Turkmenistan > The UNESCO city of Merv

It’s barely six o’clock in the morning when I’m already on the bus. Bachtiar is our guide today, taking over for Maksat. He is a cheerful man, but unfortunately he speaks German, which isn’t my preferred language. Today, I’m heading to Uzbekistan. I’ve brought a small breakfast package to eat later. Before going to Uzbekistan, I first visit the archaeological site of Merv. The remnants of this ancient trading city are especially beautiful in the morning light.

Turkmenistan - The womens fortress in ancient Merv

The city once flourished centuries ago until it was completely destroyed by the Mongols in the 12th century, with hundreds of thousands of people losing their lives. At the ruins of the women’s fortress, the ingenious construction is still visible. The tall mud walls stand proudly to this day. The Islamic mausoleum of Askhabs al-Hakam and Buraydah al-Husayn demonstrates that multiple religions could coexist in Merv. Jews, Christians, Buddhists, and Muslims all lived within the city walls. From the oldest hill of Merv, I have a view of the entire complex. I see the old city walls, the oldest parts of which date back to the sixth century. I conclude my visit to Merv with a trip to the Seljuk mausoleum. The square building with a round dome rises prominently above the surroundings. It is the only structure that has been fully restored, giving it a strange presence in an otherwise barren landscape. I continue my journey to Turkmenabat, the second-largest city in Turkmenistan. It’s several hours of driving through the desert. High sand dunes line the road on both sides. The wind slowly moves the dunes, some of which have come quite close to the road. I notice a greenish hue on the dunes from sparse vegetation. Bachtiar tells me that all of this will be dried up within two weeks—the vegetation has no chance in the summer heat. The road on this route is much better than yesterday’s, though still not entirely free of potholes. Around one o’clock, we enter Turkmenabat.

Turkmenistan - The Seljuk Mausoleum in Merv

Before we can have lunch, there is an administrative matter to take care of. Every visitor to Turkmenistan must register within three days. Normally, the hotel handles this, but in Ashgabat, this didn’t happen—or they weren’t interested. Without registration, you cannot leave the country. At a luxury hotel, there is a registration office. In exchange for my two passport photos, I receive a registration stamp in my passport. After lunch, I leave Turkmenabat and drive toward the border with Uzbekistan. It’s well past three o’clock when I arrive. Without too much trouble and without a baggage check, I pass the Turkmenistan border post. Outside, a small van is ready to take me across no-man’s land for one dollar. When I’m dropped off several hundred meters later at a gate, I realize that I must still walk from this gate to the Uzbek border post. I estimate the distance at about one kilometer. There’s no choice but to walk with my luggage under the blazing sun. I am relieved to finally enter the shade of the Uzbek customs office. Immediately, a device is pressed to my forehead. Laughing, the officer says I’m healthy, showing a reading of 35 degrees Celsius. I doubt whether the device measures correctly but continue. I’m given a Russian form to fill out. Where do I start? A customs officer helps me with the translation, and together we manage. Soon, I have my stamp quickly placed in my passport. But I’m not done yet.

Turkmenistan - The moon above the central square of Bukhara

In the last building, about a hundred meters further, the stamp in my passport is checked, and my baggage is scanned. Only now am I officially in Uzbekistan. Jonas is already waiting for us with his bus. He looks a bit concerned about the bus’s luggage space when he sees all the travel bags—thirteen in total. Eventually, with four bags in the back row, we drive the last hundred kilometers to Bukhara. By the time I enter the city at seven in the evening, I am quite exhausted. I’ve been active since six o’clock this morning. My hotel is nicely located near Lyabi Hauz Square. I immediately notice how touristy Bukhara is. In Eastern Turkey and Iran, I’ve hardly seen other tourists so far. There are plenty of terraces and shops. A boy shows me his euro collection; he already has the smaller coins and wants to complete it. A creative way to make money. I thank him. I also need to exchange money myself, which results in three hundred bills of 1,000 som each. The 1,000-som note is the largest denomination, but it’s only worth about 40 euro cents. Large amounts are handled in bundles of 100 notes. In the evening, I eat near the hotel on the terrace at Lyabi Hauz Square by the pond. The atmosphere is cozy and relaxed. I think I’m going to enjoy my time in Bukhara.