“Turkmenistan does every little thing to maintain you from going there, and if you happen to come there, it’ll do every little thing to take as a lot cash from you as doable. As quickly as he takes cash from you, he’ll do every little thing to get you out of it. in case your engine stops and also you run out of fuel on the way in which, it is going to be very fascinating to remain there!” Traveler Dan Přibáň writes in regards to the journey he skilled on his a visit with Luaz, referred to as the yellow frog.
A mirage floats above the limitless freeway, straight and utterly empty. It is sizzling, actually sizzling, and we’ve to drive 400 kilometers in a single go. We do not wish to, however we’ve to. We’re in Turkmenistan. We journey beneath common supervision and our schedule is mounted.
And the schedule says that right this moment we’ve to maneuver from the capital Ashgabat to Merv and tomorrow we’ve to depart Turkmenistan. It does not matter if it is over 40 above zero. If we do not try this, one other fourteen hundred shall be added to the $6,000 they’ve taken from us to date. 2 hundred for every of us as a penalty for leaving the nation late. And naturally we do not wish to pay that! And so we go for the mirage.
Already seen
It is going properly to date. The oil within the engine is uncomfortably sizzling for the primary 200 kilometers, nevertheless it does not fairly attain important values… simply virtually important. And so let’s go right down to the second 2 hundred. However the temperature outdoors remains to be rising and so is the street, slowly however absolutely rising… we hope that the mountain will finish quickly because it has many occasions.
Then Vega’s engine sputters and stops for a second. We all know this, this isn’t good! One thing was caught or captured. Added to the mirage is déjà vu. Yr Africa 2009 and captured Trabant engine. Warmth, desert, marvel. However that was in Egypt, we did not should cross the border there the subsequent day.
We cease and attempt to do every little thing to save lots of Vóža, our second frog, from the identical destiny. We have to get extra cool (even when the phrase sounds very euphemistic on this case) air beneath the hood.
Our amphibious vehicles used to have a winch within the entrance wall, which we left at house as a result of it solely tightened 100 kilos. He left a gap behind. We coated it for the cruise. We’re opening it and hope it helps.
200 kilometers on a rope
However nothing will help Vega now. The engine makes horrible noises and if we drive additional, it utterly seizes. The one optimistic level is that since Turkmenistan has already imposed a automobile information on us and deliberate our schedule on this method, we’ve a automobile information right here.
It’s a pity that we’re not right here beneath completely different situations and in a unique regime. Oleg is an professional on the historical past of the area and one may take heed to his tales in regards to the sights and tradition of Central Asia for hours.
Now, as a substitute of telling tales, he hitched a sick frog to his Land Cruiser and we left for the second half of the journey. One would count on it to be quiet in a Luaz with out an engine, nevertheless it is not. This automobile simply makes a multitude on a regular basis. The noise is much less, however the squealing of the gears and the screeching of the tires can nonetheless produce just a few decibels. Anyway the opposite frog studies that the winch gap helped and the temperature dropped.
In accordance with the legislation!
After just a few hours we’re on the finish of the freeway and Turkmenistan is at its greatest once more! Though it was doable to pull a automobile 200 kilometers on the freeway, it isn’t doable 20 kilometers into the town! Apparently, the top of the nation (that’s the official title of the previous president, who’s now the best rating particular person within the nation, even above the president, who’s his son) banned on, in order that it will not appear that vehicles could be damaged in Turkmenistan. After ordering that solely white vehicles may enter the capital, this is able to not be shocking.
And so we look ahead to a tow truck to take us to the town. When she arrives, she is certainly white! In any other case it is a scratch, it does not actually have a handbook, a stone as a substitute of a handbrake, and the water from the radiator collects within the tank when stopped so the motive force can to pour again once more. However that is what the legislation says.
Escape from Turkmenistan
In all different locations, we might drive the damaged down automobile to the closest city, construct a short lived base there, and repair the engine. However right here we’re in Turkmenistan.
We’re solely allowed to remain right here for six days, and if we keep longer, we shall be fined for every extra day. And it is our final day! So we’re searching for a tow truck in barely higher situation. It is not even costly, 250 kilometers to the border prices round 1,700 crowns, we load the Vega and head for Uzbekistan.
However earlier than that, let’s take a bit of digression. To the north of Mary are the stays of the town of Merv, which was as soon as the most important metropolis on the earth. Now all that is still of it are the stays of the partitions and the stays of the partitions. It is good to place it in context once you drive right here with a automobile with a seized engine and you need to escape the nation right this moment. It is not that dangerous!
No petrol and no engine
Merv is fascinating, however it is time to go north. The border closes at six and we’ve to cross it right this moment. However after we wish to purchase gasoline, there may be an limitless queue on the pump and on the subsequent one too. Nobody is aware of what is going on, there is no such thing as a official assertion anyplace, however there is no such thing as a gasoline.
We hold going and the street to the end is something however lovely. Holes alternate with mud, mud alternates with sand, sand alternates with holes. And it is sizzling, actually sizzling!
In the course of nowhere we discover one other pump…however no fuel both. The pumpers, once they see how we’re, attempt to assist us. They take the quilt off the stand, soar on the pipe, fill the pump with petrol. It’s extra like a ritual than one thing that would assist.
When valuable gasoline immediately begins pouring out of the nostril! We refuel within the second frog, however there may be solely a bit of fuel. There is not sufficient gasoline for our heavy bike that Marek rides, however the bike suits on the tow truck! And so two-thirds of the yellow columns are already on it.
The wheel was breaking
The street will get worse and worse, we zigzag in the other way, leaping by way of potholes, passing increasingly police checkpoints. More often than not they snigger at us as in the event that they’re stopping, and after we decelerate they usually look a bit amused by our gadgets, they proceed go on
However now we’ll cease, even when they allow us to go. Our tow truck has a flat backside. The motive force takes out a stack of pipes, a big instrument and begins to loosen the screws. He loosens and loosens… however the screw does nothing. We begin by casually our watches. The border closes in just a few hours and we nonetheless have 150 kilometers to go.
When the screws do not budge, the motive force tries to show them the opposite method and lo and behold… it really works. Apparently his truck is threaded backwards and apparently he simply tightened it up. Now it is quick, it does not even want a jacket, it simply lowers its yellow load again, lifts the entrance wheels and the brand new tire is in place very quickly. There’s a screw within the previous one. Possibly it was sufficient to tighten it correctly. We’re leaving! A few kilometer.
Greetings, Turkmenistan!
We have now the identical car that’s nonetheless going to blow a gap within the asphalt and the rim on the 2 proper wheels is getting ugly. And it occurred to us that it’s actual metal.
As well as, a bulge appeared on the rear tire. We flatten the sides with a hammer to about the suitable form, however after we wish to exchange the broken rubber, one of many screws within the wheel begins to show and may’t for him to be launched. Nothing could be achieved, let’s transfer on! The time is brief and the tremendous is large.
Holes alternate with mud, mud alternates with sand, sand alternates with holes. When the blue line of the river seems on the horizon at sundown. Amu Darya, the border with Uzbekistan is seen!
Just some extra kilometers and we’re standing on the gate. Neither our tow truck nor our information Oleg can go additional. We thank him for his assist, and when he asks us what to say about him and Turkmenistan, the reply is easy, we might not change something about him, every little thing about Turkmenistan .
Above us is the official state slogan “Let your path be white” and an image of the half-president with a pale face in entrance of the carpet. We hope that is the final time we see him! Greetings, Turkmenistan!
