Turkmenistan

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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 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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Photos

Ashgabat Mosque
Yep, that dome is gold-plated

Earthquake memorial
The statue's gold-plated too