Nukus - Dasoguz

It is already well past ten when I find myself at Ibsa on Thursday morning, January 09, 2020, for breakfast. Then I take one last ride with Rango in Tashkent, buy an inlay (a blanket with a zipper) for my sleeping bag, and prepare my backpack for the onward journey. Before we order a Yandex taxi, there is time for a coffee and some pastries. A short time later, we are in the taxi on our second attempt and arrive at the bus station promptly shortly after half past three. The bus leaves at half past four, so the bus staff can make friends with Rango. After all, the chubby one is allowed to travel in the passenger compartment for half the ticket price. Great! Then we set off on a big journey to the northwest. We stop several times and can recover from the driving style of the bus drivers. The boys drive rather sporty.

On Friday morning, it is around eight o'clock, the sun has just risen, when we arrive at the outskirts of Nukus. The desert landscape welcomes us with frost and icy conditions. We take a moment to wake up and do some morning hygiene in the train station hall before we head towards the city center. On the way, we try to exchange some dollars. We fail initially at various formalities in the bank, but I'm lucky and talk to the right Uzbek. The man sells us some dollars at a reasonable rate and takes us to the Mega shopping center in the north of the city. Here we stop for a coffee and a small breakfast and warm up for a while. After our smartphones are fully charged again and we have had a late lunch, we set off for the banks of the Amu Darya. There is a camping spot marked on my map here, and another bus station is on the way. The next day we are going to Turkmenistan. Despite the overall situation in Iran, we have decided to continue our journey to the Islamic Republic. I am counting on the pressure from outside to unite the people behind the regime and reduce the likelihood of unrest. After turning away the first taxi drivers at the bus station, I can inquire with the marshrutka drivers. It sounds like we can continue our journey smoothly the next morning. Before we reach the planned camping spot, we are invited for a tea by the bridge police. So it is already late afternoon when we set up our tents and take a walk by the river with the chubby one. You can practically see the water disappearing in the desert. Then we gather some firewood and Marcus takes care of some fried potatoes. Due to the temperatures, we retreat to our tents with the fading fire in good time.

On Saturday morning (January 11, 2020), it is around seven o'clock and time to get out of bed. Despite the freezing night, I stayed warm even without Rango's help and I am very satisfied with my new blanket. We pack our stuff during the dawn and are on our way to the marshrutkas around half past eight. At the first attempt, we can ride all the way to Khojeli. Once we arrive in the small village, we treat ourselves to breakfast at a small snack bar before taking a taxi to the border. The border crossing is easy but somewhat time-consuming. The Uzbeks simply wave us through. When entering Turkmenistan, our temperature is measured. Why, I'm not quite sure. After apparently completing all the other formalities, an official suddenly realizes that I also have to pay an entry fee for Rango to enter Turkmenistan. They collect foreign currency. The whole process takes a while longer. After finally leaving the border area, we let ourselves be persuaded by a taxi driver and go cheaply the approximately 15 km to Kunya-Urgench. Here, Marcus exchanges some dollars for Manat. The trade apparently took place in a rather remote place, but we got a pretty good rate. Then we visit the mausoleum in the village. Afterwards, we have a coffee at a nearby market and are given bread and sausage. Apparently, we looked hungry. So we stroll through the town, well nourished, and inquire about buses to Dashoguz. The next morning, two buses will depart, and today we only have the option of a taxi or a marshrutka. There is another mausoleum a bit to the south, which we will visit next. The houses in the town are rather simple. Prosperity doesn't seem to have broken out here. We spend a moment near the southern mausoleum before making our way back to the city. On the way, we stop at a restaurant for tea, some samsa, and to warm up. Rango also finds a place and is provided with bread and water. In the late afternoon, we walk back to the taxi stand and along the way, we are given freshly baked flatbread from the tandir. Arriving at the marshrutkas, we can take a seat cheaply on the first try and arrive in Dashoguz after about 2 hours of driving. Here, we first go to the ticket office at the train station and inquire about departure times and the possibility of bringing the chubby one along. The next afternoon, the next train will depart towards the south. Then we arrange a small dinner and settle down in the train station hall for dinner. Over time, several railway employees gather and we get a tip for an affordable accommodation near the train station. Rango is allowed in the room and with about €1.5 per person for the room and the warm shower, the establishment is a real bargain. So in the evening, we have time, money, and the desire for a beer around the corner. The pub impresses with its traditional decor. From the wallpaper to the stucco to the curtains, everything is coordinated in more or less subtle shades of green. Then we head back to the nest. Day 1 of 5 in Turkmenistan.