FlyerTalk Forums - Touring the Five Stans

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nequine

May 2, 2019 12:47 am

Yikes at your departure at the airport! I'd have been having kittens at the thought of missing the flight!!!

Wow at how beautiful the Novruz Palace was, and I agree, that would have cost a small fortune to create!

Romanianflyer

May 2, 2019 2:14 am

That Novruz Palace indeed looks like quite some place, like a modern-day version of the old mosques and madrassas of Samarkand in Uzbekistan (which is ethnically majority-Tajik).

Curious about your impressions of Samarkand (I loved the place!) - and thanks for posting about the other Stans as they are high on my list to visit.

I think you are also one of the few with a proper Turkmenistan Airlines review! :D I have always wondered about them. You know what kind of booze they serve? Any nice top brands of champagne or cheap local/Russian stuff only?

swingaling

May 2, 2019 8:47 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by nequine (Post 31057153)

Yes seems daft to change the name like that (although i get why they did it), And fair enough, I know what its like trying to put together a schedule to fit everything in! I will say though you did miss visiting an excellent city from the photos my family send me of the place.

I don't doubt it. If I'd had more time, I would've like to see Astana.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nequine (Post 31058743)

Yeah, it was quite the nerve wracking experience. I don't recommend it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romanianflyer (Post 31058907)

Samarkand was interesting and has many fine examples of various Islamic architectural styles, but it also felt very touristy. Much more so than any other city I visited in the region. Aside from the main architectural sites, there wasn't a whole lot to see. In contrast, Tashkent felt like a more vibrant and cosmopolitan city.

Ah, yes, T5. It's not an oft-flown airline, that's certain. As far as booze goes, I didn't inquire about their selection and there was no printed menu listing beverages on offer. They did offer a PDB, but I declined. If there was champagne on offer, I didn't see anyone drinking it and I never heard a cork pop. They had wine available with dinner, but I never saw the bottle. I'm sure they had vodka, whisky, etc. Most likely local brands if I had to guess.

They did have a very small selection of liquor in the lounge, but it was not free. The booze served in the lounge was from brands I did not recognize, so likely mid range regional brands (presumably of Russian, Uzbek and Kazakh origin). They also had chocolate in the lounge, which was not free either. All other food and drink was free, but the selection was quite limited.

Fliar

May 2, 2019 10:03 am

Thank you for a wonderful TR!

swingaling

May 2, 2019 10:08 am

Samarkand, Uzbekistan (Part One)

swingaling

May 2, 2019 11:46 am

Samarkand, Uzbekistan (Part Two)

swingaling

May 2, 2019 12:03 pm

Uzbekistan Railways Afrosiyob: Samarkand - Tashkent

Uzbekistan Railways Afrosiyob: Samarkand - Tashkent
Economy Class
Train 761
Departure: 5:28PM
Arrival: 7:44PM

I had some time to kill, so I bought an Uzbek sim card for $2.50 US, exchanged some currency and bought some bread for later. The station got pretty crowded with Italian and French tour groups, but the train arrived on time. Boarding was quick, but the train ended up being completely full. Economy class was the only ticket I'd been able to secure a few weeks earlier, but I would have preferred Business or VIP class for the additional privacy/space.

Regardless, Economy was fine for a 2 hour train ride. I was so tired I slept for half the ride anyway. The train arrived in Tashkent on time and my driver was outside waiting for me.

Samarkand Train Station
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7f966756_b.jpg

Samarkand Train Station
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c52bfec4_b.jpg

Samarkand Train Station
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5121fd4e_b.jpg

Tandyr Nan
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c8ec9f60_b.jpg

Samarkand Train Station
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e171a929_b.jpg

Afrosiyob Train
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7c8b8fe7_b.jpg

swingaling

May 2, 2019 12:10 pm

Hyatt Regency Tashkent

Hyatt Regency Tashkent

The Hyatt wasn't too far from the train station, so the ride was mercifully quick. I was pretty exhausted and hungry by the time I arrived, so I ordered some room service them promptly slept from 10PM until 10AM the next morning.

Room
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1000415d_b.jpg

Room
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a1a13800_b.jpg

Room
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4ba4cb44_b.jpg

Room
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0c127f39_b.jpg

Room
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...304c675f_b.jpg

Room
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...de3ef06d_b.jpg

Room
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2c80541d_b.jpg

Welcome Gift
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2c649813_b.jpg

Welcome Gift
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9f839d76_b.jpg

Salad
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a69a3108_b.jpg

Chicken Shashlik
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...88e49a97_b.jpg

View from the Room
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7a8c944c_b.jpg

View from the Room
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...61df2590_b.jpg

Hyatt Exterior
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a824975c_b.jpg

The hotel itself was totally fine and I slept very well. I had breakfast the following morning in the buffet restaurant off the lobby. The buffet was pretty good and had a large variety. It was also very crowded. For whatever reason, they never charged me for breakfast. I pointed this out to the front desk when checking out, but they said it was fine. Ok then.

swingaling

May 2, 2019 1:28 pm

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

swingaling

May 2, 2019 2:03 pm

China Southern Business Class: Tashkent - Beijing

China Southern
Business Class
CZ Business Class Ticket
CZ6028
26 April 2019
Airbus A330-200 (Three Class Configuration)
B-6058
Seat 2K
Departure: 9:10PM
Arrival: 5:05AM ~~6:00AM~~

I arrived at the airport fairly early, but unfortunately the CZ desk didn't open until around 3 hours prior to departure. So I had to wait in the terminal for a bit. The exchange counter wouldn't take my unused Uzbek sum because I didn't keep the receipts from my previous exchanges. Really annoying.

Anyway, check-in opened eventually and I was quickly airside. Customs and immigration were completely painless, though they did ask to see me e-visa again on departure. No idea why, but I'm glad I didn't toss it.

The lounge was pretty dismal. Food selection was poor, there was no wifi, chairs were uncomfortable and I found a large insect skittering across the floor near me. There were power outlets, so I charged my phone. That's about all I can say about it. Eventually, we were allowed to board.

Mosaic opposite Lounge
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e1a71760_b.jpg

The J cabin on this plane was quite small, with only two rows. It was completely full. I knew in advance that the hard product was not competitive. Very similar to what TG uses. However, the price was quite reasonable, so it was fine. The crew informed us the flight time would be roughly 4 hours, so I didn't expect to get much sleep on the flight.

Cabin
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...15d7ee17_b.jpg

My main issue with this seat, aside from how hard it is to sleep when it feels like you're sliding out of the seat, is the utter lack of storage space. This seat design is probably one of the worst designs out there, despite its ubiquity. It doesn't help that CZ completely jams the pockets with unnecessary junk. I'd much rather they leave the pockets empty for my use. The cabin was also quite warm during the flight, which is always a bit annoying.

Leg Room
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ee9abe92_b.jpg

As I boarded, the cabin crew swarmed me. They pestered me to choose a meal before I'd even settled in to the seat. There was only a single copy of the menu, apparently. They didn't provide a menu for my own use. If memory serves, the choice was between chicken, beef and fish. I chose the chicken.

FINALLY an airline that serves peanuts!!!
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0ea2cb99_b.jpg

The meal was pretty good. The red bean dessert was vile, but everything else was tasty.

Chicken Dinner
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e46f05ae_b.jpg

After the meal, I slept for about two hours before the cabin crew awoke me just prior to landing. We landed at PEK an entire hour early and parked at a remote stand at T2. We deplaned from L2, so business class deplaned after premium economy. Thankfully, the cabin crew prevented economy class from getting off before us.

On the ground, there was a dedicated bus for J pax, which was appreciated. We got to the terminal pretty quickly and breezed through immigration. Customs was very backed up with folks wheeling around huge piles of luggage. With just a backpack, I wove my way to the front and snuck through quickly.

I then took the free shuttle to T3, which was a lot farther away (by surface roads) than I'd thought. I arrived at T3 by 6:00AM, well in advance of my onward flight.

swingaling

May 2, 2019 2:19 pm

Cathay Dragon Business Class: Beijing - Hong Kong

Cathay Dragon
Business Class
CX Business Class Ticket
KA901: PEK-HKG (Beijing to Hong Kong)
27 April 2019
Airbus A330-300 (Three Class Configuration)
B-HYB
Seat 10D
Departure: 12:05PM
Arrival: 3:55PM

I couldn't get a boarding pass until 9AM, so I spent a few hours resting in a quiet section of the Arrivals level. Not the most comfortable, but fine for a short while. Eventually, I got a boarding pass and went to the lounge for some soup and a comfy chair.

The flight was fine. Service and food were pretty good. There was quite a bit of turbulence, so the service was interrupted several times. I don't love the chair, but I've flown it before so it wasn't a surprise. Fine for a 3hr morning afternoon flight. We arrive in HKG on time.

Lounge
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4...08229dc5_b.jpg

B-HYB
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4...af8cc401_b.jpg

Legroom
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4...6b55233d_b.jpg

J seat
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4...6ee79bb7_b.jpg

Menu
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/3...06255197_b.jpg

Menu
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/3...b05c65d4_b.jpg

Starter
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/3...65b0b33c_b.jpg

Chicken
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4...025bde8c_b.jpg

NB: Flickr has been intermittently acting up today, so if the photos don't appear it's an issue with Flickr. The links are good.

CosmosHuman

May 2, 2019 2:26 pm

Your TR is marvelous. Would an older single female be able to see some of these sites, alone with a guide? Can you recommend a guide service, please?

swingaling

May 2, 2019 2:28 pm

Cathay Pacific Business Class: Hong Kong - Boston

Cathay Pacific
Business Class
CX Business Class Ticket
CX812: HKG-BOS (Hong Kong to Boston)
27 April 2019
Boeing 777-300ER (Four Class Configuration)
B-KQI
Seat 11A
Departure: 6:15PM
Arrival: 10:20PM

Boarding and departure was a bit late due to late arrival of the incoming plane. Not a huge deal. Luckily, our plane had wifi installed, which was a nice change. Overall, this was a good flight. Very much like previous times I'd flown this route.

Seat 11A
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f307b118_b.jpg

Menu
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a5321e56_b.jpg

Menu
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a263e65d_b.jpg

Cathay Delight
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...87489568_b.jpg

Nuts
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e7ef63fe_b.jpg

Starter
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f888d4eb_b.jpg

None of the mains appealed to me at all, so I went with a burger. The burger was excellent and the fries were hot and crispy. The best fries I'd ever had on a plane.

Burger
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...af0c5647_b.jpg

Fruit for Dessert
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9ef3012b_b.jpg

After the meal, I slept for a solid 10 hours. I awoke with around 3 hours left to fly. I had the pasta for brunch, which was pretty good.

Pasta
http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cd722471_b.jpg

We landed at BOS around 10:30PM and I was outside in the parking lot within 15 minutes, catching a Lyft home.

halfcape

May 2, 2019 3:31 pm

Thanks for sharing a really interesting report, your photos were amazing.

moondog

May 2, 2019 3:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by halfcape (Post 31061206)

Thanks for sharing a really interesting report, your photos were amazing.

+1. The trip itself was awe inspiring, and the trip report was beautiful.

nequine

May 3, 2019 12:48 am

Thanks for the TR, I enjoyed very much reading it. :)

swingaling

May 3, 2019 8:26 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fliar (Post 31060141)

Thank you for a wonderful TR!

Thanks for reading!

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmosHuman (Post 31061022)

Your TR is marvelous. Would an older single female be able to see some of these sites, alone with a guide? Can you recommend a guide service, please?

Thank you!

Certainly, I don't see why not. These countries are generally very safe; typically safer than most large US cities. Language is the biggest hurdle and learning to read Cyrillic in advance of my trip was quite useful. Google Translate is also useful.

If you're interested in traveling independently and doing all the planning yourself, you can easily do as I did. There's a lot of research involved, but there are some excellent websites devoted to this topic. Where practical, I use freelance tour guides for cost and flexibility. I used: TourHQ.com in Baku, Almaty, Tashkent and Samarkand; ToursByLocals.com in Bishkek; Ayan Travel in Turkmenistan; and AAA Tours in Dushanbe.

There are also a number of tour operators that offer group (and private) tours of the region. I ran into several of these groups. I've never taken a group tour like that, but Advantour is a reputable tour operator. If you'd like the names of my guides, some tips and/or additional info/specifics, please PM me. I'm happy to help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by halfcape (Post 31061206)

Thanks for sharing a really interesting report, your photos were amazing.

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by moondog (Post 31061249)

+1. The trip itself was awe inspiring, and the trip report was beautiful.

Thank you so much! Being my most ambitious trip thus far, I was a bit surprised that everything went so smoothly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nequine (Post 31062287)

Thanks for the TR, I enjoyed very much reading it. :)

I glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for all the great questions. :)

HMPS	May 3, 2019 10:24 am

Swingaling dare say you are the envy of some of us ! Going to exotic places. Your photos are very sharp and capture details.

Also Samarkand brought back childhood memories of stories of Arabian Nights and Aladdin genres. Tashkent reminds me of the Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri who died there of a heart attack after a Peace Conference with Pakistan !
Funny, Registan also mean a desert in Urdu/Hindi.

While you were on a mission of visitng highlight, it might be more informative for many of us to see some local color, life, daily life etc.

isaifan

May 3, 2019 12:46 pm

Excellent Report. Thank you for taking us on the journey with you and sharing.

offerendum

May 5, 2019 4:55 am

Stunning Islamic art!

stmaus

May 5, 2019 10:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by swingaling (Post 31057469)

Upon arrival at Tashkent, I made the mistake of not using the ATM in the baggage reclaim area. I assumed there was an indoor arrival area beyond. That's not the case. So I had no cash.

That's pretty funny because it happened to me also. You think there's going to be the usual arrivals hall through those doors just after the customs (non)check, but no, you just exit the building onto the footpath and then the taxi drivers are onto you! It all happens within minutes because the airport arrival process is so efficient.

Once I realised this, I just went back inside and back through the customs area to the baggage reclaim area (yes, they are reasonably casual and understanding because I was a dumb tourist) where there was a currency exchange booth where I changed some USD (as well as those two ATMs you saw). The other trap for young players, as you noted, is not keeping your currency exchange receipts (or at least one of them). You need one of these so you can change back your som to USD at the airport (before passport control).

roadwarrier

May 6, 2019 9:25 am

[QUOTE=stmaus;31071191. The other trap for young players, as you noted, is not keeping your currency exchange receipts (or at least one of them). You need one of these so you can change back your som to USD at the airport (before passport control).[/QUOTE]

On my first trip, I stayed at the then Sheraton where I changed money - no receipts!!!! So, although my hosts were hospitable, I did need some folding money for some meals, (and paying for a 3 day old NYTimes from the lobby shop :mad:).
Anyhow, the day before I was due to leave the barman at the hotel asked if I had leftover currency since I needed to prove when I exchanged my US$. Obviously, I had no proof, and, not wanting to incur the wrath of some petty Official, but feeling undeterred, went to a supermarket and stocked up on various bottles of Vodka. (Read: Moonshine - but the bottles were pretty). Also, having some cherries left over as part of a huuuuuge fruit selection my hosts insisted on getting for me, I had a novel idea.........

After dinner, (now, I had to be at the airport at 5 AM for my flight to Moscow), I thought that it be wise if I decanted some vodka and added de-pipped cherries into my various bottles - hey, they would make a nice addition to my booze cupboard. :D

Well, the Archimedes Principle came into play and I realised that I had more cherries than I thought - needless to say, I consumed enough ~~Moonshine~~ awesome Vodka to keep me ticking for the next few days. Thankfully, this was a Thursday night and the flight was on Friday, so I only needed to see Clients on the Monday.

First and last time I would do that. Once I got home, those bottles stayed in the cupboard for a few years before they were gingerly taken out, a little at a time, for consumption.....:D

swingaling

May 6, 2019 11:35 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by offerendum (Post 31068679)

Stunning Islamic art!

Thanks! Yes, there was quite a lot of it. Though I'll admit the Timurid style buildings do tend to become a bit of a blur after a while.

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaifan (Post 31064071)

Excellent Report. Thank you for taking us on the journey with you and sharing.

Thanks for reading!

Quote:

Originally Posted by HMPS (Post 31063589)

Well noted. While I do like to see that aspect of places I visit, I tend to be a bit reserved in photographing strangers without their express consent. It's something I need to work on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stmaus (Post 31071191)

Once I realised this, I just went back inside and back through the customs area to the baggage reclaim area (yes, they are reasonably casual and understanding because I was a dumb tourist) where there was a currency exchange booth where I changed some USD (as well as those two ATMs you saw). The other trap for young players, as you noted, is not keeping your currency exchange receipts (or at least one of them). You need one of these so you can change back your som to USD at the airport (before passport control).

Yeah, it's not the most intuitive setup for arrivals. I also fell into the currency exchange trap at the airport because none of what I'd read before going made any mention of keeping receipts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadwarrier (Post 31072470)

After dinner, (now, I had to be at the airport at 5 AM for my flight to Moscow), I thought that it be wise if I decanted some vodka and added de-pipped cherries into my various bottles - hey, they would make a nice addition to my booze cupboard. :D

Hahaha. Well, that's certainly the most creative use for leftover Uzbek Sum I've come across. I suspect Uzbek rotgut would also be a good engine degreaser...

stmaus

May 6, 2019 9:45 pm

The Uzbek vodka is actually pretty nice. We had a few bottles around 24,000 to 30,000 som (3 to 4 USD).

roadwarrier

May 7, 2019 6:35 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by stmaus (Post 31074595)

The Uzbek vodka is actually pretty nice. We had a few bottles around 24,000 to 30,000 som (3 to 4 USD).

Especially after soaking for a few years with a cherry infusion......:D

[MENTION=853635]swingaling[/MENTION] - yes, it was " a good engine degreaser... " :D Thankfully, only several hours later once I got to my hotel in Moscow.....:o

mad_atta

May 13, 2019 7:23 am

Typical - there are no Central Asian trip reports for an absolute eternity, then two come along at once! Never mind, I loved them both - your report is fantastic, with fabulous photos. Thanks :)

I'm fascinated to see desert places like Ashgabat so wet and green. I didn't think it ever got like that! When we were there in midsummer it was 40+ degrees and looked very different indeed.

Although we drove across a lot of Central Asia when we visited, we missed a few of the capitals, so we never got to see Tashkent or Bishkek. The former looks like a pretty enjoyable city; Bishkek does look pretty rough around the edges and blighted by a lot of ugly architecture (there's the spectacularly ugly post-Soviet stuff, then there's just the dreary decaying concrete style, and Bishkek sadly seems to have plenty of that). I do think that in both Kyrzygstan and Tajikistan the real appeal is getting out of the cities into the incredible natural environment, so I'd heartily recommend that if you're ever back int he area (and if that's your thing). We *did* make it to Astana (sorry - Nur-Sultan) and I have to say that was a weird and intriguing place... a little bit like Ashgabat but without the almost North Korean vibe or the sense that all the amazing looking buildings are empty and just for show. Also worth a visit!

swingaling

May 13, 2019 11:46 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mad_atta (Post 31096048)

Typical - there are no Central Asian trip reports for an absolute eternity, then two come along at once! Never mind, I loved them both - your report is fantastic, with fabulous photos. Thanks :)

Glad you enjoyed following along! And I do apologize for the inopportune timing of my trip. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mad_atta (Post 31096048)

I'm fascinated to see desert places like Ashgabat so wet and green. I didn't think it ever got like that! When we were there in midsummer it was 40+ degrees and looked very different indeed.

I was also really surprised by how green it was in Ashgabat. The amount of greenery in Turkmenistan was fairly exceptional due to the rains. By the end of April, they'd already received 25% more rain than they typically receive in a year.

In the previous reports from [MENTION=19292]ironmanjt[/MENTION] and [MENTION=673700]DanielW[/MENTION] Ashgabat (and surrounds) was basically bereft of greenery, so I was expecting much of the same. The contrast between our photos of Nisa is especially striking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielW (Post 25613051)

In the background is the Kopet Dag, a mountain range between Turkmenistan and neighbouring Iran.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Other/TRKM/...82T/0/O/28.jpg

Nisa from roughly similar viewpoint on my trip.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4c1c0f10_b.jpg

My guide mentioned that the rains had caused flooding in Iran, with places like Golestan province receiving 70% of their average annual rainfall in a single day. Some 1,900 villages and cities in Iran experienced heavy rain and unprecedented flooding (and loss of life) as a result of these weather systems.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mad_atta (Post 31096048)

Although we drove across a lot of Central Asia when we visited, we missed a few of the capitals, so we never got to see Tashkent or Bishkek. The former looks like a pretty enjoyable city; Bishkek does look pretty rough around the edges and blighted by a lot of ugly architecture (there's the spectacularly ugly post-Soviet stuff, then there's just the dreary decaying concrete style, and Bishkek sadly seems to have plenty of that). I do think that in both Kyrzygstan and Tajikistan the real appeal is getting out of the cities into the incredible natural environment, so I'd heartily recommend that if you're ever back int he area (and if that's your thing). We *did* make it to Astana (sorry - Nur-Sultan) and I have to say that was a weird and intriguing place... a little bit like Ashgabat but without the almost North Korean vibe or the sense that all the amazing looking buildings are empty and just for show. Also worth a visit!

I definitely agree with you on Tashkent. It was the most cosmopolitan city I visited in the region. Bishkek is quite green and has its own charm, but there's certainly a fair amount of urban decay. Outside of the city center, the buildings are more ramshackle and there's little urban planning. In other words, lots of poorly built shacks in a maze of narrow alleyways.

I'd very much like to travel the Pamir and see more of the Tian Shan, but time was a limiting factor on this trip. They're definitely on my list for any future trips to the region. When I eventually go to Afghanistan, I may do it as a short side trip overland from Tajikistan.

mad_atta

May 13, 2019 4:49 pm

Another thing that struck me from your report was the evident investment in large new buildings etc in Dushanbe. Tajikistan is the poorest country in the region and ranks very low by GDP per capital (down around the level of Tanzania) so I didn't expect that. Maybe the current regime prioritises big showcase buildings as symbols of national pride.

hauteboy

May 14, 2019 9:44 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by swingaling (Post 31056184)

If nothing else, they're certainly more interesting than the old buildings.

Ah, you mean Nur-Sultan. Fun fact: Kazakhstan just renamed their capital city in honor of their first president, a change expected to cost $125M.

Yes, I did consider it, but it would have likely required stops in Almaty regardless. Almaty has far better connectivity within the region, so I would have had to connect there anyway. I could have done a day trip to Astana for my day in Kazakhstan, which would have meant a 6AM or 7AM flight on ALA-TSE, then an afternoon return to ALA followed by a 3-4hr drive to Bishkek. There's no TSE-FRU flight on Tuesdays. Given the amount of extra time I would've had to spend flying/driving, it didn't seem like a worthwhile tradeoff.

I went through dozens of permutations of this itinerary to get a workable schedule with minimal backtracking, which was fairly challenging due to the fact that many of these countries (Turkmen, Tajik and Kyrgyz) have fairly minimal/infrequent air links with one other. Further complicating matters is the fact that I don't have a Russian visa, so I couldn't transit Russia en route to/from Kazakh or Kyrgyz.

I even looked at doing some sectors overland. For instance, flying Bishkek to Osh, then overland to Khujand. Overnight Khujand and onward to Tashkent, skipping Dushanbe altogether. Or Dushanbe to Samarkand overland via Panjakent by 4x4, a potentially risky route during the spring thaw (rockfalls, flooding, washed out roads, etc), though certainly more scenic than flying.

We did the full overland of the -Stans in 2012, Almaty to Ashgabat, including Osh to Khujand to Samarkand. We missed Dushanbe as that was a bit too far south of a detour, and the Penjikent border closest to Samarkand was closed at the time of our visit. Our Caucasus trip was in 2005 so it would be interesting to go back now, especially Baku has changed considerably since then.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip...q-balkans.html

Unfortunately looks like my photos disappeared with travbuddy.. need to relink with Flickr at some point.

swingaling

May 14, 2019 2:18 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mad_atta (Post 31098048)

There was a fair amount of construction going on, though perhaps not compared to other cities in the region. I suspect a good amount of the construction work was being sponsored by foreign money, though apparently the Navruz Palace was funded by local ~~kleptocrats~~ businessmen (i.e. relatives of the president) entirely with "private" funds. They also received a lot of aid from the US, so I'd imagine some of those funds made it to these projects. Unfortunately, they've also been demolishing a lot of older buildings with genuine historic value and replacing them with new junk.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hauteboy (Post 31100256)

My initial plan was Dushanbe to Samarkand overland via Penjikent, but uncertainty of mountain road conditions (on a tight timeline) deterred me. Given the rains, I think I made the right choice. The flight was also cheaper and less complicated than hiring drivers. That said, the drive would have been a infinitely more scenic and interesting than a 40 minute night flight.

I'd love to see the photos from your trip to get a sense of how much (or little) things have changed in the intervening years.

Gardyloo

May 15, 2019 7:35 am

When I visited Dushanbe during Soviet days (the mid-70s, actually) it struck me as being by far the poorest of the towns we visited (Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Urgench/Khiva) and our minders were stricter by far than in the other places. We were herded past a few monumentally ugly buildings, forced to watch a "folk dance" entertainment that wasn't, and made to tour a textile factory with brightly-clad young women busily sewing away under Russian language posters exhorting one thing or another and all under the watchful eye of blonde supervisors. This was in utter contrast to most places we visited in Uzbekistan; it felt quite colonial.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e0187d1b19.jpg

mad_atta

May 15, 2019 8:13 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by swingaling (Post 31101384)

I'd love to see the photos from your trip to get a sense of how much (or little) things have changed in the intervening years.

I know you were talking to hauteboy not me, but if you're curious to see our photos from driving across the 'stans during the 2012 Mongol Rally, you can take a look at the photo gallery on our team Facebook page - see links below. (In case the links don't work, just go to Facebook, search for 'Khan-Tiki Tours' and you'll find our team page, with photo albums organised by country.)

Turkmenistan: https://bit.ly/2w7DpYV
(We drove in from Iran, stayed in Ashgabat, then north to camp at Darvaza gas crater, then north then east to the border crossing near Khiva)
Uzbekistan: https://bit.ly/2HpNSFl
(We went from Khiva to Bukhara to Samarkand, then across the border towards Khujand, Tajikistan)
Tajikistan: https://bit.ly/2HG0kzI
(First stop Khujand, then over the path heading south via breathtaking Iskanderkul lake to Dushanbe, then east to Gharm, and on to Kyrgyzstan, through a border crossing usually closed to foreigners but opened because the entire GBAO region got closed down to tourists due to a drug war kicking off)
Kyrgyzstan: https://bit.ly/2VxGsDN
(We drove through the high valley to Sary Tash, then north to Osh, then way up into the mountains to the stunning Song Kul lake, then to Issyk Kul, then into Kazakhstan via the border closest to Bishkek (which we bypassed))
Kazakhstan: https://bit.ly/2WSySp0
(First stop Almaty, then an epic drive across the steppes via Lake Balkhash to Astana, then via Karagandy to the Russian border, heading for Barnaul).

***Shameless plug alert***
If you're curious to read about the trip, check out the trip report here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip...ly-2012-a.html

swingaling

May 15, 2019 12:34 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardyloo (Post 31103632)

I saw a description of your trip to Central Asia in the other recent trip report (if memory serves). What you describe is so very different from my own experience. Though Tajik is certainly the poorest of the five stans, Dushanbe didn't feel like an especially poor city. It (subjectively) felt somewhat more affluent than Bishkek, despite Kyrgyz being a richer nation. The recent building spree in Dushanbe probably contributed to that.

In contrast to your experience during Soviet times, as a tourist in Dushanbe, I felt completely welcomed. People were universally friendly and I got the feeling that they were glad I was visiting their country. There were no indications that they were at all suspicious of the foreigner. Even immigration and customs officers were friendly. It was very similar to the attitudes I encountered in Timor-Leste, for example.

Turkmenistan, on the other hand, was almost the opposite. People were basically friendly, but most were standoffish and generally wary of me. Police were not so friendly and I didn't get the sense that tourists were wanted all that much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mad_atta (Post 31103739)

If you're curious to read about the trip, check out the trip report here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip...ly-2012-a.html

Sounds like an epic trip. I'll definitely take a look!

RCyyz

Jan 8, 2022 11:57 pm

I read this thread with great interest last year. I was impressed with the whole thread but for some reason I remembered in particular the visit to the Darvaza Crater aka Gates of Hell. I guess that part just make an impression on me for some reason.

So it was this thread I recalled when I read just now that the President of Turkmenistan wants to try and extinguish the Darvaza Crater. Personally I think that's a shame, but it's pretty easy for me to say that from where I sit. Anyhow, I guess we'll see what happens.

And belatedly, thanks for posting the Trip Report! It sounds like it was one heck of a trip!

Loose Cannon

Jan 11, 2022 6:19 pm

Fascinating Trip Report. Thanks for the pictures.

wakesetter93

Jan 12, 2022 7:36 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loose Cannon (Post 33893867)

Fascinating Trip Report. Thanks for the pictures.

Good to see you around LC

13901

Jan 13, 2022 4:58 am

Good memories from my travels too, thanks for sharing this TR!

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