Surreal and secretive, this Asian country is finally opening up
The Tolkuchka bazaar (also known as Altyn Asyr Bazaar), a 20-minute drive from downtown Ashgabat, affords visitors a glimpse of older Turkmen ways. Its shape is meant to resemble a Turkmen carpet and while it's only the fifth largest in Central Asia, it covers 100 hectares. Stalls sell spices, fake Rolexes, livestock, carpets, souvenirs, vegetables and fruit. Melons are a specialism; Turkmenistan has a crossbreed muskmelon called the Turkmenbashi melon. The second Sunday in August is National Melon Day.
Turkmenistan is twice the size of the UK, almost as big as Spain. It has more than 4800 kilometres of railways, including lines to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Iran and Russia, and the 540-kilometre Trans-Karakum Railway across the desert of the same name. The most celebrated 'sight' here is the Gates of Hell gas crater at Darvaza, burning since the '80s when someone took out a match to prevent the emission of poisonous gases caused by a gas field's collapse 20 years earlier.
A long, Milton-esque stairway in a cave at the foot of a mountain leads to the Köw Ata Underground Lake, where you can swim in sulphurous waters. Ancient Merv is a Unesco World Heritage site, a repository of 4000 years of history and 'the oldest and best-preserved of the oasis-cities along the Silk Route in Central Asia'.
Nokhur cemetery in southern Turkmenistan contains tombstones decorated with mountain goat horns – believed by the Nokhuris (who claim to have descended from Alexander the Great's soldiers) to protect against evil spirits. Animism, Islam and Zoroastrianism are routinely melded, causing some traditional Muslims to take umbrage at Turkmenistan's bespoke approach to theology.
The country is dotted with photogenic rock-scapes. Yangykala Canyon is the one that you see most often on promotional material, with its striated limestone walls rising out of an ancient seabed.
Turkmenistan is a de facto one-party state with no serious opposition permitted. Should that put anyone off? Only if you also want to discard China, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Eritrea; the US is a de facto two-party state and is more likely to go in the other direction than to suddenly announce a trio of options.
Turkmenistan has some of the slowest and most tightly controlled internet – positive messaging only is firmly encouraged – which is, of course, a major issue for locals. Youtube, WhatsApp and Facebook are blocked. There's no roaming. All in all, it's also an excuse for tourists to switch off and forget screens and report back on their experiences once they get home.
For the time being, a letter of invitation is required (though this will be retired with the introduction of the new e-visa); tour firms will usually take care of the red tape. The Australian government's Smart Traveller website also advises, 'you must take a COVID-19 (PCR) test on arrival, and if you have a positive test result, you may be required to quarantine in a state-run facility or at your place of residence under medical supervision'.
THE DETAILS
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Fly
Turkmenistan Airlines does not fly to Australia, but does fly from Ashgabat to several Asian hubs where passengers can connect to the airline, including Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Alternatively, Turkish Airlines flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Ashgabat via Istanbul.
Stay
The five-star Yyldyz Hotel in Ashgabat has rooms from about $480 per night.
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The Advertiser
17 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Meet Carolyn, the oldest woman ever to reach Everest base camp
The self-described 'unadventurous' octogenarian decided she could reach Mt Everest base camp after looking at Youtube videos. Carolyn Robinson, 80, was intrigued when her rotary club in Berry, NSW, put out a call for anyone interested to go to Nepal and trek to base camp to raise money to eradicate polio. Motivated by the charity aspect of the climb, Carolyn turned to online videos. "I thought 'I can do that'. So that's what I did," she said. The club had 13 members volunteer for the April trip, with the youngest at 42 and the average age 67. "It was very, very tough because it was all uphill, and it was very rocky," she said. "We had to cross glaciers, which was a little bit nerve-wracking. But I just thought, if somebody else has done it, well, I can do it too." And it was that attitude that ensured the grandmother-of-four made it to base camp after 11 days, when four others in her Rotarian group didn't, due to altitude sickness. Ironically, Carolyn admits her age was her advantage. "Because I was so slow, I think that's what helped me acclimatise to the altitude," she said. Carolyn admits she didn't do as much training 'as I should have', but also believes that helped her because she didn't try and 'bound ahead' The successful trekker's main piece of advice to people of any age wanting to go to base camp is to not rush the climb. "Take it very slowly. You'll get there in the end," she said. Group organiser and guide Ken Hutt said he researched The Himalayan Database before the trip and discovered if Carolyn was successful, she would be the oldest woman in the world to have reached base camp. "No one came close to walking into Everest base camp at 80 years of age. She was hands down going to get the record if she made it," he said. Ken said when Carolyn arrived at base camp, it was "fantastic". "Jubilation everywhere. It was like it was party atmosphere," he said. But for Carolyn, the moment was more matter-of-fact. "I wasn't shouting out. I just thought, I've done it. I got here," she said. Ken said everyone in the group was inspirational and ended up raising over $50,000. But it was Carolyn who kept everyone focused on their goal. "The trip wasn't really designed for senior citizens, but they just excelled," he said. "Carolyn certainly inspired them to keep going and do those high-altitude paths. "They thought 'if she can do it and she's 80, we can do it.'" Carolyn believes anyone can have a go at getting out of their comfort zone. "I'm not an adrenaline junkie and I'm not an adventure seeker. I've never done anything like this before, ever," she said But after her record-breaking climb, Carolyn is up for some new adventures. "Kilimanjaro and the Camino. I've always wanted to do the Camino," she said. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. The self-described 'unadventurous' octogenarian decided she could reach Mt Everest base camp after looking at Youtube videos. Carolyn Robinson, 80, was intrigued when her rotary club in Berry, NSW, put out a call for anyone interested to go to Nepal and trek to base camp to raise money to eradicate polio. Motivated by the charity aspect of the climb, Carolyn turned to online videos. "I thought 'I can do that'. So that's what I did," she said. The club had 13 members volunteer for the April trip, with the youngest at 42 and the average age 67. "It was very, very tough because it was all uphill, and it was very rocky," she said. "We had to cross glaciers, which was a little bit nerve-wracking. But I just thought, if somebody else has done it, well, I can do it too." And it was that attitude that ensured the grandmother-of-four made it to base camp after 11 days, when four others in her Rotarian group didn't, due to altitude sickness. Ironically, Carolyn admits her age was her advantage. "Because I was so slow, I think that's what helped me acclimatise to the altitude," she said. Carolyn admits she didn't do as much training 'as I should have', but also believes that helped her because she didn't try and 'bound ahead' The successful trekker's main piece of advice to people of any age wanting to go to base camp is to not rush the climb. "Take it very slowly. You'll get there in the end," she said. Group organiser and guide Ken Hutt said he researched The Himalayan Database before the trip and discovered if Carolyn was successful, she would be the oldest woman in the world to have reached base camp. "No one came close to walking into Everest base camp at 80 years of age. She was hands down going to get the record if she made it," he said. Ken said when Carolyn arrived at base camp, it was "fantastic". "Jubilation everywhere. It was like it was party atmosphere," he said. But for Carolyn, the moment was more matter-of-fact. "I wasn't shouting out. I just thought, I've done it. I got here," she said. Ken said everyone in the group was inspirational and ended up raising over $50,000. But it was Carolyn who kept everyone focused on their goal. "The trip wasn't really designed for senior citizens, but they just excelled," he said. "Carolyn certainly inspired them to keep going and do those high-altitude paths. "They thought 'if she can do it and she's 80, we can do it.'" Carolyn believes anyone can have a go at getting out of their comfort zone. "I'm not an adrenaline junkie and I'm not an adventure seeker. I've never done anything like this before, ever," she said But after her record-breaking climb, Carolyn is up for some new adventures. "Kilimanjaro and the Camino. I've always wanted to do the Camino," she said. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. The self-described 'unadventurous' octogenarian decided she could reach Mt Everest base camp after looking at Youtube videos. Carolyn Robinson, 80, was intrigued when her rotary club in Berry, NSW, put out a call for anyone interested to go to Nepal and trek to base camp to raise money to eradicate polio. Motivated by the charity aspect of the climb, Carolyn turned to online videos. "I thought 'I can do that'. So that's what I did," she said. The club had 13 members volunteer for the April trip, with the youngest at 42 and the average age 67. "It was very, very tough because it was all uphill, and it was very rocky," she said. "We had to cross glaciers, which was a little bit nerve-wracking. But I just thought, if somebody else has done it, well, I can do it too." And it was that attitude that ensured the grandmother-of-four made it to base camp after 11 days, when four others in her Rotarian group didn't, due to altitude sickness. Ironically, Carolyn admits her age was her advantage. "Because I was so slow, I think that's what helped me acclimatise to the altitude," she said. Carolyn admits she didn't do as much training 'as I should have', but also believes that helped her because she didn't try and 'bound ahead' The successful trekker's main piece of advice to people of any age wanting to go to base camp is to not rush the climb. "Take it very slowly. You'll get there in the end," she said. Group organiser and guide Ken Hutt said he researched The Himalayan Database before the trip and discovered if Carolyn was successful, she would be the oldest woman in the world to have reached base camp. "No one came close to walking into Everest base camp at 80 years of age. She was hands down going to get the record if she made it," he said. Ken said when Carolyn arrived at base camp, it was "fantastic". "Jubilation everywhere. It was like it was party atmosphere," he said. But for Carolyn, the moment was more matter-of-fact. "I wasn't shouting out. I just thought, I've done it. I got here," she said. Ken said everyone in the group was inspirational and ended up raising over $50,000. But it was Carolyn who kept everyone focused on their goal. "The trip wasn't really designed for senior citizens, but they just excelled," he said. "Carolyn certainly inspired them to keep going and do those high-altitude paths. "They thought 'if she can do it and she's 80, we can do it.'" Carolyn believes anyone can have a go at getting out of their comfort zone. "I'm not an adrenaline junkie and I'm not an adventure seeker. I've never done anything like this before, ever," she said But after her record-breaking climb, Carolyn is up for some new adventures. "Kilimanjaro and the Camino. I've always wanted to do the Camino," she said. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. The self-described 'unadventurous' octogenarian decided she could reach Mt Everest base camp after looking at Youtube videos. Carolyn Robinson, 80, was intrigued when her rotary club in Berry, NSW, put out a call for anyone interested to go to Nepal and trek to base camp to raise money to eradicate polio. Motivated by the charity aspect of the climb, Carolyn turned to online videos. "I thought 'I can do that'. So that's what I did," she said. The club had 13 members volunteer for the April trip, with the youngest at 42 and the average age 67. "It was very, very tough because it was all uphill, and it was very rocky," she said. "We had to cross glaciers, which was a little bit nerve-wracking. But I just thought, if somebody else has done it, well, I can do it too." And it was that attitude that ensured the grandmother-of-four made it to base camp after 11 days, when four others in her Rotarian group didn't, due to altitude sickness. Ironically, Carolyn admits her age was her advantage. "Because I was so slow, I think that's what helped me acclimatise to the altitude," she said. Carolyn admits she didn't do as much training 'as I should have', but also believes that helped her because she didn't try and 'bound ahead' The successful trekker's main piece of advice to people of any age wanting to go to base camp is to not rush the climb. "Take it very slowly. You'll get there in the end," she said. Group organiser and guide Ken Hutt said he researched The Himalayan Database before the trip and discovered if Carolyn was successful, she would be the oldest woman in the world to have reached base camp. "No one came close to walking into Everest base camp at 80 years of age. She was hands down going to get the record if she made it," he said. Ken said when Carolyn arrived at base camp, it was "fantastic". "Jubilation everywhere. It was like it was party atmosphere," he said. But for Carolyn, the moment was more matter-of-fact. "I wasn't shouting out. I just thought, I've done it. I got here," she said. Ken said everyone in the group was inspirational and ended up raising over $50,000. But it was Carolyn who kept everyone focused on their goal. "The trip wasn't really designed for senior citizens, but they just excelled," he said. "Carolyn certainly inspired them to keep going and do those high-altitude paths. "They thought 'if she can do it and she's 80, we can do it.'" Carolyn believes anyone can have a go at getting out of their comfort zone. "I'm not an adrenaline junkie and I'm not an adventure seeker. I've never done anything like this before, ever," she said But after her record-breaking climb, Carolyn is up for some new adventures. "Kilimanjaro and the Camino. I've always wanted to do the Camino," she said. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Surreal and secretive, this Asian country is finally opening up
The Tolkuchka bazaar (also known as Altyn Asyr Bazaar), a 20-minute drive from downtown Ashgabat, affords visitors a glimpse of older Turkmen ways. Its shape is meant to resemble a Turkmen carpet and while it's only the fifth largest in Central Asia, it covers 100 hectares. Stalls sell spices, fake Rolexes, livestock, carpets, souvenirs, vegetables and fruit. Melons are a specialism; Turkmenistan has a crossbreed muskmelon called the Turkmenbashi melon. The second Sunday in August is National Melon Day. Turkmenistan is twice the size of the UK, almost as big as Spain. It has more than 4800 kilometres of railways, including lines to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Iran and Russia, and the 540-kilometre Trans-Karakum Railway across the desert of the same name. The most celebrated 'sight' here is the Gates of Hell gas crater at Darvaza, burning since the '80s when someone took out a match to prevent the emission of poisonous gases caused by a gas field's collapse 20 years earlier. A long, Milton-esque stairway in a cave at the foot of a mountain leads to the Köw Ata Underground Lake, where you can swim in sulphurous waters. Ancient Merv is a Unesco World Heritage site, a repository of 4000 years of history and 'the oldest and best-preserved of the oasis-cities along the Silk Route in Central Asia'. Nokhur cemetery in southern Turkmenistan contains tombstones decorated with mountain goat horns – believed by the Nokhuris (who claim to have descended from Alexander the Great's soldiers) to protect against evil spirits. Animism, Islam and Zoroastrianism are routinely melded, causing some traditional Muslims to take umbrage at Turkmenistan's bespoke approach to theology. The country is dotted with photogenic rock-scapes. Yangykala Canyon is the one that you see most often on promotional material, with its striated limestone walls rising out of an ancient seabed. Turkmenistan is a de facto one-party state with no serious opposition permitted. Should that put anyone off? Only if you also want to discard China, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Eritrea; the US is a de facto two-party state and is more likely to go in the other direction than to suddenly announce a trio of options. Turkmenistan has some of the slowest and most tightly controlled internet – positive messaging only is firmly encouraged – which is, of course, a major issue for locals. Youtube, WhatsApp and Facebook are blocked. There's no roaming. All in all, it's also an excuse for tourists to switch off and forget screens and report back on their experiences once they get home. For the time being, a letter of invitation is required (though this will be retired with the introduction of the new e-visa); tour firms will usually take care of the red tape. The Australian government's Smart Traveller website also advises, 'you must take a COVID-19 (PCR) test on arrival, and if you have a positive test result, you may be required to quarantine in a state-run facility or at your place of residence under medical supervision'. THE DETAILS Loading Fly Turkmenistan Airlines does not fly to Australia, but does fly from Ashgabat to several Asian hubs where passengers can connect to the airline, including Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Alternatively, Turkish Airlines flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Ashgabat via Istanbul. Stay The five-star Yyldyz Hotel in Ashgabat has rooms from about $480 per night.
The Age
2 days ago
- The Age
Surreal and secretive, this Asian country is finally opening up
The Tolkuchka bazaar (also known as Altyn Asyr Bazaar), a 20-minute drive from downtown Ashgabat, affords visitors a glimpse of older Turkmen ways. Its shape is meant to resemble a Turkmen carpet and while it's only the fifth largest in Central Asia, it covers 100 hectares. Stalls sell spices, fake Rolexes, livestock, carpets, souvenirs, vegetables and fruit. Melons are a specialism; Turkmenistan has a crossbreed muskmelon called the Turkmenbashi melon. The second Sunday in August is National Melon Day. Turkmenistan is twice the size of the UK, almost as big as Spain. It has more than 4800 kilometres of railways, including lines to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Iran and Russia, and the 540-kilometre Trans-Karakum Railway across the desert of the same name. The most celebrated 'sight' here is the Gates of Hell gas crater at Darvaza, burning since the '80s when someone took out a match to prevent the emission of poisonous gases caused by a gas field's collapse 20 years earlier. A long, Milton-esque stairway in a cave at the foot of a mountain leads to the Köw Ata Underground Lake, where you can swim in sulphurous waters. Ancient Merv is a Unesco World Heritage site, a repository of 4000 years of history and 'the oldest and best-preserved of the oasis-cities along the Silk Route in Central Asia'. Nokhur cemetery in southern Turkmenistan contains tombstones decorated with mountain goat horns – believed by the Nokhuris (who claim to have descended from Alexander the Great's soldiers) to protect against evil spirits. Animism, Islam and Zoroastrianism are routinely melded, causing some traditional Muslims to take umbrage at Turkmenistan's bespoke approach to theology. The country is dotted with photogenic rock-scapes. Yangykala Canyon is the one that you see most often on promotional material, with its striated limestone walls rising out of an ancient seabed. Turkmenistan is a de facto one-party state with no serious opposition permitted. Should that put anyone off? Only if you also want to discard China, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Eritrea; the US is a de facto two-party state and is more likely to go in the other direction than to suddenly announce a trio of options. Turkmenistan has some of the slowest and most tightly controlled internet – positive messaging only is firmly encouraged – which is, of course, a major issue for locals. Youtube, WhatsApp and Facebook are blocked. There's no roaming. All in all, it's also an excuse for tourists to switch off and forget screens and report back on their experiences once they get home. For the time being, a letter of invitation is required (though this will be retired with the introduction of the new e-visa); tour firms will usually take care of the red tape. The Australian government's Smart Traveller website also advises, 'you must take a COVID-19 (PCR) test on arrival, and if you have a positive test result, you may be required to quarantine in a state-run facility or at your place of residence under medical supervision'. THE DETAILS Loading Fly Turkmenistan Airlines does not fly to Australia, but does fly from Ashgabat to several Asian hubs where passengers can connect to the airline, including Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Alternatively, Turkish Airlines flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Ashgabat via Istanbul. Stay The five-star Yyldyz Hotel in Ashgabat has rooms from about $480 per night.
