Turkmenistan – the world's strangest country from Ashgabat to the gates of hell is written by Line Hansen.
Departure for Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan is surrounded by neighbors such as Russia, Iran, Kasakhstan, Afghanistan og Uzbekistan and is with Kyrgyzstan og Tajikistan a part of Central Asia. The country is a little out of the ordinary to say the least.
A few days before I have to cross the border into Turkmenistan, my 'Letter of Invitation' has not yet gone through, announces the travel company, which I have been forced to use to even dream of approaching the border. The nerves are starting to press on as an email finally ticks in with an invitation approved through Turkmenistan's 'State Service for Registration of Foreign Citizens'.
The next step is to get visum in place at the border crossing. That time, that sadness - even if the well-known uneasiness in the stomach comes at the thought of Central Asian border crossings. Turkmenistan is also one of the world's least visited countries with only around 7000 visitors per year, even though it is located on the famous Silk Road.
In the meantime, I have become hooked up with two Australian girls who I can share a car and guide with until we get to Ashgabat. The city is the only place in Turkmenistan where tourists are allowed to travel alone without a guide.
Across the border into Turkmenistan
After the usual packing in and out, paperwork and stamping here and there at the Uzbek border, we trudge along the 300-meter-long muddy dirt road in the no-man's land that divides Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
At the Turkmen border they want to know if we have any religious books with us, in addition to explosives and weapons. My relationship with my Lonely Planet approaches what I would call a religious relationship – but the border guard apparently does not share my sense of humor.
Even though we are the only three crossing the border, it takes a few hours before we, somewhat euphorically, get the silver-sealed Turkmen visa glued to our passport.
Our friendly local guide meets us patiently on the other side of the border. Set off at breakneck speed along something that once seemed to have been a road. All three of us have to hold on to the handles above the windows to stay fairly vertical.
The door to hell is found in Turkmenistan
In less than a couple of hours the sun will set. We will visit the famous burning gas crater in the middle of the desert, also known as the 'Door to Hell'. It is a result of Russian gas drilling in the 1970s.
The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, and the gas that was found turned out to be toxic. So they set it on fire in the hope that the gas would burn off, and that was it. More than 50 years later, the gas crater is still burning.
Head towards the edge
We unload our luggage at a small teahouse near the road where we will spend the night. Then we drive off into what seems like nothingness in a faintly visible track in the sand. As we approach the crater, we realize how huge this crater is. It is giga and much bigger than I could ever imagine.
The driver is driving with a direct course towards the edge, and in a mixture of overwhelmingness and fear that the brakes will fail, we all three scream. Only 5 meters from the edge, the driver hits the brake. Thank goodness, this is wild.
Standing in pitch-dark darkness a meter of money from the edge and staring directly into the flames is an insane feeling. I have paid well above my normal backpacker budget to experience this, but it is worth all the money and hassle.
We sleep on blankets on the floor. Only woken up once during the night by a stiff Russian who apparently thinks it's a great idea to keep us three girls company in the small room. After a while, he luckily moves on.
Ashgabat – the city of world records
Before we arrive in Ashgabat the next day, the car gets a major cleaning. A dirty car in Ashgabat is grounds for a fine. This does not go hand in hand with the government's ideological desire for the perfect capital.
Ashgabat holds several world records; among others, the world's largest book, the world's largest flag, and the world's largest hand-knotted carpet are all located in Ashgabat. In addition, Ashgabat is the world's whitest city and perhaps also the cleanest.
And yes, the city is very white. One of many crazy inventions from the former, now deceased dictator Turkmenbashi – or 'Leader of the Turkmens', as he demanded to be called.
All government buildings are made of marble imported from Italy, while marble for private companies or apartment complexes is sourced from Afghanistan.
Turkmenbashi suffered from massive megalomania and has left his mark on the city with his many bizarre ideas. Giant monuments and statues are everywhere, often with Turkmenbashi as the focal point. I have put together a small Wikipedia selection of Turkmenbashi's initiatives.
The special day of the melons and other crazy initiatives
- Opera, ballet and circus are illegal
- It is illegal to have gold teeth, beards or long hair - probably also applies to women
- Female news anchors are not allowed to wear white make-up because it should be easier to tell the difference between men and women on TV
- At the end of the news, the announcers must raise their hands and proclaim: “May my hand be cut off if I harm my country, and may my tongue wither if I slander the country, the flag, or the president.”
- All TV channels constantly show a gold-colored profile of the president in one corner
- All hospitals outside Turkmenistan's capital have been closed
- It has been forbidden to have more than one dog or cat
- Violent computer games have become illegal in Turkmenistan
- It is illegal to criticize the president
- An ice palace has been built for 1000 people. Turkmenistan is one of the hottest countries in the world; temperatures can reach 50 degrees in the summer. “Our children can learn to ski and skate,” the leader said. The ice palace is located in a desert
- The names of days and months have been changed and are now named after Turkmenbashi himself and his family members
- The word 'bread' has been changed to his late mother's name
- He has proclaimed a national holiday in honor of melons
- He has defined the boundaries for different age groups as follows: You are a child until you are 13, young until you are 25, and younger until you are 37. To be able to call yourself old, you must be 85 years old.
- He has appointed himself president for life.
Ashgabat: Top polished and empty
Along the clinically clean sidewalks, there are flower beds and architectural lampposts that make any Danish street lighting pale. Furthermore, a large part of the city is made up of picture-perfect fountain-infested parks that could easily make it a destination for a Sunday picnic. The tragicomic thing is that no one uses these parks. They are completely empty.
The cameras are constantly looking
In general, Ashgabat is a very empty city, and you only see very few people on the streets. It's a strange feeling to strut around the city and only pass by guards. On the other hand, there are a lot of them, and they do their job, I must say.
If I pull out my camera somewhere I shouldn't, a guard immediately follows – wow, where did he come from? – clearly signaling that I'd be wise to pack the camera away unless I want trouble.
There are lots of cameras on the streets, and I often forget how much surveillance there is in this country. One day, in a moment of lust, I jump up on one of the statues that fill the city, and inappropriately climb down from it while one of the Australian girls takes a picture.
Line Hansen, you live life dangerously – when will you learn to think before you act? We sneak on quickly, hoping that no one has noticed my misdeed.
Later in the week, I will also receive an email that, in the second after, causes cold sweat on the forehead. I remember the government monitoring all communication over the net. But does not the government have bigger problems to take care of than an innocent backpackers complaint about this country's quirks?
In addition to all online communication being monitored, sites like Facebook, Twitter and many media sites a closed country. Human Rights Watch also describes Turkmenistan as one of the most repressive regimes in the world.
Cleaning frenzy in Ashgabat
In addition to the many shifts, I encounter a large number of 'cleaner-women', who primarily fill the otherwise deserted street scene. All of these women have either a shovel, broom or cloth in their hands, doing some manual work.
For example, it seems completely crazy in this highly polished and in a way modern city that there are 14 cleaner-women on their knees, each with a small sponge, in a fountain, cleaning the tiles.
The contrasts in this country are enormous. On the way to Ashgabat, we passed small towns, which developmentally are at least 100 years behind. There is no doubt about how the oil and gas money in this country is distributed.
Asocial in Ashgabat
We visit an underground lake that lies 65 meters underground inside a cliff where a hot spring has its source. A spectacular experience when you ignore the duel shit and the sulfur-smelling water, but a dip was needed now that we were here.
Since my flight is unfortunately cancelled, I have four extra nights in Ashgabat – hooray and thumbs up. The few Russian words I learned in Central Asia don't go far. And those four days probably hold the record for the most antisocial days of my life.
Apart from the German Heinz, who does business in Turkmenistan, I don't talk to anyone. But I do have time to immerse myself in the coming months of travel in Myanmar og Laos .
I can feel that it's the right time to Move on. I am now starting to look forward to warmer skies, green landscapes and exotic fruits.
Luxury à la Turkmenistan
The morning before departure, I take a taxi to the nicest and most expensive hotel in town, where an overnight stay costs around 2000 kroner. The only place in town – besides a shopping mall – where internet is available.
I put on my finest backpacker outfit and put on makeup for the occasion. And crossing fingers that they let me in. I ask the taxi driver to park a good distance away from the hotel as I can in no way board such a hotel in a dilapidated rusty Lada.
The extravagant breakfast buffet is consumed. Including smoked salmon, freshly squeezed beetroot juice and small Spandauer-like cakes – while I soak up everything I can on the hotel's relatively fast internet connection. Ahhh.
Every now and then you have to treat yourself, and my time had come. With a full stomach and freshly charged batteries, I was driven to the airport and soon off towards Southeast Asia and new exciting adventures.
Have a good trip to Turkmenistan from Ashgabat to the gates of hell.
What to see in Turkmenistan? Sights and attractions
- The gas crater 'Door to Hell'
- The pure marble city of Ashgabat - also spelled 'Ashgabat'
- Gypjak Mosque
- Carpet Museum of Turkmenistan in Ashkhabad
- Turkmenistan Independence Monument in Ashgabat
- The Parthian fortress at Nisa
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7: Pai in northern Thailand
6: Kota Kinabalu on Borneo in Malaysia
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Visitor Rating: 5 Stars
It sounds like a wildly exciting country !!! I want to go there. Thanks for the story.
You're welcome!
[…] Turkmenistan, with its magnificent landscape and rich cultural heritage, offers a unique opportunity to explore well-being and mindfulness amidst its tranquil oases. While the country may not be the first place that comes to mind when talking about wellness and mindfulness, there are still many ways to find inner peace and harmony during your journey through Turkmenistan. […]
Super read! Wszystkie najbardziej chwytliwe informacje w 1 miejscu, opisne przystępnym językiem i okraszone autentycznością wynykającą z narracji. Na pościę wrócę!