Friday 02 June 2023
Highlights: Monument of Neutrality, Indoor Ferris wheel, Old Nisa, Gurbansoltan Eje Memorial and Turkmenbashi Mosque, Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, National Museum of Turkmenistan, Independence Monument, Food poisoning
The last full day of the Five Stans tour before my flight back to Türkiye at 3.30 am tomorrow. Today we our small group would explore the marble city of Ashgabat in more detail building on last nights exploration.
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Turkish Airlines
Date: 03 June 2023
Gate: 102
Seat: 6B (Economy Class Seat)
Plane: Airbus A321neo
Boarded: 02:45 (early)
Pushback: 03:21 (Scheduled 03:30)
Arrived: 05:10 (Scheduled 05:20)
Duration: 3 hour 49 minutes
Distance: 2,555 kms
This flight was from Ashgabat International Airport to Istanbul International Airport.
Note: I was very unwell before this flight, vomiting from food poisoning but was better by the time of the flight. As a result I did observe as much as I would normally do.
Thursday 01 June 2023
Highlights: The amazing Darvaza Gas Crater (Gates of Hell) at Dawn, Hiking in the Karakum Desert, Exploring Ashgabat at night
Waking up at 5 am I did a short walk from my yurt to the Darvaza Gas Crater for another look at the unique phenomenon.
Wednesday 31 May 2023
Highlights: Exploring Kunya-Urgench, the amazing Darvaza Gas Crater (Gates of Hell)
After a surprise hotel accidental wake call for everyone via an intercom announcement and an underwhelming breakfast we were off on a 2 hour drive to UNCESO protected ancient abandoned city of Kunya-Urgench. This was the first chance to really see this country and some of it’s people.
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Tuesday 30 May 2023
Highlights: Border crossing to Turkmenistan, Card game
Today I said goodbye to 10 members of the tour group and our CEO Rustam while 6 of us (Kyle, Ingrid, Amy, Mike, Nancy and me), plus our new CEO Eziz, travelled to Turkmenistan for the fifth and last ‘Stan of the Five Stans. Khiva was only 1.5 hours from the border and we left around 9 am.
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Monday 29 May 2023
Highlights: Kalta Minor Minaret, Tash-Khovli Palace, Madrasah Qutlug Murad, Tash-Khauli Palace, Juma Mosque, Islom-Hoja Minaret (tallest in Uzbekistan), and Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum
Today was a chance to explore this very unique city-museum of Khiva in more detail. The city was established around 1500 years ago but there were inhabitants even earlier. In 1991 Khiva was the first site in Uzbekistan to be inscribed in the World Heritage List (UNESCO). Khiva was the former capital of the Khanate of Khiva, and the Khorezm People’s Soviet Republic.
Continue reading | Nathan on World Trip 2023: Day 30… |
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| Anna on World Trip 2023: Day 26… |
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