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Touring the Five Stans
Background:
Continuing toward my goal of visiting each country, this trip began as the continuation of my recent RTW trip in January. I had a return BOS-HKG-KTM ticket to use, so I decided to take the opportunity to see Central Asia. Initially, the plan was to fly to KTM (with a tedious 12hr stop in HKG), overnight there, then fly onward to Baku the following morning on TK via the new IST airport. The original plan had a rather long transit at HKG and a 1AM arrival into Baku, but I was content with it as the TK award ticket was very reasonably priced. The plans were set, or so I thought. Original Routing http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...10e0eb09_b.jpg In the weeks leading up to the trip, hostilities between Pakistan and India flared up once again, leading to the ongoing closure of Pakistani airspace. As a result, the intended Kathmandu - Istanbul flight (TK727) began to suffer very poor on-time performance, generally landing at IST 2-6 hours late. I'd booked a 4hr layover at IST, so I decided to stick with my original plan. Then two weeks later, ET302 crashed and the 737 MAX was subsequently grounded. As a result, TK cancelled my chosen IST-GYD flight and rebooked me on a much later flight arriving at 5AM. Not wanting to endure this revised schedule, I looked for other options. I ultimately settled on the routing below, discarding my HKG-KTM segment entirely and instead routing via Beijing, where QR had plenty of award availability to GYD. I would have preferred not transiting Beijing, but the other choices were MNL and BKK. The main benefit of the new routing was that I would now arrive in Baku at 11:30 AM on 18 April instead of 5:00AM on 19 April (after a 3hr red eye on a 737). This would give me a lot more time in Baku and a proper night's rest in a real bed. So I ticketed the itinerary and the trip was finalized. Final Routing http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2c1ef9bf_b.jpg BOS-HKG (CX J ticket) HKG-PEK (CX Y ticket) PEK-DOH-GYD (QR J award) GYD-ASB (LH Y ticket) ASB-ALA (T5 J ticket) ALA-FRU-ALA (KC Y ticket) ALA-DYU (KC Y ticket) DYU-TAS (HY Y ticket) TAS-PEK (CZ J ticket) PEK-HKG-BOS (CX J ticket) Stats:
In this report: Cathay Pacific First Class: Boston - Hong Kong Cathay Dragon Economy Class: Hong Kong - Beijing Grand Hyatt Beijing Qatar Airways Business Class: Beijing - Doha Qatar Airways Business Class: Doha - Baku Four Seasons Hotel Baku Baku, Azerbaijan (Day 1) Baku, Azerbaijan (Day 2) Lufthansa Economy Class: Baku - Ashgabat Yyldyz Hotel Ashgabat and Darvaza, Turkmenistan (Day 1) Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (Day 2) Turkmenistan Airlines Business Class: Ashgabat - Almaty Hotel Mercure Almaty City Center Almaty, Kazakhstan Air Astana Economy Class: Almaty - Bishkek Hyatt Regency Bishkek Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Part One) Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Part Two) Air Astana Economy Class: Bishkek - Almaty Hotel Mercure Almaty City Center Air Astana Economy Class: Almaty - Dushanbe Dushanbe, Tajikistan Hyatt Regency Dushanbe Uzbekistan Airways Economy Class: Dushanbe - Tashkent Uzbekistan Railways Afrosiyob: Tashkent - Samarkand Samarkand, Uzbekistan (Part One) Samarkand, Uzbekistan (Part Two) Uzbekistan Railways Afrosiyob: Samarkand - Tashkent Hyatt Regency Tashkent Tashkent, Uzbekistan China Southern Business Class: Tashkent - Beijing Cathay Dragon Business Class: Beijing - Hong Kong Cathay Pacific Business Class: Hong Kong - Boston Previous Trip Reports: 10 Countries in 9 Days (CX, KE, QR, TG, KL, BI) Former SSRs: the Baltics, Belarus and Back Bangladesh, Burma and Beijing the Long Way (with stops in Laos, Singapore and Tokyo) A Passage to India with stops in Qatar, Sri Lanka and Scandinavia (AA, QR, UL in J) An Engagement to Remember: BOS to ZQN (with a few stops along the way) RTW in J: Cairo, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Bali and Nepal |
Cathay Pacific First Class: Boston - Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific
First Class CX Business Class Ticket (with upgrade award) CX811: BOS-HKG (Boston to Hong Kong) 16 April 2019 Boeing 777-300ER (Four Class Configuration) B-KQU Seat 2A Departure: 1:50AM Arrival: 5:10AM+1 In the days leading up to the flight, I found that the first class cabin on my flight was entirely empty and it was possible to upgrade the ticket with miles. Though objectively a relatively poor value for miles, I'd never flown CX first and I wanted to try it at least once. Especially since there's no way I'd ever buy an F ticket outright. Given the entirely empty cabin, there was a good chance that I'd have the entire F cabin to myself. So I took the plunge and issued the upgrade. I got to the airport and was through security and in the BA lounge fairly quickly. The flight boarded after a short delay. The inbound plane had been delayed because of a medical diversion to ANC. I was aware of this several hours prior to departure and was a bit concerned about my connection to PEK. Ultimately, there was no need for concern. My flight departed BOS only 30 minutes late and still arrived in HKG on time. Once on board, I settled into seat 2A and the cabin crew quickly made the rounds introducing themselves. The ISM also apologized for the late departure due to the diversion to ANC on the inbound flight. Seat 2A http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ab2e7a73_b.jpg My instincts proved correct and I ended up having the entire F cabin to myself. From the time I boarded, I never saw another passenger for the entire flight. And since I deplaned first, I never saw any other passengers until I was in the terminal building. It felt almost like I was flying alone on a private plane. Having two lavatories entirely to myself was also quite nice, if a bit unnecessary. Empty F Cabin http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e9b0a506_b.jpg Seat 2A http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a0a1b795_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4f9522ec_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f4c2e634_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...23d70d5c_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...409177a1_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d1d3e4df_b.jpg Since I don't drink alcohol and I detest caviar (from past experience), I skipped those offerings. I had a relatively quick dinner, which was delicious. The steak was the best I've had on a plane. Cooked perfectly to medium. Cathay Delight http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9750a6ca_b.jpg Salad http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e20df1c8_b.jpg Steak http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0ce29f05_b.jpg Perfectly Cooked Medium http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1fa3ae6b_b.jpg Fruit http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...634dd8f0_b.jpg Chocolates http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...37f775ce_b.jpg After the meal, I asked the FA to make seat 1A into a bed so I could get some sleep. It's really nice having a separate seat for a bed... The bed was by far the most comfortable I've had flying. I've flown long haul international F previously, and the CX bed, while dated, is the most comfortable I've flown. Far better than F* on AA's 77W and superior to both KE A380 and SQ 77W F hard products. The only negative was the seat is not the most supportive when in seat mode, though the copious pillows help with that. I had a very good 6-8 hour sleep and then I was up for the rest of the flight. Mid-flight Burger http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7bbd76c6_b.jpg Shortly before landing, I had a quick breakfast. The food was excellent. The eggs were freshly scrambled and delicious. Far better than the typical airplane egg. Breakfast http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...083c8cca_b.jpg Yogurt http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2f096a93_b.jpg Eggs, Freshly Scrambled http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2ac2a65a_b.jpg Before long, we were at HKG and it was time to leave. The flight was nearly 15 hours, but ended far too soon. |
Cathay Dragon Economy Class: Hong Kong - Beijing
Cathay Dragon
Economy Class CX Economy Class Ticket KA900: HKG-PEK (Hong Kong to Beijing) 17 April 2019 Airbus A330-300 (Three Class Configuration) B-HYG Seat 25C Departure: 7:30AM Arrival: 10:50AM My transit at HKG was short this time, but we landed directly next to a nearly deserted transit security checkpoint, so I was through security and airside within 10 minutes of landing. I made a beeline for the Pier F lounge to caffeinate and have a shower. I was so quick that I arrived before the lounge opened at 5:30 AM and had to wait around for 10 minutes for the lounge to open. After a quick shower, I had some coffee and decided to check out the Pier F dining room. Pier F Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c2a59cf5_b.jpg The host station was unmanned and I had to wait 5 minutes to be seated. I ordered a quick bite to eat and waited for nearly 15 minutes but neither the food nor my espresso ever came. Service has really gone downhill since Sodexho took over running the lounge. Since I had to catch my flight, I left and hoofed it to gate 7, which was a bus gate. In the roughly 20 times I've flown through HKG, this was my first bus gate. Boarding was slowly, with the bus making three trips to the plane. I was on the first bus and settled in for the 3hr flight to Beijing. The plane was old, but the interior was fine and relatively comfortable for the short flight. Y Cabin http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cfee06ba_b.jpg View from the remote stand http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5e8990be_b.jpg The meal was served shortly after takeoff and it was pretty tasty. No complaints. Meal http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ab39f45c_b.jpg We landed at PEK on time and I was through immigration quickly. I got some Yuan from the exchange booth (the ATM wouldn't work for me) and headed to the Airport Express. I still had a Yikatong card, so I reloaded it and boarded the train to the city. I'd made this journey before, so it was quite easy now. |
Grand Hyatt Beijing
Grand Hyatt Beijing
I made it to the hotel by noon and was able to check-in immediately. My layover in Beijing was only 15 hours, but it was more than enough time to leave the airport and get some rest. I dropped off my bag and took a short walk around Wangfujing. After a while, I went to a Sichuan restaurant in Oriental Plaza for an early supper. Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bfdbfb9e_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...24897b48_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6cd7b79b_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2e8f23a9_b.jpg View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...90dc2b7a_b.jpg View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8fa5f620_b.jpg Dinner was quite good, if a bit spicier than I'd intended. After dinner, I retired to my room and slept for about 6 hours, getting up around 10:00PM for my next flight. Pea Greens http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...83a91261_b.jpg Laziji Far spicier than normal - note the fried fresh chilies http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d346707a_b.jpg I checked out of the hotel by 11:00PM and asked the bellman to order a taxi to the airport for me. I'd typically use DiDi, but there was quite a long queue for rides. The taxi ride to the airport was fast and uneventful. |
Qatar Airways Business Class: Beijing - Doha
Qatar Airways
Business Class AA Business Class Award Ticket QR895: PEK-DOH (Beijing to Doha) 18 April 2019 Boeing 777-300ER (Two Class Configuration) A7-BEL Seat 3K Departure: 1:50AM Arrival: 5:55AM Check-in took a bit longer than usual, as the agents were confused about what the entry requirements for Azerbaijan were for me. The language barrier didn't help, I suspect. Regardless, I got my boarding passes and made it to Terminal 3E after a short while. I went to the Air China First Class Lounge, which was anything but. I had a quick snack of beef noodle soup and then headed to the boarding gate nearby. Decent Beef Noodle Soup http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...464db6b5_b.jpg A7-BEL http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2c20f9ce_b.jpg As expected, my flight was on a QSuite equipped plane. The plane boarded early, but was delayed when a passenger poked himself in the eye. This necessitated medical consultations about whether he was fit to fly.... Eventually, we pushed back and were on out way. Unfortunately, there was a long line of departures ahead of us, so it took quite a while to actually get airborne. On the bright side, QR provided pajamas on this flight. They're nowhere near as nice as the pajamas CX provide in F, but appreciated nonetheless. Seat 3K http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9a7cd88c_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8f5638fa_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0338bf81_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...48bac2c8_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...042ac7ce_b.jpg Salad http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d60622a0_b.jpg Sandwich http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0ca0d7a2_b.jpg Dessert http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cf099fd0_b.jpg After the quick meal service, I slept for 5-6 hours. I elected to skip breakfast to maximize sleep, but we were treated to excellent views of Doha on arrival. Overall, it was a great flight as always. Doha Final Approach http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f4da02fb_b.jpg Doha Final Approach http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8582983d_b.jpg Doha Final Approach http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b4e9c3eb_b.jpg |
Qatar Airways Business Class: Doha - Baku
Qatar Airways
Business Class AA Business Class Award Ticket QR351: DOH-GYD (Doha to Baku) 18 April 2019 Airbus A320 (Two Class Configuration) A7-LAD Seat 2D Departure: 7:30AM Arrival: 11:20AM We landed at a remote stand in Doha and the bus driver took a bad route, putting us in a long line at the offload point. We actually ended up at the terminal after economy pax from our own flight, despite leaving the plane well before them. As I had a short connection in Doha, I headed for the Business Class transfer security checkpoint. I was through within 5-10 minutes max, despite the slow transfer to the terminal. I then made my way to my gate at the far end of the terminal, using the APM to speed things along. I was at the gate with plenty of time to spare, as DOH is a very efficient airport. Boarding took a while, as they were unable to secure a business class bus for our flight. They asked if I minded, and of course I told them it made no difference at all. So we took the economy class bus to the plane, getting stuck behind a slow moving baggage tram along the way. Once aboard, everything went smoothly. We took off roughly on time and arrived on time at GYD. A7-LAD http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fcc73a1b_b.jpg J Cabin http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...90901f55_b.jpg Empty Seat As an OWE, QR had blocked the seat next to me. Very much appreciated. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dc44862a_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6f0b4c26_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...548495c0_b.jpg Breakfast As usual, the Indian meal was delicious http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ae2c2644_b.jpg Immigration and customs were very quick. I retrieved some cash from an ATM and easily ordered a taxi to my hotel. The taxi to the hotel took roughly 30 minutes and the whole process was quite painless. Arrival in GYD http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...24231098_b.jpg GYD Terminal http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...79e47d9a_b.jpg |
Four Seasons Hotel Baku
Four Seasons Hotel Baku
I typically don't stay at FS hotels, but I had a free night certificate from Hotels.com to burn, so this seemed a perfect opportunity. The location of the hotel was the primary reason I chose it, as it's located in the Baku old town. There are other options, but they're typically not as convenient. I typically stay in a Hyatt when possible, but I opted for the FS here due to the superior location. I arrived at the hotel by 12:30PM and was able to check-in early. As expected, the hotel itself was quite nice. Not surprising, as it's generally regarded as the best hotel in town. The room was quite nice and the service was great. No issues whatsoever. Enormous Orchids http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9e987316_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...09abb7c7_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0ec359a1_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7feeb47a_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...406e93da_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4cf63a6d_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ed47c142_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d93efb88_b.jpg View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3021a914_b.jpg View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ea29f0f9_b.jpg After settling in, I decided to go for a stroll around the Baku old city area. It wasn't too chilly out, but it was very windy. |
Baku, Azerbaijan (Day 2)
Baku, Azerbaijan (Day 2)
I woke up early and had breakfast at the hotel buffet. It was quite good. Breakfast http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0491637a_b.jpg I met my guide at 9AM and we set off immediately. We had numerous stops planned for the day, followed by my onward flight to Ashgabat. First stop was mud volcanoes outside the city. The guide drove us there in his car, then we switched to a Lada taxi for the offroad section. It was quite bumpy, but cool to ride in an old Lada. Lada http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ab9fa99c_b.jpg Lada http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...53317e6f_b.jpg Mud Volcanoes http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a7964359_b.jpg Mud Volcanoes http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...28d75c78_b.jpg Mud Volcanoes http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bdbf183d_b.jpg Mud Volcanoes http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4875fce6_b.jpg Mud Volcanoes http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a169f276_b.jpg Mud Volcanoes with Lada http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4c8651b4_b.jpg Mud Volcanoes http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...25fdc880_b.jpg Mud Volcanoes http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...16411185_b.jpg Next up was a museum at Gobustan National Park followed by a visit to the park to see the cave drawings. Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6eab0b36_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...50bb7f77_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...95cbefc8_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...64365836_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...73031d80_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e3de7bf9_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7c0cfebf_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3d5d640b_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...10a7f2d3_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...866abdf2_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...48a43069_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6d59cee8_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...28587e12_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ea7e7214_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...93bb9af9_b.jpg Gobustan My tour guide, who looked quite a lot like my brother in law. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8ffbfbee_b.jpg Gobustan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fcc9ebc9_b.jpg Then back to the city. Baku Port http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ae4d92b4_b.jpg Bibiheyat Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4b6e56f1_b.jpg Bibiheyat Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6dc52aec_b.jpg Parliament Building http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fa74b9e6_b.jpg Flame Towers http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fb43324c_b.jpg Flame Towers http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...30e1a96a_b.jpg View from Highland Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a71545bd_b.jpg View from Highland Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f4ea2011_b.jpg Highland Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0073ddfd_b.jpg Highland Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b8210c80_b.jpg Heydar Aliyev Centre http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e717d383_b.jpg Heydar Aliyev Centre http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...37221648_b.jpg Aborted Trump Building http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3831d424_b.jpg Heydar Aliyev Centre http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dffab075_b.jpg Unfortunately, the mosque was closed because of an incoming government delegation, so we couldn't get any closer. Heydar Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9b52078b_b.jpg Heydar Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c9494ee4_b.jpg Next up was this flame that's been burning for over 50 years when a sheep herder tossed a cigarette and lit the hill on fire accidentally. It's become a bit of a tourist attraction, but really nothing special compared to the Darvaza crater in Turkmenistan. Yanar Dag http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2c8e839a_b.jpg Yanar Dag http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...087a4d79_b.jpg Yanar Dag http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d20cbcc2_b.jpg Final stop was the fire temple, which was built for traders from India. Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...010a02f6_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a2b2e83a_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3dd51afa_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cf7b8667_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ff7d32d0_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e123442d_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ea01c43e_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5887f74f_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0dda9b5d_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9d296e5e_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...122b8c29_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b19330a2_b.jpg Persian Fire Temple http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2574da77_b.jpg Before ending the tour, we stopped at a local restaurant for lunch. Tasty and cheap, if you don't mind cigarette smoke. Lunch http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ee9939a2_b.jpg After this, we headed to the airport. |
Lufthansa Economy Class: Baku - Ashgabat
Lufthansa
Economy Class LH Economy Class Ticket LH612: GYD-ASB (Baku to Ashgabat) 19 April 2019 Airbus A321 (Two Class Configuration) D-AIDM Seat 6D Departure: 9:10PM Arrival: 11:35PM I arrived at the airport several hours early, as the tour was finished. So I hung around at the landside lounge until my flight check-in opened. It was nothing special, but was quiet and comfortable. After check-in, I went through immigration and security. Both were painless. I still had some time to kill so I grabbed some dinner before the flight. View from Lounge The landside lounge was directly next to the apron, so the views were quite good. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...641fffc8_b.jpg Dinner http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8a1a10ce_b.jpg The flight boarded roughly on time, though only a dozen passengers boarded at Baku. The majority of passengers had started in Frankfurt. Snack http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...47f3e1de_b.jpg The service was fine and the flight arrived in Ashgabat on time. That's when the fun began. I made it to the visa counter fairly quickly and was second in line. When it was my turn, the officer worked on my visa for a few minutes and then told me to stand to the side and wait. Over the course of the next hour, he then proceeded to process the 35 people in line behind me. Once everyone else was gone, he made a dozen phone calls and then finally processed my visa. The process took well over 90 minutes and was extremely annoying. Of course, he spoke almost no English and provided no explanation. What I think happened was this. I applied for a Letter of Invitation in January using my then-current passport. It was approved. In February I realized I'd run out of space in my passport, so I applied for a new one. Once the new passport arrived, I sent a copy to my tour operator and he had a new LOI issued for my new passport number. Everything should have been fine. When I arrived at ASB, I suspect the old passport number was still in their systems and they had to go through a lot of bureaucratic nonsense to rectify the issue. It was a huge hassle and had I known this would happen, I would've waited to apply for the LOI once my new passport had been issued. When they registered me with the police, the internal travel document still reflected my old passport number. Eventually, I made it through immigration and was greeted by my tour guide and driver. Then we were off to the hotel for the night so I could finally get some rest. |
Yyldyz Hotel
Yyldyz Hotel
I opted to stay in the Yyldyz Hotel, translated as Star Hotel. It was pretty nice, if a bit strange. The hotel building is shaped a bit like a sex toy. I assume that wasn't intentional... Yyldyz Hotel Building A photo during the day time http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a6b6bc7a_b.jpg The check-in process was quick and they didn't bother taking a credit card imprint. That was fine, as their prices for incidentals were ridiculous. The hotel was quite nice and the facilities were in good shape. Lobby Birds of a feather... http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0bee15b2_b.jpg Lobby http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7670bb46_b.jpg Lobby http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f81dd59e_b.jpg Lobby Shop http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...35791cc1_b.jpg Newspaper http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9934bf5a_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...228d68f3_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e7db19a8_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...21b088f8_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ef07a83b_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8bec421b_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e5511716_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...40a65398_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...71134b32_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a94f51af_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e1d44059_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ae869cdb_b.jpg Room Service Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7e56ec68_b.jpg View from Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0df5f88e_b.jpg View from Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5c9f50c3_b.jpg View from Hotel Restaurant Balcony http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e6851a51_b.jpg View from Hotel Restaurant Balcony http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b2b9f68d_b.jpg View from Hotel Restaurant Balcony http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...20665b55_b.jpg View from Hotel Restaurant Balcony http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3c61f6b5_b.jpg View from Hotel Restaurant Balcony http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...166b953a_b.jpg View from Hotel Restaurant Balcony http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0c5667cd_b.jpg I went to sleep right away and slept pretty well. It was a pretty good hotel and the room price was reasonable, I suppose. |
Ashgabat and Darvaza, Turkmenistan (Day 1)
Ashgabat and Darvaza, Turkmenistan (Day 1)
Not too many guests staying in the hotel. The breakfast was decent. The highlight was a made to order eggs station. Breakfast Restaurant http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6ecd625a_b.jpg Breakfast Restaurant http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...67e767c9_b.jpg Breakfast http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1feec6a2_b.jpg Breakfast http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...898a770b_b.jpg I had breakfast and then we headed out for a day of sightseeing. We'd initially planned to go to the cable car, but it was very foggy. So instead we went to a very large bazaar outside the city. Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f658c6a0_b.jpg Ashgabat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5f5875f6_b.jpg The bazaar was quite large. There were over 40 large buildings housing vendors of all sorts of goods. I didn't get too many good photos, as most people did not want their photos taken. There were over a thousand vendors in the complex in total. Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...316273cc_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7d174d6e_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c2b3602b_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7cb7326b_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c25c4542_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0c263e10_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...38ec55b2_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0103a5be_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...05f8e296_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e5a3a550_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...64c9f7fe_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bc518128_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bdc65748_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2d428a1d_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8ece182a_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1a9f0f99_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1e31b3ec_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...36e51f07_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e7ff8856_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6fb7b1ef_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e9089208_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d3756702_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c4b9f408_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3668ed3c_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c0588877_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d2698900_b.jpg Altyn Asyr Bazar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a3b51611_b.jpg After the bazaar, we went back to the city to see the Russian Market. We only walked through briefly. Outside, I was taking a photo of the building and a man happened to be in the shot. He followed us and told me to delete the photo. I did, but then promptly recovered it from the recently deleted folder... See below. Russian Market http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...041e6fbf_b.jpg Russian Market http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8ba05c1c_b.jpg Russian Market http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9362981b_b.jpg Russian Market http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...26f3674d_b.jpg Russian Market Note the Secret Police http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9e70a7a3_b.jpg Lenin Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fbd21f58_b.jpg Lenin Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...16a935cb_b.jpg Lenin Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...02b65eb3_b.jpg Ashgabat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...48eca3d3_b.jpg Ashgabat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c2cc91ba_b.jpg Ashgabat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dd3f9704_b.jpg Ak şäher Aşgabat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...456f7127_b.jpg Saparmurat Turkmenbashi Theatre http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...00e371bd_b.jpg Ashgabat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f3b20766_b.jpg We then headed to a newly built mall for some lunch, which was cheap and quite good. Berkarar Mall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3659bc89_b.jpg Berkarar Mall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e0bec4d0_b.jpg Lunch http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0f54c2f3_b.jpg Ashgabat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...59dc2d49_b.jpg By this time, it was mid afternoon and we started off toward the Darvaza gas crater. On the way we made a few stops, so it took us roughly 3.5 hours to get there. The roads were not in great condition, so it was quite bumpy for most of the way. Village http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...db9c85de_b.jpg Village http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...032f5019_b.jpg Village http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...db3a3bd1_b.jpg Village http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fb7fe8dc_b.jpg Village http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d31fe517_b.jpg Roadside Cafe http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...980a7604_b.jpg First stop near Darvaza was a water crater. It was incredibly muddy, as the weather had been very rainy for the past few weeks. Note how green the desert is. It was also fairly cold. Due to the mud, the crater was not terribly safe. There were spots where the ground has collapsed and there was evidence that the ground would continue to subside. There were some large fissures forming around the rim of the crater. Water Crater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f4cfeb7f_b.jpg Water Crater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2a36bcfc_b.jpg Water Crater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cdc66395_b.jpg Water Crater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2364fddb_b.jpg Much as the previous crater, it wasn't safe enough to go close to the rim to see over the edge. Unfortunately, a small cat had fallen into the crater. It was unhurt, walking around but had been stuck down there for at least three days. Really heartbreaking. Even if one were inclined to help the poor guy, going down into the crater would be incredibly dangerous. Mud Crater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5de65c43_b.jpg Mud Crater Cat stranded at the bottom is visible in full res version. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...da88e23b_b.jpg Mud Crater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bac92ddd_b.jpg Finally we made it to the gas crater. Notice how green everything is. They'd been having an abnormal amount of rain and everything was green as a result. Darvaza http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a3e86159_b.jpg Darvaza http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e7ff0443_b.jpg Darvaza http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1e789df9_b.jpg Darvaza http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...38f1a747_b.jpg Darvaza http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5970d762_b.jpg It started to rain quite hard, so we retreated to the car and had some dinner. Dinner http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...969da479_b.jpg Dinner http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...da8eb523_b.jpg Dinner http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6a045d3d_b.jpg The weather cleared and we were able to see the crater as night fell. We stayed until 8PM and then headed back to the city. We could have stayed longer, but I was pretty tired and wanted to get to the hotel at a reasonable hour. We made good time and showed up at the hotel at 11PM. Luckily, I was able to sleep most of the ride back. Darvaza http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...224fc3bf_b.jpg Darvaza http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c2798f7e_b.jpg Darvaza http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7b4f2145_b.jpg Darvaza http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1ac40514_b.jpg Darvaza http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...74523668_b.jpg Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8e70a9f6_b.jpg |
Great photos and report so far! I had a friend that was in the peace corps in Azerbaijan for 2 years, and I've been interested in seeing photos of Baku. Looking forward to the rest of your report!
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Laziji is one of my top 5 favourite dishes. Those are red chilies, though. While trying to order it in Sichuan once I got something very similar, with green fresh ones. Just as spicy (and numbing - "ma la") as laziji, but slightly more saucy/moist.
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Great TR so far. I'm looking forward to the rest.
Those food prices in the hotel are insane! How much was the hotel and food in other places? |
Great start to your TR and looking forward to reading more. :)
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Very interesting start to your report. Looking forward to reading the rest of it.
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Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (Day 2)
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Day 2 On my second and final day in Turkmenistan, I had a late start. I finally figured out that my room had blackout curtains, so I was able to sleep in somewhat. After breakfast, I checked out and we commenced our itinerary. I had an evening flight, so we had the whole day to see the city, which was more than enough time. It was a cloudy, cold day and the city was basically deserted again. Very little traffic and not many signs of life. Breakfast http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...096a17f6_b.jpg Monument to the President http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4ce652cb_b.jpg Street Sweeper http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0e7d83bd_b.jpg Cop and Ugly Building http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6414c8d5_b.jpg Another Ugly Building http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f24168c1_b.jpg And Another http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...15a78262_b.jpg And Another http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...be17d92f_b.jpg One of 70+ Unique Roundabout Monuments http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...860c0b99_b.jpg Our first stop was to see a horse race. Due to the recent rains, the race was cancelled. Presumably due to poor conditions on the hippodrome and concern for the horses racing on wet soil. Luckily, we got to visit the stables by bribing the security guard. The horses were beautiful. Race Track Stables http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...73477b5d_b.jpg Stable 5 http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1cf4262c_b.jpg Race Horse http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bd94ef4b_b.jpg Race Horse http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4bf67548_b.jpg Race Horse http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...72e5c700_b.jpg Race Track http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cca9385e_b.jpg The next stop was the mosque and mausoleum complex built by the previous President. Turkmenbashi Mausoleum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...58e9b1a5_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Mausoleum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1bca39c7_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Mausoleum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6ddda6a6_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Mausoleum Note a copy of the Ruhnama on a pedestal. Grave of the former president in the center. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...180a3efd_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Mausoleum Former president in the arms of the angel. His mother and brothers died in the earthquake in 1948, but he survived. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dd51b6ec_b.jpg Built on the outskirts of Ashgabat, near the hometown of the former president. The mosque seats 10,000 (my guide claimed 30,000) and was enormously expensive. These days, it's seldom used due to its isolated location and controversy over the Ruhnama quotes inscribed on its walls. It was absolutely deserted when we were there. There was one other person there, along with a few guard soldiers. Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...14ffb4d1_b.jpg Banquet Hall for 5,000 http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bbd85245_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...71c3f965_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8049de7e_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...20e5b900_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...960cf494_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0b183dc9_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8020a639_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...531183df_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...48892229_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...91212d62_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9b4ccd7e_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque Huge underground bathrooms http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c0f01c55_b.jpg Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0659477f_b.jpg Next up was a visit to the ruins of Nisa. Outskirts of Ashgabat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...32b0cea6_b.jpg Outskirts of Ashgabat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d91518cb_b.jpg Outskirts of Ashgabat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...52ec7e39_b.jpg A Big Dog Sleeping, not dead. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...779e409b_b.jpg Due to the huge amount of rain they'd received recently, Nisa was completely green. Additionally, parts were damaged by the rains and were starting to collapse. There was a single worker there doing repairs to the damaged sections of the complex. Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dd0ed7b6_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7555a9d6_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9136b582_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...91f4b590_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2daab324_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4c1d093a_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...15ff82a3_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...88613ae0_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...87837f20_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a314ac7a_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f8a51beb_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b59f2865_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8995be20_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4cc89ba9_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e3398c02_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...37043ae6_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2d2bd51f_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5bf7884c_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...75493ac2_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a7f82ce1_b.jpg Nisa http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...83267439_b.jpg Another Roundabout Monument http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7c7f2b92_b.jpg Ugly Building http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ff9df274_b.jpg Next up was the Memorial Complex commemorating victims of WWII and the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake. Memorial Complex http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d2338848_b.jpg Memorial Complex http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...96b12ffc_b.jpg Memorial Complex http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c1622bb6_b.jpg Memorial Complex http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...725d807f_b.jpg Memorial Complex http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...395a2446_b.jpg Memorial Complex http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...895fa585_b.jpg Memorial Complex http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a64dd54a_b.jpg Memorial Complex http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2d1e70eb_b.jpg Memorial Complex http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9797efc5_b.jpg Memorial Complex Yes, the golden boy on top of the world is the former president... http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c45203ef_b.jpg Memorial Complex http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bb9a68f9_b.jpg Memorial Complex http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b2cd893f_b.jpg Roundabout Monument http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...22014151_b.jpg Roundabout Monument http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f0d9a692_b.jpg Ugly Building http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...891f35b5_b.jpg Conference Hall for 3,000 http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cf8ba904_b.jpg Constitution Monument http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...16363180_b.jpg Ministry of Education Note the building is shaped like a book... http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7a0934e9_b.jpg Ministry of Foreign Affairs Note the globe atop the building... http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...76b15fa0_b.jpg Alem Center Largest indoor ferris wheel in the world when built. Also a movie theater and arcade. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5348d130_b.jpg Alem Center http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...900bd247_b.jpg Another Roundabout http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b1e142b3_b.jpg Neutrality Monument With a 13m gold statue of the former president on top... http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...43db42a8_b.jpg Neutrality Monument http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d2092584_b.jpg Neutrality Monument http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1bc51d0c_b.jpg National Museum of Turkmenistan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bc3df845_b.jpg Former Talled Flagpole in the World http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a350bdc6_b.jpg National Museum of Turkmenistan Largest carpet in the world in the background (two stories tall, at least) http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4097b49c_b.jpg Independence Monument http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...248212e1_b.jpg Independence Monument http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dfbaf5d7_b.jpg Former President http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0769fc3c_b.jpg Monument to Ruhnama Book http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...12965488_b.jpg After a long day of seeing weird stuff, we stopped for lunch at a local Turkish restaurant. Turkish food is very popular in Turkmenistan. Lentil Soup http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d5c1d2e0_b.jpg Chicken http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a6065d79_b.jpg With the tour done, we made our way to the airport. Another Roundabout Monument http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...59519b1d_b.jpg |
Originally Posted by 757
(Post 31050696)
Great photos and report so far! I had a friend that was in the peace corps in Azerbaijan for 2 years, and I've been interested in seeing photos of Baku. Looking forward to the rest of your report!
Originally Posted by bambinomartino
(Post 31050975)
Laziji is one of my top 5 favourite dishes. Those are red chilies, though. While trying to order it in Sichuan once I got something very similar, with green fresh ones. Just as spicy (and numbing - "ma la") as laziji, but slightly more saucy/moist.
Originally Posted by camsean
(Post 31051170)
Great TR so far. I'm looking forward to the rest.
Those food prices in the hotel are insane! How much was the hotel and food in other places? Lunch at a nice sit down restaurant (like those I went to) was around 50-100 manat per person (if ordering several courses), which works out to $3-6 USD at a black market exchange rate of 15:1. Incredibly cheap. If memory serves, a 1 liter bottle of local sparkling water costs around 2 manat at a supermarket. A can of Red Bull is 40 manat. Note: The official exchange rate is 3.5 TMT to 1 USD, which makes things very pricey. Best to exchange money on the black market, never at banks. Shoot for 20:1 on the black market, but I accepted 15:1 happily. I exchanged a total of $30 USD to TMT and still left with at least half of my manat to keep as a souvenir.
Originally Posted by nequine
(Post 31051458)
Great start to your TR and looking forward to reading more. :)
Originally Posted by Fredrik74
(Post 31051702)
Very interesting start to your report. Looking forward to reading the rest of it.
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Big difference between the old and the new. I have to say, I prefer the new buildings myself!
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Turkmenistan Airlines Business Class: Ashgabat - Almaty
Turkmenistan Airlines
Business Class T5 Business Class Ticket (H1 Plated) T5715: ASB-ALA (Ashgabat to Almaty) 21 April 2019 Boeing 737-800 (Two Class Configuration) EZ-A020 Seat 3D Departure: 8:35PM Arrival: 12:20AM +1 Back to the airport. It's one of the few buildings in Ashgabat that's actually quite beautiful. I really love the falcon motif. The interior is also quite nice. Ashgabat Airport http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1638b4c6_b.jpg Ashgabat Airport Departures http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fba8d6eb_b.jpg Ashgabat Airport Landside Check-in counters and security off to the right (out of frame) http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...25b811e3_b.jpg I arrived at the airport around 3 hours early, just to avoid any issues. The check-in agent proceeded to ask me for my visa to Kazakhstan. US passport holders don't need a visa, so clearly they don't use TIMATIC. She didn't push the issue and gave up when I told her I didn't need one. Boarding pass in hand, I was through immigration, customs and security fairly quickly. It was all efficient and not crowded in the least. I also had the same immigration officer as I'd had when I arrived. Not sure if he remembered me or not... Once airside, I headed for the lounge. While fairly large, it was pretty empty when I arrived. The food offerings were pretty dismal, so it was good I'd just eaten lunch. Departures Board Not exactly a lot of traffic here. This is 24 hours worth of flights. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f2d81ed5_b.jpg Apron View from Lounge http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...abacda31_b.jpg Empty Lounge With loud Russian new playing on the TV (out of frame) http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f3a4359d_b.jpg Eventually, it was nearing time to board. I planned to get to the gate 5-10 minutes before the scheduled boarding time. My gate was a long walk away and the moving walkways mostly didn't work. When I arrived at the gate, boarding was almost complete. Slightly annoying. I was originally assigned seat 4C, which was occupied when I boarded. So I switched to 3C first then switched again to 3D once it became clear that 3D and 3F were both empty. Boarding completed some 20 minutes before our scheduled departure, at which time two mechanics boarded and took their seats in 1A/1C. I always feel nervous when mechanics fly with us. Not really sure why there were there, given the plane was fairly new. Business Class Cabin http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3001e83f_b.jpg In Flight Magazine http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f453c947_b.jpg In Flight Magazine Thankfully, we weren't in a 737 MAX. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9e4f04eb_b.jpg We took off 20 minutes early. The takeoff roll felt very slow (not full throttle) and seemed to use far more runway than normal. The ascent from ASB was also very steep, roughly a 45 degree incline, which felt far steeper than is typical. Not sure what was going on with the pilots, but their flying didn't instill a lot of confidence. In the air, the flight was normal with no turbulence or any issues of note. However, the landing was weird. The landing speed felt a lot higher than normal and the plane took a very long time to come to a stop. Much longer than a 737 should take. The flight also ended with applause, which is another bad sign. The cabin service was good, with a single Russian FA taking care of us. She was friendly and prompt. The meal was actually pretty good. There was a choice of chicken or beef, so I went with the chicken. Meal http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d4ed5a00_b.jpg Obligatory Portrait of the Dear Leader http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3f2d5380_b.jpg Due to the early departure, we landed at Almaty at least 30 minutes ahead of schedule. Despite the fact that we landed at a remote gate (ALA has only 4 jet bridges), I was landside 15 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time. |
Hotel Mercure Almaty City Center
Hotel Mercure Almaty City Center
This is a standard Mercure, just like others I've been to in Europe. Clean, new and fairly cheap. The location was fine for my purposes. Not much to say about it. I arrived late and left at 9AM. Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...718c093a_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2431aa3c_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2e4900d3_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2e1611ee_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b5c39dd9_b.jpg |
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Almaty, Kazakhstan
After a good night's rest, I got up and had a quick breakfast before meeting my guide for the day. We saw a bunch of sights around the city and made a trip to Big Almaty Lake. It's all pretty self explanatory, so I'll mainly let the photos tell the story. Overall, Almaty was a nice little city, though perhaps not hugely interesting. I really like the old Soviet architecture that still remains. Breakfast http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5bf2f100_b.jpg Breakfast http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b5e1f34a_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...57794dce_b.jpg Panfilov Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a18ffa49_b.jpg Panfilov Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...26442f30_b.jpg Panfilov Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2e4349ac_b.jpg Zenkov's Cathedral http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ce839998_b.jpg Zenkov's Cathedral http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1627590e_b.jpg Zenkov's Cathedral http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ed62d079_b.jpg Panfilov Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...69bc8250_b.jpg Panfilov Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...99c9c90b_b.jpg Panfilov Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c8651660_b.jpg Panfilov Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d6ab3728_b.jpg Panfilov Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5ddac3c6_b.jpg Panfilov Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d3388776_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c3dba2e1_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...873ce1f7_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...83c9da3f_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a5a41dbd_b.jpg Memorial http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c6a65ff2_b.jpg Memorial http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a128cb27_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c7fcd8dd_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...13ce176b_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5def5ee0_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7a164713_b.jpg Road to Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...110db149_b.jpg Road to Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...77c0736a_b.jpg Road to Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...85e3c379_b.jpg Road to Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...17272972_b.jpg Road to Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4c348ccf_b.jpg Road to Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6ab7f138_b.jpg Road to Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c1b26141_b.jpg Road to Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c90a1506_b.jpg Road to Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...55dbb246_b.jpg Road to Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...50ccc7df_b.jpg Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a4d2e5e0_b.jpg Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a1e8621b_b.jpg Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a9624e90_b.jpg Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f502406b_b.jpg Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2605975d_b.jpg Big Almaty Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...84cde115_b.jpg Lada 4x4 Park rangers who guard the reservoir asked for camping tips. This is their official car. The Lada 4x4. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2aaffcd2_b.jpg Iceberg There are two small breaks in this pipe, which have caused this huge iceberg to form. Easily 30m high. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7a5a8dbb_b.jpg Iceberg http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...377e82bb_b.jpg Iceberg http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4d5ebacc_b.jpg Landcruiser http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dddf72fa_b.jpg View of Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8fe322d7_b.jpg Soviet Era Dam http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2669a0c0_b.jpg First President Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a4338217_b.jpg First President Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5b08af9d_b.jpg First President Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1ea36b77_b.jpg First President Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e290b945_b.jpg First President Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f6d35858_b.jpg Lunch We went to an Uzbek restaurant and I had lagman. It was delicious and very cheap. Only $2-$3 US. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b111b073_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...891e7c09_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...57cea9e8_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0d2bef9c_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c2f21d8b_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...82f360e3_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5f76175d_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...964d4ae0_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f91a2588_b.jpg Arman Theater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...907d5b52_b.jpg Arman Theater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a7f0091e_b.jpg Arman Theater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5f0277b2_b.jpg Former Lenin Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e0bafd32_b.jpg Former Lenin Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1cfde226_b.jpg Former Lenin Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...579042a3_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1ebee0e8_b.jpg Almaty http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0b3c4eab_b.jpg The tour concluded, it was time to go to the airport for my onward flight. |
Air Astana Economy Class: Almaty - Bishkek
Air Astana
Economy Class KC Economy Class Ticket KC109: ALA-FRU (Almaty to Bishkek) 22 April 2019 Airbus A320 (Two Class Configuration) P4-KBF Seat 12C Departure: 6:00PM Arrival: 6:55PM This is a very short flight covering a distance of perhaps 150 miles. There were two reasons why I decided to fly instead of drive. It's cheaper and perhaps somewhat less of a hassle. The overall time is similar, though flying is a little faster. Getting a boarding pass and then passing immigration and security was very quick. I could have easily arrived at the airport a bit later. As is often the case here, we boarded from a remote stand. Old Terminal Building http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...42559d26_b.jpg Naturally it started to rain right when we pulled up to the plane. P4-KBF http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7143583a_b.jpg P4-KBF http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...de6ef8f3_b.jpg MySEAT http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...108336c6_b.jpg Empty Row to Myself Definitely worth the $7 cost to sit here http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8575f753_b.jpg Good Pitch http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f118af0d_b.jpg The flight took 30 minutes and was uneventful. The inflight service was a small bottle of water, distributed prior to take off. Our Plane on the Ground at Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0da4b176_b.jpg Bishkek immigration was quick. Finding an ATM in the terminal took more time. Once I had cash, I went outside and found a taxi driver. Unfortunately, Yandex.Taxi was unable to find me a ride, so I had no choice but to risk a taxi. We agreed on a price (500 KGS, approx $7 US) in advance and he had me at my hotel within 25 minutes. Easy peasy. |
Hyatt Regency Bishkek
Hyatt Regency Bishkek
Check-in was quick and uneventful. The property was built in Soviet times and was formerly a hotel. It was renovated and converted to a Hyatt, but it still retained very low ceilings. The room retained an aroma of somewhat greasy food, which wasn't altogether appealing. Other than that, no complaints at all. I believe this was an upgraded room because of my Explorist status, but I didn't bother to confirm (as I didn't really care very much). Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6738a727_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6b7b6ff3_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8b7305ef_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...01ff70ec_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6df82f58_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9f7c70a8_b.jpg Weird Luggage Closet Open to Both Entryway and Bathroom Photo taken from entryway, that's not a mirror in the back of the closet. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6a76b792_b.jpg View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e039e6ca_b.jpg Welcome Gift http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cc608094_b.jpg I hadn't yet had dinner, so I ordered some chicken. The chicken had an off taste, but everything else was good. I didn't get sick, so it was clearly fine to eat. Dinner http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...50a99be0_b.jpg After a nice sleep, I awoke to a much improved view from my window. View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9faf8931_b.jpg View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...44555c05_b.jpg |
Did you consider Astana rather than Almaty for the visit to Kaz?
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Originally Posted by nequine
(Post 31053258)
Big difference between the old and the new. I have to say, I prefer the new buildings myself!
Originally Posted by nequine
(Post 31055111)
Did you consider Astana rather than Almaty for the visit to Kaz?
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. |
Swingaling good TR and photos of areas less travelled.
I recommend you add "Hindustan" for an extended trip. |
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Part One)
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Part One I had a quick breakfast at the hotel buffet, which was pretty good. The Hyatt is one of the few international quality hotels in Bishkek, so it's quite popular with foreign visitors such as tourists, business people and airline crews (such as TK). My guide met met in the hotel lobby at 9AM and we started the tour straight away. Breakfast http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7f990c2d_b.jpg First up was the brand new Byzantine style mosque built and financed by Turkey. Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e466ba67_b.jpg Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7804c6d7_b.jpg Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...240cf262_b.jpg Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...75ccd048_b.jpg Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bce35c28_b.jpg Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b5201a4d_b.jpg Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1f21ebf6_b.jpg Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f02181c8_b.jpg Mosque http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4da0e5d1_b.jpg Pehaps, the most striking thing about Bishkek are the beautiful Kyrgyz Ala-Too mountain range directly to the south of the city, which are easily visible on clear days. Victory Square http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7373ed58_b.jpg Victory Square http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...77d0c49e_b.jpg Victory Square http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...59b4ca7e_b.jpg Victory Square http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7d4c3f12_b.jpg Victory Square http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...33a03ff4_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Circus http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8d85b896_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Circus http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3c2fa9cf_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Circus http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...437caae7_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Circus http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6364771b_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Circus http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cd485304_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Circus http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...032a5bc5_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Circus http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5c38ccc6_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Circus http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9fc7daae_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Circus http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4570dd16_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Circus http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1c36f0de_b.jpg Bishkek Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b993f9de_b.jpg Bishkek Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d3284bbf_b.jpg Bishkek Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...36218993_b.jpg Bishkek Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c94ee969_b.jpg Bishkek Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...999cf1ce_b.jpg Bishkek Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1ee6966a_b.jpg Bishkek Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2685a283_b.jpg Bishkek Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...15e1b269_b.jpg Bishkek Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...36aeca2c_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Circus http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...27e30bd5_b.jpg Bishkek Wedding Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...02c9b27b_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1cb6f858_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5a9e535e_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...21259b59_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d0167387_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...79ecc98b_b.jpg National Museum of Fine Arts http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fbd21895_b.jpg National Museum of Fine Arts http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3892a2be_b.jpg National Museum of Fine Arts http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2e68b45d_b.jpg National Museum of Fine Arts http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b0a816d1_b.jpg National Museum of Fine Arts http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...093c97d8_b.jpg National Museum of Fine Arts http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...455092cf_b.jpg National Museum of Fine Arts http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6c83d719_b.jpg National Museum of Fine Arts http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...37d0defe_b.jpg Opera and Ballet Theater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5266185d_b.jpg Monument to the Fighters of the Revolution http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f235ab47_b.jpg Monument to the Fighters of the Revolution http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...364cf4b0_b.jpg Monument to the Fighters of the Revolution http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...874a0982_b.jpg Bishkek Post Office http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...80f05757_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ff416332_b.jpg We then took a break for lunch. The guide chose this rather fancy (by Kyrgyz standards) restaurant, mainly frequented by foreigners and government bureaucrats. The food was good and cheap by international (not local) standards, but it's not really the type of place I like to eat when traveling. Lunch Restaurant http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...449dd862_b.jpg Lentil Soup http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...10dde694_b.jpg Lagman http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...65eb9049_b.jpg |
Hey, Great report!! Quick question for you, where do you find the local tour guides to hire in these different countries?
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Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Part Two)
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Part Two After lunch, we went for a walk in the vicinity, as there are a number of sights packed into a relatively small area. Panfilov Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e1ec85ec_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b2fb3952_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...95f4a059_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...387c731f_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4436cfdb_b.jpg Lenin Statue Moved from the front of the building to the rear in 1991. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ea92c46e_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Medals from USSR http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9491228c_b.jpg Kyrgyz State Medals from USSR http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f84e4aa1_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1633cc04_b.jpg Kirghizia Coat of Arms http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b6a2495b_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...75fea12f_b.jpg Frunze Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...52bbab89_b.jpg Frunze Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cc42cc02_b.jpg Frunze Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ff74874c_b.jpg Frunze Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fcdde044_b.jpg Frunze Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a420b5aa_b.jpg Frunze Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...24a66e43_b.jpg Frunze Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2e6d1bd0_b.jpg Frunze Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b046c9b8_b.jpg Frunze Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0d1f884d_b.jpg History Museum Former Lenin Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...80ef9ab5_b.jpg Oak Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1764eb1b_b.jpg Oak Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...51819208_b.jpg Russian Theater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...edd59244_b.jpg Russian Theater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...21bdf657_b.jpg Russian Theater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a3c3abec_b.jpg Oak Park Pony rides http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2077b625_b.jpg Kurmanzhan Datka Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c376dd0d_b.jpg Soda Fountain http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8b1573c0_b.jpg Soda Fountain http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c898d29e_b.jpg Ala-Too Cinema http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5138bd6c_b.jpg Ala-Too Cinema http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...49f1b19a_b.jpg Ala-Too Square http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d32612ec_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0a06f077_b.jpg Manas Statue Replaced the Lenin Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8475e947_b.jpg Manas Statue and History Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9c450420_b.jpg Manas Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...23795df8_b.jpg Friendship Monument http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...830d236b_b.jpg Friendship Monument http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...92350182_b.jpg Monument of Heroes http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b78bf68a_b.jpg Parliament http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6f0fdfb0_b.jpg Parliament http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fe686b5e_b.jpg Parliament http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...77dbe23d_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...85de9830_b.jpg Cinema Russia http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a7f2298c_b.jpg Sport Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...976e9e1d_b.jpg Sport Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...94d35839_b.jpg Sport Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e3d02eee_b.jpg Russian Church http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f11058f6_b.jpg Russian Church http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...39f9c013_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ecd95702_b.jpg Bishkek http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a706b220_b.jpg Philharmonic Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2a3026d8_b.jpg Monument to Important Kyrgyz People The copper busts were stripped from the monument by thieves. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a47a2688_b.jpg Philharmonic Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ef628fc2_b.jpg Philharmonic Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3e36b2b1_b.jpg After this walking tour, we met up with the driver and drove to the Osh Bazaar, one of the largest I'd yet visited. Osh Bazaar Lepyoshka or Tandyr Nan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dca5fc4a_b.jpg Osh Bazaar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...26816e3f_b.jpg Osh Bazaar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5644353c_b.jpg Osh Bazaar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d1f28980_b.jpg Osh Bazaar Dried fruits http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1a6e9ab1_b.jpg Osh Bazaar Kurut, a dried, salted cheese. Formed by hand and eaten as a snack or made into a drink. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7dbb37ff_b.jpg Osh Bazaar More kurut. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9a748f97_b.jpg Osh Bazaar Dried fruits. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dccab06d_b.jpg Osh Bazaar Horse sausage (left) and slabs of cured fat (right) http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0a5da180_b.jpg Osh Bazaar Stomachs, intestines and other offal http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fae755e9_b.jpg Osh Bazaar Lepyoshka http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f5e50527_b.jpg Osh Bazaar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f62a02e0_b.jpg After this, we headed for the airport, which was a 30 minute drive away. |
Originally Posted by HMPS
(Post 31056432)
Swingaling good TR and photos of areas less travelled.
I recommend you add "Hindustan" for an extended trip.
Originally Posted by anthonyparkersd
(Post 31056586)
Hey, Great report!! Quick question for you, where do you find the local tour guides to hire in these different countries?
I find local guides in advance, generally using a few different services geared toward independent travelers. Specifically, I've found great guides through TourHQ, ToursByLocals and Viator Tour Guides. They don't have 100% coverage, though. If those fail or are too costly, I'll typically contact local tour operators at the destination to inquire about tours. I've had to do that in areas with: (1) a less developed tour industry, such as East Timor, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan; or (2) places where I needed something more complicated than a day tour, such as India. For this trip, I used: TourHQ for Baku, Almaty, Samarkand and Tashkent; Ayan Travel for Turkmenistan; ToursByLocals for Bishkek and AAA Tours for Dushanbe. |
Air Astana Economy Class: Bishkek - Almaty
Air Astana
Economy Class KC Economy Class Ticket KC110: FRU-ALA (Bishkek to Almaty) 23 April 2019 Embraer ERJ-190LR (Two Class Configuration) P4-KCI Seat 12C Departure: 7:55PM Arrival: 8:45PM I arrived at the airport a bit early and had to wait around for check-in to open. Once airside, there's not much to do but I did sit in the Priority Pass lounge for a bit to charge my phone. The flight was utterly uneventful. I had an entire row to myself again and we arrive in Almaty slightly ahead of schedule. Immigration was quicker this time and I was landside 5 minutes after landing. I used Yandex.Taxi to order a cab to my hotel, which was a lot cheaper than the hotel arranged car service I'd used previously. Roughly 1,200 KZT (approx. $3 USD) for a 25 minute drive with no haggling or problems. Bishkek Airport Mural http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7342f4b3_b.jpg P4-KCI http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1527d8f8_b.jpg |
Hotel Mercure Almaty City Center
Hotel Mercure Almaty City Center
On my return to Almaty, I stayed at the same hotel as I had previously. In a strange stroke of luck, they put me in the exact same room as last time, so I didn't bother taking any photos of the room. After check-in, I ordered a quick dinner so I could get to sleep at a reasonable hour. The room service was fairly mediocre, but at least it was pretty cheap. Club Sandwich & Salad http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7da09a11_b.jpg The next morning was clear and I could actually see mountains from my room. Mountain View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...92aa5f62_b.jpg After breakfast, it was time to go back to the airport. |
Air Astana Economy Class: Almaty - Dushanbe
Air Astana
Economy Class KC Economy Class Ticket KC131: ALA-FRU (Almaty to Bishkek) 24 April 2019 Airbus A320 (Two Class Configuration) P4-KBG Seat 12C Departure: 10:40AM Arrival: 11:30AM Going back to the airport, I used Yandex.Taxi again and it worked great. Arriving at the airport, check-in, immigration and security were a breeze. Took no more than 10 minutes to get airside. Unfortunately, we had a 30 minute delay for this flight, as the crew was late arriving at the airport. Not very impressive, I must confess. In any event, this flight was a bit longer than my previous KC flights, so they served a snack. I had my usual seat 12C again. As before, I had the entire row to myself. The flight was otherwise uneventful and we soon landed at Dushanbe. The Dushanbe arrival process was fairly smooth, as I'd been granted an e-visa in advance. I later learned, I was supposed to complete an arrival card in duplicate to be returned on departure, but not doing so didn't seem to cause me any issue when leaving. The departure would be an absolute nightmare, but I'll get to that later. Empty Row http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fe6528dd_b.jpg View Parked at ALAhttp://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e5c0641c_b.jpg Snack http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1e79c046_b.jpg |
Originally Posted by swingaling
(Post 31056184)
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. |
Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Dushanbe, Tajikistan
My guide met me at the airport and we commenced the tour right away. Our driver turned out to be the owner of the tour company. Apparently, he had some free time and wanted to join our tour. The guide and driver/owner were both very kind and hospitable hosts. My driver even offered to introduce me to a "cool guy millionaire" if I wanted to do any business while I was in town... I let them know I was particularly interested in Soviet architecture and mosaics, so they did their best to accommodate. Unfortunately, a lot of the old Soviet buildings are being torn down and replaced with new buildings, which is quite unfortunate. That said, some things still survive, for now. First stop was the supermarket for bottled water. Unfortunately, it was raining quite hard most of the day, so I tried to avoid getting too soaked... Dushanbe http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...247498a7_b.jpg Mosaic http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b88cdf3e_b.jpg Ismoil Somoni Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9fed118d_b.jpg Memorial to Tajik Writers http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4206a189_b.jpg Memorial to Tajik Writers http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...05f63643_b.jpg Dushanbe http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b3995240_b.jpg Wedding Banquet Hall Shaped Like a Melon and Not Air Conditioned... http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8e08c223_b.jpg Wedding Banquet Hall Yes, there's even a leaf and stem at the end... http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bb271d1a_b.jpg Hisor Fortress http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3cf4ae41_b.jpg Hisor Fortress http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...883ee318_b.jpg Soviet Eternal Flame Not lit... http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...be5cfb85_b.jpg Hisor Fortress http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ccfdf26b_b.jpg Hisor Fortress http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e7f2e527_b.jpg Hisor Fortress http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...91ffb4f6_b.jpg Hisor Fortress http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...174abbb9_b.jpg Hisor Fortress http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4239e6ff_b.jpg Hisor Fortress http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...067d3236_b.jpg Hisor Fortress http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e1c9e972_b.jpg Hisor Fortress http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f29595be_b.jpg After the fortress, we went for lunch at a local restaurant. The owner of the tour company treated us to lunch, so he did the ordering. There wasn't a printed menu that I saw, so I ended up with borscht and shashlik. Borscht and Tandyr Nan http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...125e6071_b.jpg Beef broth with stewed beef and chick peas The broth was very fatty, so not really to my liking. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...36e6e642_b.jpg Chicken Shashlik http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b692eefa_b.jpg After lunch, we went to the Mekhrgon Bazaar. Mekhrgon Bazaar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...212b1c7a_b.jpg Mekhrgon Bazaar http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e1ef6f3d_b.jpg Dushanbe http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...256a86d3_b.jpg Dushanbe http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fb0cd7bd_b.jpg Next up was the strangest place of the entire visit. They told me we were going to a tea room, which was the most impressive building on the tour. I didn't really know what to expect, but this was definitely not what I'd envisioned. It actually turned out to be next door to my hotel. Built over a 5 year period, the structure was funded entirely by local oligarchs at the request of the government. The cost of the building is secret, but it's safe to say it cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The building was constructed entirely by Tajik builders and craftsman. The level of detail was extraordinary. Navruz Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1e442763_b.jpg Navruz Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...71fc0f7c_b.jpg Navruz Palace My driver at the bottom right. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9f21acb5_b.jpg Navruz Palace http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...54975a6c_b.jpg Public Reception Hall First small reception hall. Available for rent for weddings, etc. Costs $5,000 USD to rent. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...54aac417_b.jpg Public Reception Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3a57206d_b.jpg Public Reception Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5c61a47c_b.jpg Public Reception Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f1a299ae_b.jpg Hand Painted Ceiling http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5f845755_b.jpg Hand Carved Wooden Staircase http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5f211e66_b.jpg Exterior http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5dd17057_b.jpg Gazebo and Artificial Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...138be20a_b.jpg Artificial Lake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3efdcacb_b.jpg Next up was the second function hall. This is used for state level meetings between the Tajik government and foreign governments. Not available for rent. Conference Hall My driver http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...226ca916_b.jpg Conference Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...487bd9c3_b.jpg Hand Carved http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...db39090e_b.jpg Mosaic made by hand from semi-precious stones http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...01d402a2_b.jpg Hand carved ceiling http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dc9ae193_b.jpg Intricate work http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7ef6c381_b.jpg Mosaic tiled floor http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...44cf9b2e_b.jpg Conference Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dc3ccb0e_b.jpg Mosaic in Semi-Precious Stones The president and his mother http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...db0e80de_b.jpg Next up was another room for formal state receptions. I believe this room is for state meeting as well. Conference Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...60e2c253_b.jpg Domed Celing Real gold leaf and crystal chandelier http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...610bb97b_b.jpg Conference Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f43a7eea_b.jpg Dome http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7f8de2b7_b.jpg Chandelier http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cfc05943_b.jpg Detail work http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...aed2b655_b.jpg Inlaid parquet flooring http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...92fc3734_b.jpg Golden Chairs The chairs were being refinished with gold leaf. We actually found some spare gold leaf just sitting on the floor... http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...91e621f7_b.jpg The final room is the banquet hall used for formal state dinners. Again, everything is carved by hand with huge attention to detail. Banquet Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0c437db0_b.jpg Banquet Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4218e578_b.jpg Banquet Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9a61b808_b.jpg Banquet Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7ffab10b_b.jpg Banquet Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3d50d19a_b.jpg Banquet Hall My guide is bottom right with the camera http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...74e50e83_b.jpg Banquet Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8e91e979_b.jpg Banquet Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4119bcbc_b.jpg Banquet Hall http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...10fe9d4d_b.jpg Tajik State Emblem in Gold http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bb191db6_b.jpg Adjacent to the banquet hall was a small anteroom for private meetings. Anteroom http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...20dcdb9f_b.jpg Anteroom http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7fded6d0_b.jpg Entry http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a9fd06d8_b.jpg Murals http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...583b04fb_b.jpg Next stop was the museum. Unfortunately, the museum was closed because the state security services were doing a security sweep in anticipation of a state visit the following day. Dushanbe http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b7835d87_b.jpg Museum Security services cars parked in front. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...750bee2c_b.jpg Former Tallest Flagpole in the World http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...620d3d53_b.jpg Museum http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e28cd7c3_b.jpg Rudaki Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4c0c9468_b.jpg Rudaki Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...342095f0_b.jpg Rudaki Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1e1a5eb0_b.jpg Rudaki Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bcdc20ec_b.jpg Rudaki Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...95ae5aea_b.jpg Rudaki Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c8969021_b.jpg National Library http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...df9b26af_b.jpg Ismoil Somoni Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...48eac95e_b.jpg Ismoil Somoni Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7cb99268_b.jpg Ismoil Somoni Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d98eab2a_b.jpg Ismoil Somoni Statue http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...09d016a5_b.jpg Parliament http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...05c8bcd7_b.jpg Dushanbe http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0ec5e8e1_b.jpg Dushanbe http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...dd6c2be4_b.jpg Puppet Theater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...fcb886ba_b.jpg Puppet Theater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e310a136_b.jpg Puppet Theater http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cc9f320a_b.jpg Concrete Factory http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8c26f549_b.jpg Concrete Factory http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ea6dd23a_b.jpg Concrete Factory http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3464a48e_b.jpg Dushanbe Obligatory photo of the president http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a15048ed_b.jpg Dushanbe http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...edbc4a84_b.jpg That river was angry http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4d87a458_b.jpg New Indoor Water Park http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0da04d7f_b.jpg We then made our way to my hotel so I could get some sleep before my late night flight. |
Hyatt Regency Dushanbe
Hyatt Regency Dushanbe
The hotel had a strange layout, but pretty good views of the Novruz Palace from my floor (10th floor). We got the the hotel by 5:30PM and I wanted to go to sleep by 7PM. So I ordered a quick dinner then slept for a solid 5 hours. View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...229b8d50_b.jpg View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...78dbc0be_b.jpg View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8f17509f_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2224772c_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f08bee25_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...43a041a1_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5c6b255e_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3a9e8905_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ffd4c6f0_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5fb207de_b.jpg View from Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5e2febba_b.jpg View from Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2dedd624_b.jpg View from Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0f97ecc3_b.jpg View from Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a56e3807_b.jpg View from Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...303b2795_b.jpg View from Room The mosque in the background is being financed and built by Qatar. When finished, it's supposed to hold 100,000 people. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5ac47e22_b.jpg I ordered some dinner before conking out. Choban Salad http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...6e7c5191_b.jpg Passable Hamburger http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c262331f_b.jpg Overall, the hotel was decent. On par with what one expects at a Hyatt, so no complaints. Also, I booked with points, so it was dirt cheap. |
Uzbekistan Airways Economy Class: Dushanbe - Tashkent
Uzbekistan Airways
Economy Class HY Economy Class Ticket HY718 25 April 2019 Airbus A320 (Two Class Configuration) UK32019 Seat 13D Departure: 3:00AM Arrival: 4:05AM My departure from Dushanbe was not smooth on any front. I'd arranged an airport transfer with the tour agency, but they never showed. Apparently there was an explosion near their parking lot and the police wouldn't allow them to leave to come get me. So I had the hotel order a taxi for me. Luckily, the taxi was prompt and cheap at roughly $5. From there, everything went downhill. I arrived at the airport 90 minutes before my flight (with no checked bags) and I barely made the flight. In hindsight, I should have arrived extra early and/or spend $30 for CIP service. It's such a small airport that I figured 90 minutes would be more than enough time. Wrong. First, bag x-ray to enter the building. The combined Departure and Arrival Hall was incredibly crowded with onlookers. The building is much too small to allow non-flyers to hang around inside. I had to elbow and shove my way through the crowd to get to the next hall with check-in counters. Next was a ticket check to enter check-in hall was pointless. I didn't have my printed ticket at the ready, so I just flashed my US passport and they let me in. Not kidding. Then came the check-in. It was an EXTREMELY slow check-in process with Uzbek Air; easily the worst I've experienced. The line wasn't long, but it took a solid 45min to check-in and get a boarding pass (easily 5min per person); they weren't even checking visas, so I don't know why it was so bad. It was so backed up, they were still checking people in at 30 minutes before departure... After that was a boarding pass check to take escalator upstairs to customs. Seriously? Once I got upstairs, I figured I was basically home free. Wrong. There was an ENORMOUS line at customs (easily 200 people just in a huge pile standing there waiting for who knows what) and it wasn't moving whatsoever. I just went around them and it was fine. No idea what the issue was. Thankfully, I have no compunction about line skipping in these circumstances and if someone says something I just play dumb. It usually works. Finally, I got to immigration and it was another interminable wait. The line was long and disorganized, with people pushing and shoving. One lady was in tears because of the aggressiveness of fellow flyers. A guy somewhat in front of me was straddling two lines at once, so I went around him. That's when he got angry and started yelling at me in Russian. I think he wanted to fight, but I just stared at him and he calmed down. The border agents were terribly inefficient taking 3-4min per person, all while being line jumped by runners for CIP passengers shoving stacks of passports in their faces. Easily a 30min wait here. I was still in line at immigration at 2:45AM, 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure. If this were the US, I'd have been offloaded by then. Security was mercifully quick. They even had a fake millimeter wave scanner setup after the metal detector and you had to stand in front of it for 7 seconds. I gave it two seconds and kept walking, but not before getting a security stamp on my passport. What a joke. Overall, it was the most aggravating departure airport I’ve experienced. Every single aspect was terrifically inefficient. Thankfully, there was no noticeable corruption. Pretty much the only bright spot here. It’s a stark contrast to the arrival experience, which was fairly quick and painless. Onboard http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...816d458c_b.jpg Onboard http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...06ceb2c7_b.jpg We boarded eventually and actually landed more or less on time in Tashkent. Despite the horrendous ground experience, the flight itself was totally fine. Some poor manners by an old lady in my row who kept shoving people out of the way so she could deplane first. Joke's on her, though. We landed at a remote stand, so her rudeness got her nowhere fast and I easily made it to immigration before her. Immigration and customs at Tashkent was absolutely painless. Zero issues whatsoever and no hassle from any police. |
Uzbekistan Railways Afrosiyob: Tashkent - Samarkand
Uzbekistan Railways Afrosiyob: Tashkent - Samarkand
Business Class Train 762 Departure: 7:28AM Arrival: 9:42AM 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. Luckily, I'd arrange for a driver to meet me to take me to the train station and I'd already paid in advance. Once at the train station, I was able to exchange cash at a small exchange booth. The ATM did not work for me unfortunately. I arrived at the train station two hours before my train, so I had a bit of a wait. Nothing was open, so I was getting pretty hungry. Tashkent Station waiting to Depart http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...530dc62c_b.jpg Included Breakfast Snack http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c3a56820_b.jpg River http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...d0da0482_b.jpg We arrived in Samarkand right on time. The whole train process was quite smooth and fairly easy to navigate. Samarkand http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...30418512_b.jpg |
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