Posts Tagged ‘Zehmet’

Day 135. 190km. Zehmet – Turkmenabat

Posted: September 13, 2015 in Cycling, Turkmenistan
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I have almost cycled across Turkmenistan in 3 days – just 40km tomorrow to the border. Today I drank 10 litres of water and 3.5 litres of soft drink. I cycled 190km through temperatures up to 41.1C, with a moderate headwind from 11 to 4 o’clock. And I met lovely people in the desert. The desert is vast, hot, and beautiful!

Bikes at sunrise

Bikes at sunrise

The desert contains sand, camels, camel signs, and 12% slope signs (even though the slope would not have been more than 3%).

Camel

Camel

Camel sign

Camel sign

Steep?

Steep?

The desert also contains little cute black beetles that patrol the dunes. Their footprints criss-cross the scorching sand.

Beetle

Beetle

And the desert contains little villages on the train line – every 15km or so. When the heat was approaching being unbearable, I went into one of the villages and had a lovely talk with the shop owner and her children.

Shop owner

Shop owner

Desert animals

Desert animals

Hot!!

Hot!!

I also passed 11000km today – in the morning before the wind and the heat started.

11000km

11000km

I cycled on into the evening, and arrived at a hotel in Turkmenabat, only to be called out to by Thomas. Huh? He was miles behind me. He had taken a bus 80km back as it was too hot and too far to Turkmenabat. We are now all ready to leave Turkmenistan within the 4 days. I am proud to have made it.

Day 134. 147km. Hauz-Han – Zehmet

Posted: September 12, 2015 in Cycling, Turkmenistan
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Today was the day to put the foot down on the accelerator and make some kilometres to cross Turkmenistan in four days. The wind didn’t agree with this plan, made it a long day, and meant I left Thomas who was slower in the wind. Other than cycling, I tried my hand in making Turkmenistan savoury pastries – I wasn’t too good at it.

Sleepy dog

Sleepy dog

I was kind of waiting to enter the centre of the city of Mary where there were shops, people walking around, and a pleasant atmosphere. I kept on cycling on the main road, passed some big roundabouts and some impressive official buildings adorned with the president’s picture, and came out the other end. My conclusion: Turkmenistan cities are not that exciting – I much prefer the endless roads spanning the flat desolate plains. I love bleak and dry landscape. Here is a photo of the big mosque in Mary.

Mosque in Mary

Mosque in Mary

Before Mary I stopped at a tiny shop with nothing – except some lovely people that were making lunch for their family and customers. I was allowed to try to make a savoury pastry before it was stuck to the side of a clay oven. It was fascinating to watch it being made, even if my attempt to make one was a failure.

Preparing lunch

Preparing lunch

I am staying at the last café for 60km of desert. The last stretch to Turkmenabat is long, desolate, and empty. That’s for tomorrow..

P.S. I was about to go to bed and Thomas walked in to the café where I was sleeping. A big congratulation, and then he sat down to eat. He had cycled on through the evening, and joined me for the night in Zehmet.