Today is all about traveling. Apparently there is no direct way to get from Bukhara (UZ) to Ashgabat (TM). It's either a 20-hour drive itinerary or the bus to walking to vans to plane itinerary that we have today. Bags were due out at 6:30 this morning for a 7:30 departure. The program is to drive to the Turkmenistan border and have lunch in Turkmenabat. The problem is that every time the tour leader does this trip he has different experiences crossing the border; sometimes the group has to walk with their luggage for one mile along a hot, barren road; sometimes the wait for the officials to review and OK passports is endless. Gary had us prepared for a long, miserable ordeal.
What we actually experienced, relatively speaking, was not too bad. We arrived at the first booth to leave UZ at 9am and completed the immigration process into TM about two miles down the road around noon. You would NEVER want to attempt to make this crossing by yourself or without an experienced guide. Much candy and chocolate was distributed (along with much cash I'm sure) to the guards and customs officials behind the scenes to get us through without hassle.
Then drove 1 hour in smaller vans to Turkmenabat where we had lunch at little cafe with yurts for us to rest in. Really nothing to do there except wait from 2 to 5 for departure to the airport. Our flight is scheduled to depart at 7:30 pm and we expect to arrive in Ashgabat around 10pm.
Finally got to airport and after much buildup about max 20 kilo limit for checked plus hand carry luggage out local guide Gozul was able to negotiate a group check in so my very much overweight three pieces of baggage (one hand carry and two checked) went through without problem or extra charge. I had been concerned about this weight limit and many others sent boxes (at great expense) yesterday via Fed Ex to avoid issues. One of the reasons we got through so easily might have been a carefully arranged lineup of Butterfingers and other candy bars on the check in counter as our bags were weighed.
Everywhere we go, our guide says “money talks but candy sings”! I'm sure that money is liberally dispensed behind the scenes. Candy is distributed openly to all. Our guide carried five pieces of luggage; we now know that four of them were full of either snacks for us or candy and chocolate for border guards and airline agents.
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