Man! I woke up this morning (it's was barely morning) after a terrific sleep. I've obviously been running myself down after days of stress over the travel arrangements and the business of going from place to place on such a hectic schedule. The itinerary in Turkmenistan has been adjusted and I'm missing out on a trip ro Yangikala canyons I was really looking forward to but can't be helped. I no longer have the time on my visa.
I've spent two days on a boat where the only person who knew any English at all, was one guy who had a single phrase in his repertoire, 'in case of emergency, break glass'. He delighted in repeating this over and over, expecting appreciation and praise every time he did so. To speak to a hotel receptionist who knows ,'please' and 'mister' has been an unexpected joy.
Turkmenbashi doesn't have much about it in itself but I was driven around a brand new tourist town in development, Awaza, just outside. It was one of those empty towns that one hears about. Huge investment in vast, empty hotels with empty extra wide roads and armies of women sweeping the streets. Very interesting. I imagine they are highly confident that tourism will take off at some point. I appeared to be the only tourist in town yesterday though. In fact, I may be the first tourist in town. It felt that way anyhow.
I took a plane out of Turkmenbashi in the afternoon bound for Ashgabat. So far, I've been very impressed with Turkmenistan. There is oodles of very new and very expensive stuff here. The airport is shiny and the aeroplane brand spanking too. I'm not saying there aren't people barely able to scratch a living here but it doesn't strike me as a country on its knees by a long stretch.
Do I appear surprised? Well maybe a little but that's just my ignorance showing through and one of the reasons why I'm here, to find out more.
After an hour in the air and a visit to the Turkmen tourism company to work out the fine detail on the revised itinerary, I found myself on a very cheeky two bed apartment in Ashgabat. All settled for my first two day stay somewhere (if you don't count the boat) and a very happy bunny again.
Taking photos of military personnel carries a sentence of summary execution in these parts, so I had to take this at long range - but you get the idea about the Cold War look and feel, right?
Turkmenistan fashion proudly on display. Everyone is wearing the same headgear this season.
Regional airport at Turkmenbashi. There's some cash floating about here. Luton, it is not.
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