Last night I filled up the tank in order to get rid of my last local currency. After I fill up the guy as me for a present! It's funny how people learn a few key words and phrases in different languages!
I grab a cup of coffee and sit down to have a chat with the two ladies who run the hostel. It's a mix of English and some Russian. One even shows me some pictures of her family. I leave and start to get back on the road for the border.
I take a wrong turn and a driver beeps at me - out pops a hand to tell me I've missed my turn. The locals are helping me!! I get to a check point and I'm told to park up.
Note the fun begins. The guy is asking me for 'carta' which I've no idea what he means. I'm thinking he's asking my route so that he can check it against my submitted route. He brings out a copy and then I know what he wants. It's the document that I was issued on entry and now I hand it over.
He tells me $5 or 20 Manats. I'm down to my last 12. I give him $5 and we go to the 'banka' where the guy takes $7 from me. Hmmm, OK I think that's it then he starts again about the 20 Manats. I give him the 12 I have then another $3 to make up the difference. No idea if that should have been the case or not but without paying I wasn't going to be crossing the pontoon bridge to get to the border.
I'm allowed to leave and I'm trying to find the road. There are not that many road signs in Turkmenistan. I've missed the turning but again two drivers beep at me and show that I must go back. They know!
The road to the border has a river along side it and there's no other traffic this morning. I catch a glimpse of the GPS, I see the border icon and the arrow (me!) approaching it. The heart rate rises a bit. It always seems to do so when I'm get near to a border.
There's a queue of trucks and there's a masked woman doing some currency exchange. I stop and get some money. I think the rate is OK so I change some EUR. One Euro is 3,000 Som and she dips into her bag and hands me two big blocks of money. Not a hope of checking it, the border just opened and the trucks start to move in.
I now have a little routine when I get to the border. I see a guard and point at where to go. Easy, he points to opposite gate, passport checked and then I can go to the main building for all other document checks.
Park up again and head inside. A very young looking soldier grabs a form and helps with a little translation. The official next to him then asks for all my other documents. He checks them and then I can join the queue, behind all the truckers. Young soldier comes over and then calls a man who has to take my form, but he's too busy playing one of the card games on his laptop. No rush there my friend!!
After what seems like half an hour I can go to passport control. Official from before then says, "finished, Bye Bye". Passport checked and I'm stamped out of Turkmenistan. Pop outside, get the bike and move it to the vehicle inspection point.
One guy comes over and starts to ask me to open my luggage, a second guy comes over and asks if I've got Narcotics and Guns! The first guy then just tells me to go. I'm ready for the next border. Nope, one final passport control and I can proceed. Did I say one final? Well there was another one 200 meters away.
Now comes Uzbekistan. Border guard is very friendly, checks my passport and I'm told to go 1km to the main building. I arrive to be greeted by another guard. I'm off the bike now and asking this guard where to go. He tells me to drive through the vehicle cleaning bay and then visit the doctor. I get my temperature taken. I'm good to go out seems!
Next building, passport and vehicle check. Walk in and I fill out my two forms. I'm asked about my route, I tell them, Uzbekistan then I cross into Tajikistan then back to Uzbekistan and finally Kyrgyzstan. They look at me and tell me that's not possible. Huh?? I'm standing there and they are dealing with the other people there. Woman is filling in my motorcycle information into the PC. What's not helping is the Irish passport, Swiss vehicle registration which seems to be an issue.
The guard then asks me to open my rucksack and he goes through everything in there. I have to switch on the tablet and he then checks the photos and videos. He's happy with what he finds. I get my documents back, which I need to keep for when I re enter the country. We go outside and it's time to open all my luggage and check what's in there. Nothing of interest it seems. I'm told I'm free to go! Luggage secured, helmet on off I go..... another 25 meters. Another passport control. Young soldier with his mirrored aviator sun glasses asks for my passport. Helmet off. He's happy with everything, gate is opened and off I ride into Uzbekistan.
I see a few petrol stations that are open with one or two cars there. Most cases are running on gas here because of the fuel shortages. I'm going to be careful for this leg of my journey, full up when I find fuel as I don't know what's ahead. I know I can get 4/500 km from the tank depending on my riding speed. About 20 km from Bukhara I find a station open, go in and top up the tank. 4 litres will do it.
I set off for the centre of town as I want to see the city. I stop for lunch and then stumble upon a hotel. They've got a room and WiFi. It's near the center so I can walk around. It's a lovely city and it feels good bring here.
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