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Published: July 15th 2008
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Ashgabat Mosque
Yep, that dome is gold-plated Straight to Ashgabat, the capital, and probably the strangest place on earth.
Some interesting facts; Ashgabat has more hotel rooms that the average number of tourists for the whole country, ANUALLY. Petrol costs less than 4p a gallon. There are 17 gold-plated statues or former president (and local madman) Niazov Turkmenbashi in town. There are no taxis in Ashgabat, you just flag down a car going in the right direction.
I wander the streets, amazed by the brand new and empty ofccie and residential buildings, but am unable to take any photos for fear of arrest.
I can't wait to leave.
The currency of Turkmenistan, the Manat, has been devalued so many times now that their smallest note is 10000 manat. I shared a bar-bill with two others on the first night. It came to 1.6 million Manat.
On the way out of town I visit the Tolkuchka Sunday market, Bustling, busy and incredibly smell. I don't buy anything.
I spend two nights camping in the Karakum desert and visit the fire-crater, out in the middle of nowhere. It's a massive hole in the ground 70m across and 40m deep, where natural gas comes to
Earthquake memorial
The statue's gold-plated too the urface. It was accidentally lit over 50 years ago and has been burning ever since. Definitely the highlight of my stay in Turkemnistan!
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