Day 95 to Desert Camp, Turkmenistan, 81km, 8,074 to date, dead flat.

We crossed the border into Turkmenistan this morning - both the exit from Uzbekistan and entrance to Turkmenistan were uneventful, but a long slow process, actually considering we obtained our Visa’s as part of the process - 3 hours shouldn’t be considered long.  But that meant we didn’t start riding till 1:00, arriving at camp at 5:00, so riding through the hottest part of the day.  The temperature on my bike computer read 45C for the afternoon, albeit that is in the sun - but so am I.

Just after crossing the border we crossed the Amu-Darya(Oxus) river - this is the downstream continuation of the Pyanji river that is the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

Another country (#8 of the 10 I will visit), also means another currency, the Turkmenistan currency unit is the Manat, roughly 3.5 Manat to 1 US dollar.  I exchanged the 190,000 Uzbekistan Som for 95 Manat.  The good news is that everything is effectively the same price as it has been - Ice Cream bar (I’m having at least two a day) is about $0,40Cdn, a cold beer is about $0.80Cdn - I’m not allowed to drink for another 3 days as I’m taking some gut pills that seem to be working.  A new definition of happiness is not having to desperately take a crap several times a night.  I’ve only another 11 days before we enter Iran (no booze), so my days of drinking beer are going to be quite limited…

This is in Turkminabad:

Not many pictures of the countryside as it is extremely flat around here, there have been extensive irrigation canals built that have resulted in all the land being under cultivation, although that seems to have ended about 60km into Turkmenistan - i.e. a bit West of the city of Turkminabat.  We are now in the Karakum Desert (yes, I know one “s”).  The next week will be continuous desert.  I am not expecting any relief from the heat till we leave Iran for Turkey.  Hopefully we will be seeing some low 30’sC not high 30’sC.

A couple of pics: 

It is now a beautiful evening - the sun is down, the temperature is still about 35C, but very pleasant if you are just sitting as I am, typing these notes and watching a full moon come up over the sandy desert.  Although hot, the humidity is very low, so one has a chance of tolerating the heat.