Memories of Turkmenistan

We visited Turkmenistan for four (or was it five) days in May 2014.  I'm reviewing these photos in January 2015, but I still remember the craziness of the experience.  My advice if you are crossing Turkmenistan - bring a good book and a sense of humour.  But don't bring anything that looks like a medication. Check the Odyssey blog here for some fantastic photos by Alicia and Nico.

Mark and Dave and the glorious leader

First night's campsite
it's only advantage was closeness to the nearest
police check

Yup, truck got stuck

Even in the desert if you look carefully
you will find delicate flowers

Not all deserts are the same - from Azerbaijan to China
we developed an appreciation for deserts
and for water

Ashgabat at night.  The one that looks like eyes
is the official marriage pavilion

The poet for whom we had to wait for visas

The statues were of important folks going back through the ages
Interestingly, they all looked very European of facial features.

Of course we had to have a photo

typical housing if you did not live in the capital city

deserts have interesting life forms

Playing with fire (actually, practicing with headlamps to
create the "Odyssey" photo that Nico took.

Dealing with erosion the Turkmenistan way.  Reeds are hand
woven then hand planted in huge diamond shapes to stop the sand blowing away.
Then plants have a place to put roots.

Nico getting ready to do some on the road repairs
for our fellow travellers

Checking for world cup soccer (footy) scores

it's amazing what little grass a sheep needs to survive

Sunsets over the desert are glorious

Students walking home past our group as we waited for permission
to move on. (Thanks, Mark, for the photo)

These little girls were running around and playing in long dresses and
thongs.  They came to smile at us and check us out.  Later they brought
their little brothers and then their mothers.

Dessert frog.