound. The French open Tennis and Formula 1 is also broadcasted on a Russian Sports Channel. All of this keeps us well amused.

May 28, 2010. Not far outside of Ashgabat lies the ruins of the 3rd century BC Parthian capital Nissa. Even with GPS Coordinates it took us several attempts to find the entrance. We ended up entering via the archeological dig access road. Parked in the midst of the now crumbled Fortress walls, we find the official site entrance, which leads via steps to a paved parking lot. At the same time as we arrive a group of German Tourists enter. In the parking lot the famous "Das rollende Hotel" is parked. We have run into this overland tour company on every trip. Alaska, twice in Egypt and now in Turkmenistan. With no official ticket booth we are approached by a person requesting 26 Manat ($9.15) for both of us including the use of the camera. Nissa, was mainly built out of mud-bricks and fallen to the same fate as many of the other ancient sites, erosion via rain & wind has leveled most of the houses, fortress walls and towers. In addition once these sites are excavated and exposed to the elements it speeds up the decay if no proper preservation measures are implemented immediately. All artifacts found during the excavation are now displayed at the National Museum in Ashgabat. On June 04 we visited the museum and were surprised to see the extent of artifacts that where unearthed at Old Nissa. One being rhytons-horn shaped vessels of carved ivory painfully restored to preserve them. Back at the actual Nissa site excavation is still on-going, some of the buildings have been rebuilt to preserve them. A look out platform gives a few of the surrounding area including the Walk of Health staircase. A truly amazing 37km of concrete path/stairway winding its way up and down along the Kopet Dag Mountains. Every few hundred meters a Gazebo style building provides cover from the sun and great vantage points. Small trees line both sides of the pathway. (2) massive empty ring roads encompass Ashgabat. 1000's of trees have been planted all the way from Ashgabat to the base of the Kopet Dag Mountains complete with irrigation. It is going to require a continues effort to maintain the water supply to the trees, as it is a desert looking landscape. Before the heat gets to overbearing we return to the hotel. At 7pm, an hour before sunset, we stroll over to the Independence Park to take pictures of the Monument to the Independence of Turkmenistan, a huge plunger looking monument. The base is guarded 24/7 as are so many other important buildings/monuments. The park is very large, but to get from one end to the other we have to walk along the presidential highway as portions are partitioned off from the public to hide old fountains and structures which probably do not meet current standards. After an hour walk from the hotel we reach the northern end of the park and with that the Altyn Asyr Shopping Centre, which is located within a pyramid shaped fountain (one of the largest in the world). By the time we reach the pyramid the sun has set and the entire fountain runs through a sequence of lights. Inside the staircase is roped off and only the 5th floor is accessible via elevator. The Minara restaurant is located at this level. The restaurant has a wide range of items to choose from, including some rather contradictory items like animal brains. Not sure if it is a translation error. It is Friday night and there is only another local couple present. The food is good, but the plov took forever. Walking back to the hotel we take pictures of the brand new white marble apartment buildings, equal distance spaced along the presidential highway. Each building is lit up. Even the overpasses change colors. As we never see any people around these buildings, we are able to see rooms lit up on certain levels, indicating that maybe people actually do live here.

May 29 & 31, 2010. Rest days. Did laundry and attempted to upload Azerbaijan to our website. Unfortunately, Turkmenistan is extremely restrictive in regards to internet. Most hotels have no internet and if they do it is restricted and monitored. No wi-fi either. The couple of internet cafes in Ashgabat do not allow personal laptops to be hooked up. Which normally is no issue, as we just require a FTP program to update our website. All the work for the website is now completed in the comforts of our hotel room. Pending on how many pictures we upload we normally require 1 to 2 hours at the internet cafe. In Turkmenistan the internet cafe do not allow FTP uploads. We downloaded Cute FTP, but could not install it on the internet cafe computer. Back at the hotel we receive a call from a man in the lobby, who turns out to be another Canadian form Calgary working in Turkmenistan, in charge of the Wintershall oil and gas company. He had noticed the Canadian Flags on the motorcycles. We met both him and Marina in the lobby and joined them for tea at their office located only a couple of buildings from our hotel. Yet again we were able to access our website, but not use the FTP software. It is amazing to again run into another Canadian.

May 30, 2010. On Sundays the Tolkuchka Bazaar, located about 8km north of Ashgabat, is the most impressive. Indicated as the largest market in Central Asia, we had to see it in person, to be able to compare it to some of the other markets, souqs or bazaars we had been to before. Instead of taking the motorcycles, we decided to take public transportation. In Turkmenistan official taxis do not exist, however every vehicle on the road is a taxi. Meaning anywhere, city or in the rural, you can flag down a vehicle. The cost of transportation depends on the distance to be traveled. In Ashgabat 5 Manat ($1.76) takes you downtown from Berzengi. The system works very well and even if that person stopping had not planned to go in the direction you want to go they will detour. Flagging down a vehicle is normally easy, except at 8am on a Sunday morning in the Berzengi area. The receptionist tried calling numerous "Taxis", but no one is picking up their cell phone. The security guy stands at the road to help us flag down a vehicle, but the roads are totally deserted. After 15 minutes he loads us into his Lada and takes us to the bus station. Another quirky thing found in Turkmenistan is that the rear driver door is always locked and the rear seats can only be accessed via the passenger door side. At the bus station, our hotel security guy deposits us into a very rough looking bus and advises one of the passengers to let us know when we reach the Tolkuchka Bazaar. The fare is 1 Manat ($0.35)/person and seems to be a honour system. The ride took about 1/2 hour, sometimes we questioned if the bus would make it. Every 50m we would stop and let more people onto it. It seemed everyone was going to the same place. We arrive after 9am and the bazaar is in full swing. At first we tried to keep track of the direction we were walking, but we soon realized that it was hopeless. It is truly enormous and covers a huge area. Sections are covered by make shift tarps to allow for some shade. After a couple of hours of aimlessly walking around the temperature was becoming unbearable. The amount of merchandize for sale in unexplainable until seen in person. Anything your heart desires, the usual vegetables, fruit, nuts to carpets, house building supplies and goats and camels. It is a place to have experienced. Instead of taking the bus back, we get into a vehicle, who drives us across Ashgabat to our hotel.

June 01, 2010. 4:45am, part two of our escorted tour by StanTours begins. Only equipped with our camelbags, camera, the laptop and a small bag we are picked up by Antonnia. The remainder of our gear is stored under the reception table and the motorcycles remain in the parking lot. Antonnia takes us to the International Airport where we hook up with Oleg and a Dutch couple, Michiel and Michelle. We are taking the 6:15am 40 minute flight to Mary, which only costs $15.00/person (yet again this is not a typing error). It is cheaper and faster to fly. It takes six (6) hours to drive from Ashgabat to Mary due to poor road conditions, as we will experience on our way back. Once we have passed through security, we are loaded on a bus and driven to the Air Turkmenistan Airplane. After seating the staircase pulls away and the door closes, then the airplane engine dies and no air conditioning. After 10 minutes we are advised of a technical problem. The air is growing more stail and hotter by the minute. After one (1) hour in the closed airplane, people are close to passing out. It is insane. Suddenly the staircase attaches again, a fully loaded bus arrives and more people are loaded onto the airplane. Technical problem, yeah right. Finally at 7:30am the plane engines start again and with that the air conditioning. One can feel the relief. We land after 8am in Mary without another hitch. Walking from the plane to the terminal, another Russian cargo plane is taking off. The engines are roaring at full throttle, but the plane is stationary, whirling up a huge dust cloud. It is great to watch, finally it thunders down the runway and takes off. A van and driver is waiting outside. We travel to the ancient site of Merv, straight from the airport. Merv, queen of the world, an ancient city on the silk road, is one of Turkmenistan's key sights to visit. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1999. You get a better appreciation after visiting the National Museum in Ashgabat to see how much has disappeared over the last 100years of erosion at Merv. The museum displays pictures of Merv at the turn of the 19th century. Little remains of those structures shown, due to its exposure to the environment. The sites to visit are scattered over several square kilometers. A vehicle to get around was definitely beneficial. Our first stop was the small Margush Archaeological Museum at the ticket booth, it also displays some information regarding Gonur, a place we would visit the following day. We were able to check out the Mausoleum of Mohammed ibn Zeid. Pilgrimages are present at the shrine. A very old man sits on a carpet, and we are able to take a picture of him. The only pictures of Merv that can be easily found on the internet are of the Shahriyar Ark (Citadel of Sultan Kala). The huge mud walls are slowly becoming one with its surroundings, as layers and layers of mud are washed away by rain and wind. Oleg explains each site well. We continue onwards to the Mausoleums of two (2) Askhab and then climb on top of the remaining ramparts of the ancient fortress. A portion of the fortress wall has been excavated and shows the addition of newer walls onto existing walls over time. The restored Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjor is the most complete structure. The original structure before restoration did look more authentic. The Ice Houses, a first for us, but also common in Iran, are quite interesting. The circular domed type building is a huge freezer built during the Timurid era. Ice could be kept frozen for up to two (2) years within this structure. It takes us approximate 2 1/2 hours to see the most important aspects of Merv. In Mary, we visit the new Museum, admission is $5.00US/person plus some outrageous fee for the camera. A large area on the main floor of the museum is dedicated to the current ruler of Turkmenistan, depicting him doing various activities, like riding a bicycle, riding a horse, flying a fighter jet, driving a race car, hanging out in a yurt and even in his former job uniform as a dentist. The propaganda is way over the top and almost embarrassing. We are taken a back to why we are visiting this type of museum until we reach the second floor which displays priceless artifacts from the excavation of Merv and Gonur. From our understanding the old Merv Museum was much better organized.

June 02, 2010. Another early start, we are picked up at 5:30am from the hotel by a Russian VW look-a-like vehicle. This is an amazing machine and seems to go everywhere, it has huge clearance. We meet our guide for Gonur, Yevgenia Golubeva. Her expertise of the Gonur site made this excursion priceless. She speaks English well and provides endless information about the history, theories and recent excavations. Before leaving Mary we hook up with another tourist vehicle, a German Michael and Russian Vladislav. It is a 2 1/2 hour drive to Gonur. The last hour is just a bumpy trail. We were glad to start early as the temperature at 8am under clear skies promised a killer day. Gonur, another UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the largest archeological digs in recent time. The ancient settlement called the Marigana Oasis dates back 5000 years. Without any doubt the site is truly fascinating. Palaces with fortified walls. Each room with a unique fire place, one area for the fire and beside it an area for the lamb/meat. For fire wood saxaul trees/bushes were used as they burn very hot and are found in the surrounding region. The fire would not touch the meat. It is said that offerings were prepared here. The pottery excavated are flawless, skillfully manufactured with thin walls. It is hard to believe that they were produced in the 3rd millennium BC, as quality like that can only be found today from a factory. Most of the pottery has no motives or decorations. Ceramic pots decorated with figures were used to prepare the special magic drink. Archaeologists were able to determine the ingredients of the drink, as they found residues inside some to the pottery. There is still a lot of unknown as no written inscriptions have been found. From the pottery, bronze objects and other items uncovered, it was definitely a skillfull and advance civilization. Recent excavation uncovered graves of horses with offerings and even camel and dog graves. Now enclosed for preservation in a building the grave site of a camel and five (5) dogs with four (4) bronze chariot wheels dating to the 3rd millennium BC is most impressive. We even encountered a large hairy black spider at least 15cm in length. Its venom will not kill you (so we are told), but it will hurt. Have a spider like that crawling down your arm is a scary thought. The museum in Ashgabat has reconstruction models of both Merv, Nissa and Gonur. The scale of excavation (dirt removal) can clearly be seen by an area left at original elevation with a tree still present. The area is vast and further digs will expose more great finds. By 10:30am we were sitting under a canopy drinking tea, discussing what we had seen. Without our guide, Yevgenia and her paper illustrations, this excursion would have been half as impressive. By around 2pm we have returned to the hotel. We rest and meet up again with everyone at 7pm for supper.

June 03, 2010. We slept in until 7am and met for breakfast, provided by the hotel. By 8:30am we are seated in the minivan and start our bumpy drive back to Ashgabat. We were stopped twice at checkpoints and one speeding ticket, which was bologna. Michiel had seen that our driver was not speeding and we had the GPS going, but once you hand over your paperwork only a payment will get it back. Our (7) hour drive was only interrupted by a visit to Anur. The ruins of a 15th century mosque are still visible. It was destroyed by the 1948 earthquake. Pictures from the early 19 hundreds show its former glory. Mike's watch was reading the temperature inside the van at 36.1 Degree Celsius (no air conditioning available). By 4pm we arrived back at the Hotel Aziya. The next couple of days was self-tour of Ashgabat, no guide required. As the dutch couple was staying at the hotel as well, we hooked up again in the evening for dinner. We took the motorcycles and they were brave enough to get on the back without gear. No helmet law in Turkmenistan.

June 04, 2010. Late afternoon we walked over to the National Museum, which consists of three (3) museums. The presidential museum, historical museum, and the ethnographic museum on the third. Each museum is $10.00US/person. She even mentioned that all three museums are $30.00US/person (not sure how that is a better deal), plus 50 Manat ($18.00) for the camera per museum. Wow, not cheap. A guide is extra and a waste of time as all items are labeled in English. It is definitely better to visit the museum after seeing the excavation sites. We are only interested in the historical museum. The ticket booth would only accept US dollars and we were able to get rid of a rough looking $20.00US bill, which she really did not want to take. We decided not to take any photos. It is a large expedition and worth a visit if time allows. At this point we had become good friends with the Dutch couple, Michelle and Michiel, similar in age and mentality we hit it off quite well. After June 07 we would be going separate ways (so we thought at the time, but we would be seeing a lot more of them as we continued our journey through Central Asia).

June 05, 2010. The usual maintenance of backing up pictures, writing the journal, researching the route ahead and watching the Tennis French Open.

June 06, 1010. We left Ashgabat not until 2pm in the afternoon heading north into the Karakum Desert to avoid arriving at the Darvaza Gas Crater too early and baking in the sun. The first gas station we stopped at on the road north had a huge line up of cars waiting. There was another gas station in 90km, which we barely made. We really did not want to run out of gas in the hottest time of the day in the Karakum Desert. Approximately 160km north of Ashgabat we enter the village of Jerbent, which gives us the opportunity to walk among the sandy streets and yurts. Women are milking camels. Children follow every step we make, excitingly posing for pictures. Every yurt seems to have electricity and a satellite dish, but no running water. Underground cisterns are located beside yurts which collect rain water from the roof. We are in the desert, sand and more sand for miles, it does not look like a lot of rain occurs in this part of the world. Back at the motorcycles we attract the usual crowd of curious locals. Most of them ride old Russian motorcycles and are checking out the BMW's suspension and shaft-drive. After a few more kilometers down the road we turn to look at a massive sinkhole, containing water. A result of a Russian Gas Exploration, created during Russian's occupation. Then another crater with bubbling mud, building our suspense of the greatly anticipated Darvaza Gas Crater. Located almost halfway between Ashgabat and Konye-Urgench and about 5km off the main road turn-off, a very sandy track through sand dunes lead to the crater. It is possible by motorcycles for those who want to spend hours pushing, sweating and swearing. Oleg had of course thought of a solution already and chosen a campsite not far of the main road behind some sand dunes. We set up our tent and then hopped into the Toyota with Michelle, Michelle and the driver. It is much more fun in a 4x4 to slide through the sanddunes as it is on a 300kg motorcycle. Our first visit to the gas crater is in daylight. Pictures are not able to capture the shear size of the crater or the intense heat that suddenly hits you like a blazing furnace when getting too close to the edge. The massive crater releases gas over a huge area and flames shoot high into the sky. A change in wind direction catches us off guard a couple of times and almost roasts us alive. The crater is another result of a gas exploration gone wrong. The Russians left the site unattended with gas gushing out until scared locals ignited it one day. We return to our campsite, where Oleg has supper prepared. Chicken and salad complete with Vodka and Apple Juice. At 9:30pm after sunset, we return to the crater. It is even more awe inspiring at night. The red glow in the sky can be seen for miles. More pictures and video. A unique site in the world, not naturally created, accidentally man-made, but nevertheless incredible. Back at the campsite some tea and bed time. The sky is covered in stars and the temperature is getting tolerable for sleep.

June 07, 2010. We have an early start, as sleep in the tent is only for the insane after the sun has risen. We are on the road at 7am after having breakfast. By 8:30am temperatures start to get uncomfortablly hot and by 10am it is just stupid hot. We arrive in Konye-Urgench at 10:30am and start our sight seeing. The UNESCO sights in Konye-Urgench consists of the Nijameddin Kubra Mausoleum and Sutlan Ali Mausoleum at the centre of town and the several Monuments on the southern end of town. We follow a paved path to each Monument at the southern end of town. Monuments ares spread out over a large area. The best preserved are the Gutlug Timur Minaret and the Turabeg Khanym Complex ("Mausoleum") opposite the ticket booth, which has blue tiled decoration and a beautiful decorated rebuilt dome. This is it, we had seen what we had come for. Stopping at the market we exchanged left over Manat to SOM (Uzbekistan currency) and another $100.00US, which gave us 209,000.00SOM. The largest bill is 1000.00SOM ($0.50US) in the Uzbekistan currency. It would have been not too bad to receive (209) 1000SOM bills, but they run out of 1000SOM bills and gave us (200) 500SOM bills. The pictures of me holding the money show how ridiculous the 5" high stack of money really is. Of course it would no longer fit into the wallet and we now have a large black money bag. Too funny. At the market we get the opportunity to watch bread (corek) being baked in the traditional large earthen oven called tamdyr. We proceed to the border post, which is closed for lunch. This border crossing being in the far west of the country does not get a lot of traffic and after reopening we were the first in the que. The customs office had several officials who took down our passport information. Oleg completed our custom declaration forms for leaving the country. Due to the insurance shortfall at entry to Turkmenistan, where they would only insure the motorcycles for 15 days instead of the required 18 days, we had to pay another $80.00US. Then we were cleared by customs and the motorcycles searched. It was the most comprehensive search at a border crossing to date. Our last stop is getting the exit stamp from the immigration office and we are done. It is weird to say good-bye to Oleg, as he seemed to have grown on us. Thanks Oleg for showing us your home country and doing an excellent job. It was time to move on to the next country, Uzbekistan.