Turkmenistan > 'No Pictures, No Pictures'

We have limited time to explore the city of Ashgabat. Therefore, we decide to see a few highlights by taxi. However, there are hardly any taxis in Turkmenistan. We were advised to simply raise our hand by the road. Any driver can pick you up. Apparently, that’s how it works here. We walk to the road in front of the hotel. By the second car, we already have a ride. The man drives us to the Arch of Neutrality. This statue of the former leader of Turkmenistan, Turkmenbashi, used to stand in the city center but is now located in the outskirts. Along the road, there are only white marble buildings—residential blocks, office buildings, and government offices, all white. Around them are large parks and water features.

Turkmenistan - The Arch of Neutrality with the golden statue of Turkmenbashi on top

A remarkable combination in the middle of the desert. Every day, all the greenery must be watered. The 75-meter-high statue resembles a rocket. On top stands a twelve-meter-tall statue of Turkmenbashi. Two soldiers stand guard in front of the building. A colleague wipes their faces and gives them something to drink. Outside, an impressive number of people are actively maintaining the park. Apart from gardeners, cleaners, and soldiers, there is no one else around. That is also our next problem. There is no traffic here. We walk back to the main road and try to stop a car. Here we are less successful. When a boy who speaks good English stops, it turns out we need to go in the other direction—everyone is leaving the city. He drops us a little further along so we have more success. This works. A man offers to drive us to the city center by the Russian Bazaar. The bazaar, as I remember it from four years ago, has completely disappeared. Now there are shops inside a sterile building. Across the street, there is a new statue and a new park. It’s noticeable that at every street corner there is a police officer. Otherwise, there is nobody on the streets. Traffic is minimal. Yet, the whistle blows when we want to cross the street. We must use the pedestrian tunnel to get to the other side. The closer we get to the president’s palace, the more nervous the guards become.

Turkmenistan - The desert of Turkmenistan

“No pictures, no pictures.” We are not allowed to continue on foot—not to the palace, nor to Independence Park. At the Ten-Years-Independence Park, it is not much better. The park is being watered, and we are not allowed inside. Other Turkmen people are allowed. We stop a car and leave the bizarre center of Ashgabat. The atmosphere and streetscape are really impossible to describe in words. Before returning to the hotel, we want to see the Wedding Building, a striking structure on a hill. A large globe enclosed by a star. The adjacent Yyldyz Hotel is also remarkable—it resembles the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. Back at the hotel, we meet Antonina from Stantours. We have a dispute about the bill for the extra rented hotel room. It is more expensive through them than if we had arranged it at the front desk ourselves. According to her, this cannot be otherwise in Turkmenistan. She is dependent on the price she is charged by the agent. The second surprise is that we cannot pay the remaining amount in euros. We have no choice but to use our remaining dollars. This means we will have no more dollars for the rest of the trip. Because of the discussion and the currency issues, we set off late for Derwaze. We had originally planned to leave by 1:30 p.m., but it is now almost an hour later. We head quickly toward the gas crater. By Turkmen standards, the road is good—a wide asphalt road without markings. Occasionally the asphalt is cracked or has large potholes. We become quite skilled at avoiding the holes. As we drive further through the Karakum Desert, the sun sinks lower and lower. Will we reach the crater on time? To the left of the road lies a smaller crater filled with water. A few hundred meters further, there is a second crater with fire burning on the ground—a preview of the gas crater. When we enter a village and take a sandy path, it becomes a real challenge for the motorcyclists.

Turkmenistan - The bizarre Derwaze gas crater

They slip along the road. On the return, Wilco gets stuck—his rear axle is buried in the sand. Chamrat pulls him out with the car. Perhaps the road to the crater is too difficult to ride. As an alternative, they would have to leave their motorcycles and ride with Chamrat. At the fork, we decide to give it a try. With the Land Rover, we drive onto the sandy track. Carefully, we follow the trail. Occasionally, there are multiple tracks, but all lead to the crater. Seven kilometers later, we arrive at the crater. We see other tourists standing on the rim. What an extraordinary sight—to see a seventy-meter-wide crater burning. Heat radiates from the hole. We are just in time for sunset. The motorcyclists also manage to reach the crater. There were some difficult sandy sections, but they made it without falling—a true achievement. The crater was formed in 1971 when a gas-filled cave collapsed during drilling. The gas was ignited to prevent toxic gases from escaping. It was expected to burn out in a few days. Forty-five years later, the fire still burns. Especially after sunset, the flames are clearly visible. From a small hill, we have a beautiful view as darkness slowly falls. Simply magnificent. Meanwhile, Chamrat has set up the campsite. He has made a fire and is preparing chicken legs. I end the evening on the hill, watching the fire and talking with the other tourists.