Turkmenistan

Darvaza Crater

Turkmenistan is a crazy place… Crazy cool!

We crossed the border and were picked up by Slava, our local guide, and five 4x4s to take us to the Darvaza gas cater and Ashgabat, the super city. These 4x4 guys were like their kind everywhere in the world. Who’s got the best 4x4? I have a long-range diesel tank. I have a raised body. My wheels are bigger. My roof rack is stronger. My mileage is better. (Who cares about mileage? Petrol costs nothing in Turkmenistan!)

Anyway, these amazing vehicles took us all the way to the gas crater, where we camped for the night. We were so close that it was hard to say when the sun rose this morning. The glow of the fire lit our tents up right through the night.

This doorway to hell in the middle of the desert and camels is a big crater in the ground, leaking flammable gas that was lit up some 40 forty years ago by engineers drilling for oil. There are some other craters that we visited as well. Nothing compared to the flaming furnace, but strange and spectacular none the less.

Our 4x4s

Crater camp

Gas crater from the hill

Perfect view

Heathcliff!

Camp from the hill

Sitting on the hill

As it gets darker, the crater gets brighter

Paolo, the lone ranger

Paolo

Breakfast

The pot can call this kettle black and get away with it

Mud crater

Water crater

Ashgabat

The 4x4s drove us through the desert to Ashgabat. This is Turkemistan’s capital city. It is a strange and fascinating place.  We were constantly told we’re not allowed to walk here or take pictures there.

We went on a half day tour of the city, mostly looking at great buildings and statues and monuments built by the government to show off how amazing Turkmenistan is.

It is strange to see a city so different from what we know, with rules that we don’t understand. It makes me wonder if they will experience our cities in a similar way.

Driving through the desert

Sand barriers

Ashgabat

Train to Turkmenbashi

We took an overnight train to Turkembashi, a sea port town on the Caspian Sea. From here freight ships sail between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia. The only way for us to cross to Baku in Azerbaijan is to catch a lift on one of these freight ships. You do not have much choice of ship; you just jump on the first one to set sail. We are hoping for an easy process, but we’ll see! Why is there a sign outside customs that says waiting room?

The train

Paolo

Turkmenbashi

Not our boat... or is it?