Reading suggestions · Central Asia

The last travel journal about Turkmenistan was from 2019. So here’s a quick update on this vast desert country, which is now a bit easier to visit than before. In 5 days, I saw 2 Hongkongers, a few Germans, and a Chilean at the crater, 10 Chinese people in a capital bazaar, and that’s it!

This trip had been on my mind for about fifteen years. But the discomfort of overnight stays, the difficulty of communication, and the prices of the few car rentals kept making me postpone the project. Then, things finally started to fall into place—I told myself, now’s the time! The preparations took longer than usual; the destination is still far from mainstream.

A server walks down the central aisle offering crepes for sale, which I suspect are filled with ground beef. I'm in Central Asia, in Uzbekistan, somewhere between Bukhara and Samarkand.

I chose the title "notes"—random notes, drafts, I'm not quite sure what I'll write, but it's certain this won't be a linear travel journal.

The market sprawls outside all around the large, circular, multi-story hall. We buy some grapes and bottles of pomegranate juice pressed right in front of us for just a few sums. Tonight, we’re meeting up with Nasrullo. Such a warm encounter—we’ve been exchanging messages for over two years, and I’ve really put him through the wringer with my constant itinerary changes and shifting trip durations.