Borders and bushcamps, Uzbekistan

We had our earliest start yet, 6am as we headed to the border. We stopped in Konye Urgench which is a pilgrimage town and the large madrases (universities) and what was once the tallest minaret in central Asia survived the passing through of Genghis Khan. It was a bit of an odd tourist attraction as unless you bought a tour ticket you couldn't even walk close to the buildings let alone take a photo of the outside. It was really expensive to I was pretty happy sitting by the truck with an ice cream!

We followed a taxi to the border as the GPS didn't show the roads, Pete hadn't been to it and neither had our local guide. We made it though and were stamped with ease out of Turkmenistan. Getting though to Uzbekistan wasn't so easy though. We annoyed the border officials by making our lunch when we thought that they had stopped for theirs....turns out they hadn't and then the customs checks started. We had entry stamps in our passports so immigration would let us in but customs insisted on checking bags. An absolute nightmare when everything takes so long to pack. At first they were just interested in prescription medication so we were all ready to get out our malaria tablets and such like and the queue was moving quickly until Kaye was found with random medication that she had picked up from India including a single Valium tablet. This single tablet was to cause a lot of extra sitting around at the border as it is illegal in Uzbekistan if not prescribed. With Kaye facing prison I had dug out my tablets and handed them over but the official having seem what Kaye had, decided he wanted me to empty my whole bag. I wasn't too impressed having just repacked it in Ashgabat. I was quickly passed on and left the office with a bag full of all my stuff to repack on no mans land concrete. Kaye was made to destroy her tablet and we left after 4.5 hours of getting to the border and now needing to find a random side of the road bushcamp. A long day for all!

Darvaza, Turkmenistan

We left to cross the Karakum desert in the afternoon and it was super hot, hitting 38 degrees and a steel box was definitely not the most comfortable mode of transport and a couple were hit with heat stroke. We did see and pass through some large sand tornadoes though but other than that the scenery wasn't that exciting. The evening was assigned to a 6 wheeled drive monster jeep trip to the burning gas crater. I'd read and seen photos of the craters on previous year's blogs but It was absolutely spectacular and so surreal. This huge crater was created as a drilling rig collapsed into the ground in the 1970's. The natural gasses leaked out and someone decided to light them and the crater has been burning ever since. The locals see it as the gateway to hell and you can see why! The whole truck was buzzing an everyone felt privileged to have seen it.

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

We had a long driving day to make up for the delays with the ferry as we were going 600km (usually split by a bush camp) to Ashgabat. We made it to Ashgabat for tea time and everyone was very thankful to get to the very nice 5 star Grand Turkmen hotel. With a view over the city from the balcony I knew Ashgabat was something very different. The whole city was flattened by an earthquake in the 1940's so the old president very sensibly decided to rebuild the entire city centre in white marble government buildings. It was like a ghost town. The only people on the streets were soldiers telling you not to take photos and instructing you on which side of the road to walk on. It felt like there was someone watching you at all times.

We had a full day to explore and it started with a trip to the Sunday market which was huge and placed in the middle of the desert. There were camels everywhere and a large section selling clothes and assorted rubbish that you would never need. Myself and Alice had a hard time trying to find an affordable shawl and in the end gave up due to communication problems and all prices being too high. It was only later that we realised that they were giving us prices in old manat which was 5 times the price of new manat which was the currency they were trading in!

In the afternoon I wandered the city and got the lift up the arch of Neutrality. This is the only place in the city where you can take photos of the government buildings and not be stopped. There is a tacky statue on the top on the old president which rotates to always face the sun. At night the arch is lit up like some thing from Blackpool! There is an 11pm curfew in the city, after which there is a high chance of you getting arrested so we had dinner and a few drinks in a British pub. I was trying to be adventurous and order “sausages with fire” not really knowing if it was just a bad menu translation. It wasn't the sausages really were on fire. Very exciting!

Adventure on the Caspian.

After looking at the courtyard of the hotel and discovering that the camping site was the ground floor of a gutted office block full of mosquitoes some of us decided to try our luck an sleep anywhere in the hotel. Pete and Kirsten still had their room with all our luggage in it so with Pete and a few of the boys heading to the port to check on the ferry status some of us took advantage of the spare space (10 in a standard size hotel room isn't bad! Despite being a late-comer I also managed to get a space in the bed. Something about no-one wanting to share with Darrell but I was pretty happy to not be eaten alive outside!). We received a text from the boys at the port at 5am instructing us to get up and go. I don't think I've seen the group work so well together before but we were super quick getting to the port only to be sat around for another couple of hours at the dock. At least we could see the ferry though!

The boat left at 10am on 3rd June for a planned 16 hour crossing to Turkmenbasi so we were assigned cabins which were so stuffy and dirty that they ended up as luggage storage. There was a lounge which wasn't so comfy but it would do as it would only be for 16 hours...right? I'm not even going to describe the toilet but thankfully Pete upgraded one cabin to crew so we could have clean toilet to use and a power socket!

With everyone thankful to be on the ferry the lounging on deck started and I joined the pilate's club! A pot noodle dinner and some shut eye (some on the very windy deck and me in the lounge) as we cruised across the incredibly calm Caspian.

Woke up at midnight with the anchors coming down. We'd docked with the port on the horizon so we knew that we were on board for a bit longer. Another day went by and due to us being anchored there was no wind and a lot of flying insects on deck so everyone was getting pretty fed up in the heat. Dinner consisted on snacks on deck as everyone was accepting another night on board as we used binoculars and praying that the ship in our berth would get a move on! Luckily the anchors came up and we docked at 11pm and the “doctor” came on board and we signed a document and we were finally on dry land at midnight only to have to wait at customs for another 2 hours. We drove out of the port and bush camped at the roadside, everyone exhausted and in bed at 3.45am for a 7am wake up but glad to be in Turkmenistan!


photos: sunset over turkmenistan. Darrell enjoying life on deck.

Baku, Azer

Another humid night and then we headed to Baku. Immediately you can see the wealth here and the dominance of the oil in the region. People had nodding donkeys in their gardens and looking out to sea the horizon is covered in rigs. We checked into a very nice hotel ($140 prpn) as we have to have a local sponsor in order to get the visa so as part of the deal they choose the hotel. In the afternoon we spent the afternoon trying to find the shops so I can buy some more flipflops, T shirts etc. Everything is very expensive though and in Debenhams they stick the local price at at least twice the British. Some thermal/pilates legging later and a lot of money spent, I've still no flip flops!

Its a bit of a waiting game for the ferry as there is no set sailing time and we are waiting for a diesel carrying cargo ship sailing to Turkmenbashi. We were told to be back at the hotel for a 11pm sailing. When we returned Pete told us that the ferry was actually petrol cargo to Kazhakstan. No good for us so we needed to find somewhere to stay. There is an oil and gas conference going on in the city at the moment to there are few hotel rooms around. In the end we got 23 of us in 5 rooms spread over 2 hotels. Some were lucky to get a bed with the chance of a decent night's sleep and others were on the floor 6 to a room. All in all, Pete and the hotel did their best and everyone was pretty pleased not to be out on the streets!

So that's the update. It's now 1.30pm on Wednesday and a ferry got in this morning. Hopefully we will be on it this evening as everyone has few dollars left and is getting a bit fed up. We shall see!

Update: 2pm and we are hopefully on the ferry tomorrow morning. No hotels are free so we are camping in the "courtyard" of the hotel. Should be interesting!

Bush camping with the mud volcanoes, Azer

We had a short drive down good roads. It's amazing how much money is floating about- constant construction, big 4x4's and petrol stations everywhere. For once filling up the truck is pretty cheap.

The bush camp was surrounded by mud volcanoes which was pretty cool. Some were about 5 meters high and all were constantly erupting. It was a pretty surreal place to camp and everyone enjoyed the surroundings but some maybe less than others after sinking through the thin mud crust!

Bush camp and Sheki, Azerbaijan

Leaving Tbilisi in the afternoon meant that everyone was pretty relaxed as we headed towards the border to bush camp. We first stopped at a mountain village called Signagi. This is a pretty little town that looks new but it has actually been restored so that when the new paint fades it will look like a traditional Georgian town. Too me it looked a little artificial and perfect, geared towards tourists with the "Traditional Georgian Restaurant" on every corner.

We then rolled back down the mountain to bush camp. The original camp was unusable but we stocked up on wine and Pete did an amazing million point turn of the truck in an impossibly small space! We headed into a storm and decided to bush camp just off the road. The first camp set up in torrential rain was a little chaotic but we all pulled together and set up camp quickly. Only the next morning after a noisy nights sleep did Roberta and I discover that we had pitched the tent next to a pond full of very noisy frogs!

The next day we headed towards the border with Azerbaijan. We reached the border in good time but were faced with the sad news that crew member Rich wouldn't be continuing with us for the rest of the trip. Fab guy who will be sorely missed within the group but we had to move on, Azerbaijan called!

All passengers were through the border in an hour but the truck took a further 2 hours. We all sat in the Azeri "carpark" waiting. The reason. The customs office ran out of paper for the photocopier!

Our first night in Azer was a karvansaray in Sheki. Sheki was a main stop on the Silk road so a night here was pretty special. I visited the Khan's palace in the afternoon. The palace built for admin in 1761 was small but spectacular. The rooms were stained glass and walls and ceilings covered in murals.

The next couple of days we would continue the journey to the Caspian Sea.

Tbilisi, Georgia

So we rolled into Georgia's capital in time for lunch and checked into a very nice hotel in the centre of the city. The room's even got air con and a balcony. Although everyone enjoys the luxury of the hotels you do find yourself not seeing much of the group as everyone is scattered everywhere. I think though after 6 bush camps in 7 nights not many will be complaining about the unlimited supply of hot water!

I spent the first day having a potter around the city but the traffic is chaos as the 26th May is Georgian Independence day and you find yourself just waiting to be run over as you cross 5 lanes of crazy drivers. The evening was spent at an Irish American bar where everyone could choose some more homely food which was nice. Ben was very happy with his pancakes and Vermont maple syrup.

Independence day was also Roberta's and James' birthday and I woke up with food poisoning. Everyone else went out to see military parades and the opening of a new ultra modern foot bridge whilst I spent it in bed. Managed to drag myself out for some food in the eve but it was pretty much a wasted day.

Feeling slightly better I joined the others for Zaza's walking tour to the Tsminda Sameba cathedral which was huge and to the fort for good views of the city. It was good to get out but I think most were struggling with the uphill climbing in the heat of the day. In the afternoon I planned to find the shops to get some bits and pieces- sunglasses, flip flops, some more toiletries and clothes before we get into much more remote countries but a metro trip and a lot of walking later I came to the conclusion that there isn't any. Will have to make do with what I've got!

To celebrate Kylie's birthday we had planned to go out for a group meal but the restaurant cancelled last minute in order to take a wedding booking so we all went separate ways. some of us ate in the KGB bar and then went to a jazz bar but it was generally a quite night all round.

We have one more bush camp enroute to the Azerbaijan border and then that's Georgia done. It's been a very quick 15 days but I think everyone's had a brilliant time and I've especially enjoyed the countryside.

Telavi, Georgia

Kirsten's birthday and it brought the sun back as we headed towards Telavi where we had a homestay. We arrived in the middle of a huge storm and everyone was much relieved that we were not camping and were to stay in a deceptively large and grand house. Another huge feast was thrown topped off by the local wine and a 12 egg birthday cake (how you order them here!).

The next morning was free to walk around Telavi which the crew bought food and the on truck bar was stocked up. We then headed down the road for 2 very different wine tasting. The first was very informal as we tried 5 different wines in an old couples back yard. Was pretty interesting too and we bought 40 litres from them (not going to last long!). The second winery was more of a here's a glass of wine and have some strawberries place and very much more fancy. That evening we bush camped in a village field. This region of Georgia is definitely the rainy and windy part. The tents and us survived though.

We had a full day at the bush camp as the day was filled with party preparation. Pete and Zaza had order a lamb and had invited some of the locals to join us. Some of us cleared out the truck and sat in the sun whilst the boys played football against the locals and Pete, zaza, mike and Neill put a lot of TLC in to the spit.

6 hours later and we had the locals and the food ready. The lamb was tasty and completely different to lamb eaten before so I'm glad I tried it even if there was some reluctance! The locals were nice but making conversation was more than an effort as they didn't speak any English and we didn't know any Georgian. I managed to figure out that i was very tall and some man telling me that it was too cold to wear flip flops and it was!

Good evening and many of us nursing hangovers on the truck journey to Tbilisi the next day!

Photos: wine tasting. mike and the lamb.

Kazbegi, Georgia

We headed to Kazbegi along the Russian Military Highway (highway being a very loose phrase!). The highway is closed from Kazbegi to Tbilisi due to the closed Russian border so we will have to do some backtracking after the stay in Kazbegi.

Camping in the foot valley of Mt Kazbeg everyone was pleased with the beautiful location and we set up a shower tent so that we could have a hot electric shower. I think we were all starting to smell! After a very cold night we all walked to the Samba church at 2200m. A nice easy walk but I ended up getting separated from the group and got a little lost. My dodgy sense of direction eventually pushed me in the right direction... luckily! Good views from the church over the town and a leisurely walk down hill in time for lunch. That evening we had very heavy rain and gales. We all new that we were lucky to have survived 5 weeks seeing very little!

photos: Samba church. Tight on the rules- mike found out eating and drinking can also be added. Enroute breaks.