The Cooks Part II

The Rarotongan Mountains

In the cross-island trek brochure it was recommended we bring our own mosquito repellent. Having been the “victim” of many mosquito attacks on past hikes, I made sure not to leave home without it. Once everyone had assembled we started to liberally apply mosquito repellent until Pa told us to stop! We put down our bottles of DEET and Pa said in a broken local accent “don’t put on, you get halfway up mountain and you get tired!” He insisted we instead apply his own homemade mosquito repellent consisting of eucalyptus oil, which I must say worked wonderfully!!

As we started our ascent to "The Needle”, Pa told us to hold off on conversation so he could listen to people breathing. By listening to the sound of our breathing he would be able to tell if anyone was 

Pa blazing the way for us hikers!

having a heart attack, which happened on one of his treks. Luckily the guy was ok, but Pa had to carry him down the mountain. Instead of talking to one another Pa recommended we stay quiet and focused. He added, “If you need to talk to someone, talk to God (pointing to the sky), he listen.” It was quite a nice change from the usual group hikes I take when you have people talking loudly as if they were in a bar.

Besides leading eco-tours up and down the Rarotongan mountains Pa also was the local “medicine man” and ran a small naturopathic
clinic out of his house. So, once we reached the top of the mountain, he gave us a quick crash course seminar in “bush medicine”. To the average tourist all the flora and fauna growing in the rainforest does not amount to much, however to Pa the rainforest served as a gold mine! It was amazing all the different plants, flowers, leaves, etc.., which could be used for cures to common illnesses and all types of disease. The one “bush technique” that really stood out in my mind was a way to tell if someone has diabetes. According to Pa you simply pee on to a leaf, set it on the ground and if ants flock to it, you likely have diabetes. If the ants leave it, then you are ok. My crash course in Rarotongan bush medicine made me realize why naturopathic medicine is such a fast growing field!

The Hardcore Traveler @ Te Rua Manga

As we approached the top, the rainforest canopy disappeared behind us and before our eyes was the legendary and majestic Te Rua Manga, otherwise known in English as “The Needle”. It was too steep to actually climb to the tiptop, however we were able to get far enough up to pose for some cool pictures. After standing around admiring the view of “The Needle” and the rainforest below us, it was time to descend down the other side of the mountain.

Upon our descent we noticed two local guys running toward us. These were not any ordinary guys they were the local police. They were on the hunt for an escaped convict from the local jail. The officers gave us a brief description and asked if we had seen him. Pa stated he had noticed at one point during our trek a guy running in the opposite direction. So, with this tip they continued their pursuit. Sure enough the next day I read in the local Raro newspaper they had caught the guy about a mile from where we were. As the old saying goes, “you can run, but you can’t hide”, especially on a small tropical island! 

We continued to tramp (the word Kiwis use for hiking) through the rainforest until darkness started to give way to light. This could only mean one thing; we were coming to the end of our journey across Rarotonga.  Once we reached the end of the path there was a beautiful waterfall and billabong (Australian for water hole and also the name of a famous worldwide surfing company) just waiting for us! I decided to take a pass since I still had haunting memories of an infamous time when I was 8 years old and swam in such a pool on Maui, subsequently ending up with leeches all over my body. My poor mother had to pick them off one by one! Not a good memory and not something I really wanted to repeat.

As everyone dried off from his or her swim, it was time to say aere ra to Pa, meaning goodbye in Cook Maori. He was in a real hurry since he had to get to the other side of the island to preside over a big wedding. Supposedly he was also an ordained minister or something to that degree. Although we had only known Pa for several hours it felt like we were saying goodbye to a dear family member or friend! We all felt as if we had known him our entire lives.

Pa saying a prayer for our safe return down the mountains

If anyone is planning to vist Rarotonga, Cook Islands, a trek

The view from the top!

with Pa is strongly recommended. For those who are not all that thrilled about a long, grueling hike through the mountains, Pa also runs a low key nature tour where he discusses in depth all the different tropical floral and fauna used to help and cure diseases. A visit to Raro without meeting Pa is like visiting Sydney and never seeing the Harbour Bridge! 

Stay tuned for The Cooks Part III about my adventure out to what is popularly known as the “Honeymoon Island” of Aitutaki. Meitaki ma’ata (thanks a lot) for reading!

The beautiful island of Aitutaki, coming up in The Cooks Part III

 

The Cooks Part I

Cook Islands place in the world. North of New Zealand and Australia, south of Hawai'i

America has Hawai’i; the Kiwis (the name given to residents of New Zealand) have The Cook Islands, a small chain of islands located directly to the south of Hawai’i and very, very popular with Kiwi travelers. So, just why are The Cook Islands so popular with Kiwis/New Zealanders? The main reason is simple; it is a territory of New Zealand and only a 3 ½ hour flight from Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. And since it is a territory, visitors don’t have to waste time worrying about obtaining a passport and/or visa in order to gain entry. Furthermore, there is no hassle regarding currency exchange since the New Zealand dollar and Cook Islands dollar are pegged at a 1:1 exchange rate.

Over the years I had heard and read a lot about The Cook Islands mainly thanks to my unending fascination with all things Polynesia. It fascinated me that this island nation was made up of only 15 small islands, but covered a vast area of 690,000 square miles of ocean. After years of dreaming of visiting The Cooks, my dream finally became a reality in 2009 and 2010 when I got the chance to visit the islands of Rarotonga (the nation's main island), Aitutaki (the honeymoon island with crystal clear lagoons), Mauke (a remote rural island) and Mangaia (a small outer island that consists mainly of coral called "makatia).

Having had so much experience living and visiting Hawai’i the bar for The Cook Islands was set pretty high. How could a small island chain outdo Hawai’i with its three active volcanoes (one of which has been erupting non-stop since 1983) and all the lush green cliffs and valleys that dot the Garden Island of Kaua’i? And, how could The Cooks match the “aloha spirit” I had become so accustomed to while visiting and living in Hawai’i? To my surprise I found that not only did The Cook Islands match all my expectations, but exceeded them. True I thought, there were no erupting volcanoes with seas of orange lava oozing down the volcano’s slope and there were no lush green cliffs, but still there was something about this place which really touched me deep inside.  

One part of The Cook Islands that really struck me was how laid back, rural and real the islands were compared to the insanity of Hawai’i. In Hawai’i it feels like the entire state is overrun with what one of my tour guides in The Cook Islands described as, “plastic resorts”, otherwise known as over the top all in one mega resorts that seem to suddenly just erupt out of the ground every couple months. Now of course Rarotonga (the main island of The Cook Islands) has its fair share of a few plastic like five star resorts, which will set you back a few years pay, but they just are on a much, much smaller and on a less grandiose scale than in Hawai’i!

My quaint resort, Muri Beach Hideaway

Besides the lack of giant “plastic” resorts, I found the warmth and sincerity of the locals to be a welcome respite from the rat race that is Honolulu and even some of the outer islands. Everywhere I went I was warmly greeted with the standard greeting “kia orana” meaning “hello” or “welcome”. However, this is not to say Hawai’i does not have its fair share of kind and warm people. After all, Hawai’i is home to “The Aloha Spirit”, a source of constant debate amongst Islanders over whether it even exists, or whether it has disappeared like a lot of old relics of Hawai'i. Others say the spirit is still and always will be alive and well?! I tend to be rather undecided. I sometimes can see it and other times, like when I am cut off by some person on the freeway, I tend to think it is likely extinct.  Whether it is alive and well or extinct one thing is for sure, it still exists in some form in The Cook Islands, where it is the local way!l!!!

Air New Zealand's once a week flight from LA @ Rarotonga Airport

The moment you step off the jet and onto the tarmac in Rarotonga you suddenly feel a sense of calm and peace as opposed to being tense and even tired once you depart LAX (Los Angeles Airport) for the 14-hour haul down the Pacific Ocean. Even when I land in Honolulu after a 6-7 hour flight from the Mainland I never feel quite as relaxed as I do when I have arrived in Rarotonga.

I've been to more than 40 nations in my life and met a lot of different people along the way,,  many of whom I will never forget… But the person who stands out the most in my mind is a man of Cook Maori descent (the indigenous people of the islands) who goes by the simple name of Pa. Pa is no ordinary bloke, but likely the most well known person in all The Cook Islands. Mention his name ANYWHERE from the small island of Mangaia to the bars of Avarua, Rarotonga and you are sure to get a smile and a story to go along with it.

Before I even departed to Rarotonga all my Kiwi friends insisted that if I were to there for ANY amount of time that I MUST, MUST sign up for the cross-island trek with Pa. Since I loved to get out in nature and hike, it was a no brainer. Naturally the moment I arrived on “Raro” I contacted “Pa’s Treks” and arranged for a trek the following day.

The next day came and I was anxious to meet the myth, the legend and the star of The Cook Islands, Pa. The instant I met Pa I knew my Kiwi friends and all the people on Rarotonga were right, the man was quite the character! Instead of wearing hiking shoes for the 3+ hour journey he showed up in nothing more than………….bare feet.

The man, the legend, Pa!

Surely I thought he must have a pair of shoes he kept at the trailhead, no way was he crazy enough to hike up 400 meters to the top of the “Rarotonga Needle” in bare feet?!?! Not only was he barefoot, but he also was not wearing any kind of shirt. I suppose that unlike me who burns easily (even after a few minutes in the sun I tend to resemble a well-done lobster) he probably was pretty immune to the sun’s effects. But, the shoes and lack of shirt were not what really caught my eye. The feature on Pa that most stood out to me was his looooooooooooong dirty blonde dread locks, which would put Bob Marley to shame!

Paradise lost?

Hawai’i’s Eco-system is not only extremely unique but at the same time is quite sensitive! This is illustrated by the fact that Hawai'i only has 10% of its Native Species left with the rest consisting of endemic/foreign species. Over the centuries when foreign species have been introduced the results have been nothing short of catastrophic to the islands' indigenous species. This threat continues today with the acceleration of globalization where thousands of planes and cargo ships a day are bringing in the constant threat of new foreign invaders who

The Silversword plant native to the island of Maui

could damage this unique land forever. This threat has likely only grown since budget cuts hit both the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) and the Hawai’i Department of Agriculture who both oversee inspection of all things coming into Hawai’i.

Although the arrival of foreign species has been brutal to the Hawai'i Eco-system, the islands still pride itself on the fact that it is snake free. There have been reports in the past of snakes hitchhiking in on landing gear or being smuggled into the state, but luckily the still remains and hopefully will remain snake free. However, all bets are off if the brown tree snake, common throughout Australia, Melanesia and Guam, somehow slips by inspectors (no pun intended) and becomes entrenched in Hawai'i. This nightmare is a very real possibility which could turn paradise into the next Guam, where the brown tree snake has caused extreme environmental damage and has led to frequent power outages. How could a simple brown tree snake result in power outages? From what I have read the snake is able to climb its way up power poles and wrap itself around them thus creating short circuiting and electrical damage. It has become such a problem that brownouts and power outages normally occur once every three days. 

Recently I stumbled upon an article that indicated the US government was prepared to go to war with these pests. How you wonder? By dropping countless number of dead mice stuffed full of toxic painkillers for the brown tree snake to feed upon! I guess the goal is obvious; the snakes eat the dead mice and then get sick and die themselves. Hmmmm…. wouldn’t that make a rather miserable experience if one were hiking out in the middle of a tranquil tropical rainforest and suddenly the heavens open up like a monsoon in the middle of summer, but instead of nice refreshing rain drops pelting you, you are instead assaulted by dozens of dead mice raining down from the skies!

A nice diversion from the thought of toxic mice raining down from the heavens!!!

Compared to other nations/places with sensitive Eco-systems it amazes me just how extremely lax Hawai’i is when it comes to agricultural inspections. Whenever I fly in to Honolulu the only thing required is to fill out a Hawai’i Department of Agriculture Declaration Form asking whether I am bringing in any fruits, vegetables, seeds and plants. All you do is sign the form agreeing that under penalty of law you are telling the truth, hand it to the flight attendant and you’re done! Beyond that, there is no real enforcement except for some local guy sitting at an agriculture kiosk located at baggage claim reading a newspaper. In my countless times of coming over to Hawai’i I am not sure I have ever seen one of those guys do anything more than yawn.

Torch ginger

Contrast this to Australia and New Zealand where agents take an aggressive approach toward guarding their environment against any type of invaders. When one arrives in Australia or New Zealand, you not only are required to hand over to an official your completed agricultural declaration, but also submit all bags to x-rays. As you leave customs agents will not only question you about whether you are bringing the usual plants, seeds, fruit, animals, etc… but they will grill you about any type of food you may have packed away in your bags. And in case this was not enough to scare you from breaking the law, they distribute a scary looking flyer warning you to DECLARE IT OR ELSE! I’ve also had agents ask to see the souls of my shoes to see if they have any large clumps of dirt on them. These strict guidelines not only apply to international travelers, but to those traveling to different Australian states. When you leave the airplane or walk onto the tarmac they have inspectors with trained dogs to sniff out any type of plant, fruit or vegetable you may be bringing with you from that other Australian state.

Bird of Paradise flower

The odd thing about Hawai’i and the agricultural inspection is that the procedure to leave the state for the US Mainland is 100% stricter. You have to submit both your checked luggage and your carry on luggage to inspection. I guess Hawai’i officials figure it may be too much of a bad first impression for the tourist to have to submit their bags to inspection. Plus, HVCB (Hawai’i Visitor’s and ConventionBureau) likely wouldn’t want your average tourist “wasting” time in a line when they could be booking that next golf outing, lame luau, ATV tour, or whatever other lame tourist activity that may be popular today. After all time is money!! I guess they do not realize that if Hawai’i becomes overrun with pests, they may in the end ruin the paradise tourists so love and cherish thus killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Oh well, that’s America for you, short sighted and not very long-term thinking.

I have hope that Hawai’i will someday do the pono (right in Hawaiian) thing and introduce stricter agricultural rules so it stays pest free for generations to come! Mahalo nui loa kakou (thanks to all) for reading! A hui hou (till next time)!

Ohia Lehua flower and tree

Another Ohia Lehua flower and tree, the official flower of the Big Island of Hawai'i

Hawai’i Paradise?

The Honolulu Gold Coast. Home of some of the most expensive property in the state.

To the average tourist it is hard to grasp what Hawai’i really is all about. To most it serves as an exotic destination where time stands still and all worries are left behind on the tarmac of the person’s departing airport. Many imagine an island chain where the weather is always sunny, warm and beautiful, in other words, paradise.

The stereotypical deserted white sands beach.

However, Hawai’i is not all swaying palm trees and mai tais as there does exist a not so pleasant side of paradise. When I tell the average “mainlander haole (which means white or foreigner in Hawaiian) about this “other side” of paradise they look at me bewildered like as if I just told them there was no such thing as Santa Claus. How could it be nothing less than lush green valleys, rainbows, grass shacks and deserted white sand beaches?

Another day in paradise!

When I told one person about the daily traffic that clogs the Honolulu freeways (yes as hard as it is to
believe Hawai’i does have freeways) and streets, he commented, “well at least there are palm trees and it is warm”. I suppose the same could be said for Compton or Inglewood, California. However, there’s a certain mystique about Hawai’i that separates it from the rest of places where it’s warm with palm trees.

So, about that other side, the side that HVB (Hawai’i Visitor’s Bureau) does not want you to know about! One of the biggest problems facing Hawai’i, particularly the main island, O’ahu, is overcrowding, urban sprawl, and choking traffic. But wait a minute you’re thinking, isn’t Hawai’i just grass shacks, dirt roads and one lane roads

Classic example of urban sprawl in Honolulu

winding along beautiful coastline? Not really, but one can find such bucolic roads on some of the more rural parts of O’ahu and the outer islands like on the island of Kaua’i. Believe it or not, according to a study done by GPS Navigation Company Tom Tom, Honolulu aced out such traffic heavyweights as San Francisco, New York, Boston and even my hometown, Seattle for the dubious title of third worst traffic in North America! There are preliminary plans to build a new light rail system to take the pressure off of Honolulu’s busy freeways and streets. However, this is still at least another decade or so from coming to fruition.

People seem to think that just because one lives in Hawai’i life is somehow easier. This “the grass is greener on the other side” philosophy is perfectly illustrated through the 2011 Best Picture Nominee “The Descendants” which stars ubber mega-star George Clooney. I highly recommend watching it! Not only will it give you a perspective on life in Hawai’i or “paradise”, but also has an incredible plot and of course features some of Hawai’i’s best and most stunning scenery!

Rabbit Island off the East Coast of O'ahu

Not only is traffic a problem in Hawai’i, but the cost of living, otherwise known as “The

Paradise Tax” serves as another example of how life in Hawai’i may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Since everything is shipped in from the United States Mainland, naturally things are going to be much more expensive and combine that with a heavy tax burden one can understand how Hawai’i earned the dubious honor of being named the worst place in the United States to make a living.  

Another “fun” part of living in paradise is the seemingly endless and at times unwinnable battle against insects! Being that Hawai’i is located in the tropics you are almost always fighting against cockroaches, termites, ants, mosquitoes

Sumo cockroach!

and many other lovely critters that inhabit your home rent-free. I used to fight these battles daily when I lived in Honolulu, fighting to keep my beautiful apartment free of these pests. Unfortunately in the end it was always the insects that won the battle since I had to call in the spray company!

I have come to the conclusion that tourism in Hawai’i likely is not the number one moneymaker; instead it absolutely has to be the insect control/spraycompanies who are the kings! Think about the millions of hotels, houses, businesses and other places they must have to treat in a year! The number has to be in the tens of thousands, if not the millions.

Long and windy road into a "lush green valley"

Twilight in Hawai'i

There are many other real world problems that plague Hawai’i that are too large and deep to discuss in a single article. Even though Hawai’i is far from perfect it still is mostly paradise, it just does not feel that way when you’re crawling on H-1 at 20 MPH through downtown Honolulu on a voggy (more on that later) day! A hui hou kakou…translation = till we meet again everyone!

World famous Waikiki Beach

Sunset

Christianity in Russia

Originally a church, the Haga Sophia became a mosque. Today it is a museum in Istanbul.

With all the fanfare over the election of a new Pope and in anticipation of Easter and all the festivities leading up to it, I felt it would be appropriate to write about the role Christianity has played in Russian society. Since the 10^th century Eastern Orthodox Christianity has been observed as the official state religion of Russia. For those unfamiliar with the Eastern Orthodox faith, it was once a part of Catholicism until mid-way through the 11^th century when both split into two separate camps, Roman Catholicism based in Rome and Eastern Orthodox in Constantinople (modern day Istanbul) until the fall of Constantinople when the church moved to Moscow. Through the centuries and years there has been chatter about some type of reconciliation or even reunification, but little if any progress has been made.

From the 10^th century until the 1917 October Revolution when the Bolsheviks/Communists overthrew the Russian Tsar, The Orthodox Church held a central role in Russian society. Once power was consolidated amongst the Communists, the church suffered through a sixty plus year period where its presence and influence was purged from nearly every aspect of society. Supposedly the Communist government had a state policy of tolerance toward religion, however the anti-religious actions taken by the government contradicted this “tolerance”.

The original Christ The Savior Cathedral

Probably the most tragic example of Soviet intolerance toward religion occurred in 1931 when Josef Stalin and communist officials targeted Moscow’s most famous church, Cathedral of Christ The Savior, for destruction. The church had been built in 1883 by Tsar Alexander I to serve as a monument to the Russian people and the courage shown in the face of Napoleon’s foreign army. What had taken forty-seven years to build was gone in only a matter of a few days, wiped off the Moscow skyline “forever”.

The never built Palace of the Soviets

In its place another “cathedral” would rise, an over the top building called, The Palace of the Soviets. On top of this massive structure would stand a 260-foot tall statue to the father of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Once construction got underway little progress was made due to the boggy nature of the soil and the start of World War II. Eventually after many years of sitting only partially finished the project was permanently abandoned and transformed into the largest outdoor swimming pool.

Lenin's body as seen today.

Soviets tried desperately to replace religion with Communist dogma making leaders such as Vladimir Lenin into gods on earth. Upon his death in 1924 and against his dying wishes, Lenin's body was embalmed so generations of Russians and tourists could pay their respects for years to come. Today one can view his “body”, which lies underneath an airtight glass casket at the bottom of a large marble mausoleum in the heart of Red Square. I write body in quotes since it has been widely speculated the real body was removed years ago and replaced with a wax duplicate. I guess only the elite team of scientists who are Vlad’s caretakers know the truth.

A picture I took of an Orthodox church in the village of Pushkin.

The long freeze on religion started to thaw some in the mid-80s as Soviet officials loosened restrictions on religion and worship. This in turn led to a re-birth of sorts for the Orthodox Church with long closed churches being re-opened as full places of worship. Citizens also started to take more of an interest in the church.

A picture I took of the newly resurrected Christ The Savior Cathedral. 

And, in the early 1990s, there even began talk of re-building the glorious Cathedral of Christ The Savior on the very sight it once stood. After several years of fundraising and construction, the cathedral rose again, serving as a focal point for not only Russian Orthodoxy, but for Moscow as a whole.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the church’s influence has only grown larger. Now on major religious holidays you will find most all of Russia’s leaders joining the masses at the newly resurrected Christ The Savior Cathedral for worship, an action that thirty years ago not only would have ended a politician’s career but possibly their life.

Turkmen pride!!!!!

Presidential Palace Square. About 10:30 AM and totally vacant!

My journey across the Turkmen desert may have come to an end, but my time in Turkmenistan had not. There was still a full day of activity ahead of me and since there were no activities planned until mid-afternoon, I had a few hours of free time.

Leaving the hotel without my guide was a liberating feeling since I had been kept on a tight leash the entire week. First stop on my solo walking tour of Ashgabat was Presidential Palace Square. I had seen the presidential palace from my hotel balcony but had not had a chance to see it up close and personal.  

Presidential palace

Mutcharad, my guide, had told me that I was strictly prohibited from taking pictures of this lavish over the top residence. I hated to go against Mutcharad but since he was not around and there weren’t any police nearby, I decided to splurge on the forbidden fruit and shoot at liberty. The palace was absolutely gorgeous, a gigantic building with a gold domed roof. But, what else would you expect for the “President for life”, little house on the marble square?

I continued my walking tour around the Ashgabat city center shooting at will ……..until a soldier with a semi-automatic rifle jumped out of nowhere and yelled at me to stop shooting! Knowing this was a military state/dictatorship I figured I better not mess around and slowly backed away. At that point I felt it was best to return to the safety of my hotel while I was still ahead or better yet not in custody.

A Turkmen carpet with a portrait of the president

On my way back to The Grand Turkmen Hotel I stopped in at a carpet shop to see about purchasing a Turkmen carpet, a souvenir I was hoping to buy before I left the nation. I quickly decided against it when I found that in order to “export” a Turkmen carpet one needed to obtain a “license”. And, not to mention the prices were absolutely sky high.

I got back to my room with about an hour or so worth of free time left. This gave me the chance to catch up on some tasks I had been putting off. As I packed my bag the phone rang and on the other end was Mutcharad saying he was in the lobby waiting for me.

The Turkmen national coat of arms.

Our first stop of the day would be a Turkmen horse stud farm outside the capital in the foothills. These magnificent horses serve as a national emblem and are a source of great pride in Turkmenistan. One can spot them on just about anything from billboards to artwork to the centerpiece of the national coat of arms.

The star Turkmen horse giving us a show

Once we arrived we were met by a Turkmen horse breeder who gave us a tour of the farm. All the horses were absolutely beautiful and one can easily understand why the nation is so proud of this beautiful animal. The horse that really stuck out to me the most was a horse named Obama. Yes, that's right, he was named after US President Barack Obama. In 2009 the horse was given as a gift to commemorate the new American Embassy Staff in Turkmenistan. After a meet and greet with one of the stud farm’s stars (I guess he used to be a top racing horse) it was time for us to leave and head for the caves!

"Obama" the Turkmen horse

Ashgabat or bust!

The hardcore traveler hitching a ride back to the capital!

Dashogouz Airport

Having decided it would be too long and boring to sit around Dashogouz until our flight departed at 11 PM (Turkmenistan Airlines only flew once a day to Ashgabat), we opted instead to exchange our tickets at the airport and join our driver who was heading south anyways. The drive back to Ashgabat would be about six to seven hours but would get us in earlier, around sunset, as opposed to flying when we would arrive just after midnight. 

Everything was cool until the road started to turn into what felt like the Turkmen version of a crash test dummy course. Although I had my seat belt on I was still being tossed around the car, my body feeling every last pothole, giant boulder and divot in the unpaved road. After about an hour and a half worth of bumping and grinding across the Turkmen desert we FINALLY hit nice soft asphalt and what a relief it was! The next four hours of the drive was mind numbingly boring, miles upon miles upon miles of straight desert roads. Once in a while we would encounter heavy traffic, um I mean camels walking seven abreast across the road but that was about the only highlight.

The long and lonely road home!

Two hours into our road trip “home”, my driver pulled over to fuel up. What’s so interesting about this mundane activity? Not much, except in Turkmenistan gas is free, as in ZERO! Each citizen gets a certain amount of gas credit every month to use. Once they have used up the monthly credit, prices “skyrocket” to a “crushing” $0.14 a liter or approximately $0.56 a gallon. Citizens also receive free heating, water, and electricity. So, who said Turkmenistan is not free? All in a matter of semantics! My guide was always emphasizing this fact to me and just about any other foreigner he spoke with.

As we zipped down the highway I noticed something odd………..there was no sign of any ads! This was quite the contrast to Russia where ads are just about anywhere and everywhere. The only thing resembling any type of ad were random patriotic propaganda billboards scattered along the highway. Most of them featured messages praising Turkmenistan and her people, pictures of the great President, the Turkmen horse (more on that in a later post), the nation’s coat of arms, etc.

Turkmenistan restroom

From time to time we pulled off to stretch our legs, pray (as in my driver) and use the “restroom”, which usually consisted of a bush on the other side of a sand dune. Some five hours later off on the desert horizon I spotted a sign, not a stop sign or a Turkmen propaganda sign, but smoky/hazy skies, a sure sign we must be nearing the capital. Right as the sun was setting we finally arrived in to Ashgabat. My epic journey across the Turkmen desert was over.

Sunset over Ashgabat. Kopet Dag Mountains in background.

Billboard highlighting Turkmenistan's attractions

Our prayer, snack and restroom break

Dark desert passage

Map of my travels

As darkness enveloped the Turkmen desert, temperatures began to plummet forcing us to pack up our stuff and begin our three hour journey north to the border town of Dashagouz. The three-hour drive passed slowly with my driver and guide spending the time by watching Persian/Turkish music videos on the SUV’s LCD screen.

When we arrived I noticed a difference in how people looked, how people spoke and just the overall environment. A lot of the contrast was due to the large Uzbek immigrant community who had come over from neighboring Uzbekistan in search of work and a better living. No matter where you go in the world, there always exists an ethnic group that is characterized as the root of all troubles. In Turkmenistan it’s the Uzbeks. In Russia it’s Tajiks, who are blamed for the high crime rates present in Russia’s big cities. In America many unfairly blame Mexican immigrants for taking jobs and in the Arab Gulf states like Dubai, citizens blame Indian workers brought over to work on huge lavish construction projects.

My guide was not a fan of diversity in Turkmenistan, a point he made crystal clear to me in a five-minute diatribe in both Russian and English. He began by saying Uzbeks are not only lazy, but are very difficult to communicate with since they refuse to learn either Russian or Turkmen, the two most prominent languages of Turkmenistan. He continued by noting there are two characteristics that distinguish an Uzbek driver from a Turkmen. The first characteristic is how an Uzbek driver will suddenly stop in the middle of the road for no apparent reason. The second characteristic is the type of car they drive, which is usually an old Soviet car, likely a Lada or a Volga.

Picture of The Hardcore Traveler in front of the ruins of Konye- Urgench

The next day began early with a visit to the ancient monument of Konye-Urgench, a once thriving metropolis and capital of a vast ancient empire ruled by the 14th century conqueror, Timur. I was quite excited since only a year ago I had been on the other side of the border in Uzbekistan visiting the other ancient cities in Timur’s empire, Samarkand and Bukhara.

Ancient Konye-Urgench miniaret

An ancient mausoleum

Although Konye-Urgench was stunning and had incredible cultural treasures, it just could not match what I’d seen the year before. I was puzzled to why Uzbekistan had fared so much better than Turkmenistan. According to my guide, in Soviet days, pre-1991, Uzbekistan received a disproportionate amount of aid from the Soviet government for restoration, whereas Turkmenistan only received a very small amount. However in a bit of irony it is Turkmenistan who has profited the most since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, mainly due to their abundance of oil and natural gas. Uzbekistan on the other hand is one of the poorest ex-republics.

The Gutlug Timur minaret as seen through a tiled window

After several hours of sightseeing our day had finished. However, we had one big problem, our flight back “home” to Ashgabat did not leave until 11 PM and it was barely a few minutes past 11 AM, thus giving us about 12 hours to kill before we left. Sitting around Dashagouz for 12 hours was not an option! You can only go to the bazaar so many times.

Another Mausoleum. Many Uzbeks come on pilgrimages to visit these sights

More ancient Mausoleums, sight of pilgrimages by Uzbeks