Our first stop in Azerbaijan is Sheki. This wonderfully historical city has streets lined with shops selling sweets and jewellery. We had a delightful night’s stay in an old Karavansaray with a beautiful courtyard and restaurant with a shady terrace. This was a good spot for visiting the nearby Khan’s Summer Palace. Constructed in 1761-1762 as a summer residence of Hussein-khan Mushtad, this stunning building has only 6 rooms, men and women would reside in separate rooms with each getting their own private staircase. The windows are constructed with wood and Venetian glass and the ceilings of the balconies are mirrored much like a disco ball, but more sophisticated! Unfortunately pictures are not allowed inside the building in order to preserve the spectacular paintwork on the interior walls.
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| Outside the Khan's summer palace, Sheki |
From spectacular palaces we go to stunning nature and on to Qobustan, a small village that hides behind it an impressive collection of mud volcanoes. As we drew closer to our destination it began to rain, undeterred we decide press on up the now slippery track with the vain hope of finding somewhere we could draw off to camp. After heading up to the gas station and finding nothing and having to perform a drifting U-turn the decision was made to roll the dice once more. There was still a track we hadn’t checked out. Unfortunately, traction was lost and very soon after we had a rear wheel in a ditch cut by the water. While Teresa and I got on with the task of extracting the truck, the group walked the remaining distance up to the mud volcanoes. With help from Andy, who figured that messing around in the mud with us would be more fun, we got Calypso out in two attempts and just time for everyone to return.
These strange formations are created by natural gas forcing its way up to the surface, meaning they are not hot. Phil was lured to the crest of a bubbling volcano like a fly into a Venus fly trap and was nearly swallowed whole when he fell in. Fortunately he fell with his torso draped over the edge and quickly realising he was not in serous danger every one fell about in fits of laughter. On returning to the now liberated Calypso everyone one who was muddy washed off the sticky mud from boots, flip flops and feet in a nearby puddle and retreated back to the asphalt.
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| Dave and a mud bubble |
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| Becs at the mud volcano |
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| Phil just after falling in a volcano |
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| Cleaning up after the mud volcanoes - Mary James & Mahala after mud volcano fun |
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| Thumbs up from Phil |
The next day we set of early to Baku to give ourselves plenty of time to get our Turkmenistan visas. The process went smoothly enough, although it was a very drawn procedure. Whilst we waited for our visas to be issued we stocked up on supplies for the Caspian crossing, relaxed and explored the 2012 Eurovision city Baku.
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| Becs, Fi, Jim, Al, Lou, Mahala, Pernille |
Meanwhile Teresa and I were busy making the arrangements to catch a ferry. Never a straightforward affair, we finally had tickets at 1 am and now awaited the “call to board”. This came at 5.30am. By 6.15am we are all bundled into taxis for the short trip to port where more waiting begins. Passports and tickets were checked first then we had to clear immigration. We eventually board the ship and then wait for the current cargo to be unloaded and then new cargo to be loaded before Calypso could be loaded. Eventually we set sail around midday.
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| Calypso coming aboard |
Having prepared for the worst it was a pleasant surprise to find the cabins to be clean and the communal area to be very nice complete with bar and a form of restaurant/cafeteria. The radio operator Samil spoke good English and was very helpful showing every one around the ship including the bridge, Lou even closed the rear door of the ferry.
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| Our ferry |
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| Dinner on the ferry |
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| Everyone on the bridge of the ship |
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| Andy & Simon doing the Titanic |
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| Julie & Anna very happy with our rooms |
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| Spike wanting to be Captain |
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| Lou closing the doors on the ferry |
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| Phil, Spike & Simon |
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| Sunbathing on the poop deck |
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| Sunset on the Caspian |
The crossing was calm and literally sailed on by. When we reached the Turkmen side of the Caspian we waited and waited some more until finally we were allowed to dock. It was then wait some more in immigration while they checked our passports, drank tea, and whatever else it is they do behind closed doors. Once we had cleared customs it was getting late so we decided to eat our tea in the port café. It took lots of hand gestures, scribbling of numbers and eventually a chat on the phone to the cook’s daughter to arrange the meal and agree on the payment. We had Plov, a delicious rice dish similar to a Pilaf, cooked with vegetables and served with chicken.
The next day we found ourselves a nice camp not too far from Ashgabat and near a underground thermal spring. Some took the chance for a swim in this strange water filled cave, complete with bats in the ceiling and a man trying to say don’t do this and that. The more adventurous amongst us ignored his whistles and flashing of torch and swam right to the back where the bats would fly around us.
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| Cleaning the truck before Ashgabat |
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| Turkmenistan kids interested in where we are going |
The next morning we arrived in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. A strange new city that sparkles with its marble clad buildings and gold embellished statues and gates. Policemen and guards are everywhere, moving you along if you stop to take pictures or even sit on a bench as Bruce and Anna found out.
The following day we took an air-conditioned bus tour of this peculiar city where we could see the buildings and surreptitiously take photos without being stopped. We stopped off at the cable car ride that goes to nowhere, but provides a stunning view of the city below.
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| Andy having fun at the Independence Garden |
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| Cable car ride - Andy, Teresa, Alex |
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| Mary & Julie on the cable car |
Leaving Ashgabat behind, we had a date with the fires of hell, the Darvaza gas crater. This massive barbeque pit was created back in the soviet times while drilling for gas and the ground gave way revealing the crater. We bounce our way in the back of a jeep to this bizarre phenomenon and take the opportunity for some awesome silhouette group photos.
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| Camera Club - some light painting at the gas crater |
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| Doing the conga around the crater |
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| The group at the crater |
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| The fiery gates of hell |
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| Hurrah! |
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| Cowboy Phil |
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| Warren, Jo & Spike |
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| Simon |
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| The nearby mud crater with the truck |
From here we head to Konye Urgench a historical site and significant town on the Silk Road route. A protected site with mausoleums and what used to the tallest minaret in Asia, this is an important place for pilgrimage for many Turkmen people. Our bush camp from here is close to the Uzbekistan border, our next destination.
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| Walking to the minaret in Konye Urgench |
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| Awesome desert campfire near Konye Urgench |
Leaving Turkmenistan turned out to be as much hassle as getting in with every item being removed from the truck and leaving no nook or cranny untouched. Thankfully entering Uzbekistan was straightforward and once the border formalities were done with we soon found ourselves in the beautiful ancient city of Khiva. Its stunning minarets and madrassas are lit beautifully in the evening light.
The following day we had a tour of the city with our new favourite guide Bobir. We saw ancient carvings, palaces, carriages, mosques and the old traditional way of life. We were also lucky enough to be in town for its annual festival, where wrestling, stick and sheep fighting took place right outside our hotel.
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| Khiva |
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| Ladies harem, Khiva |
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| A guy & his horse, Khiva |
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| Minaret in Khiva |
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| Minaret, Khiva |
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| Beautiful detailed roof design |
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| View from the hotel, Khiva |
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| Alex shopping and his dream coat |
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| Andy enjoying a beer and the traditional Uzbek meal of Jiz |
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| Andy is interviewed by Uzbek TV |
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| Stunning tiles |
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| Dave & Andy, haircut please |
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| Dinner in Khiva |
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| Smile and wave! |
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| "Gaurds, gaurds" Khiva |
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| Phil |
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| Yvonne, happy traveller |
The sheep fighting consisted of two rams being lead into the makeshift arena where they then take run ups to head butt each other. The exact rules were unclear and some sheep were more game than others, but it seemed that if one ram either turned to take a glancing blow, fell over or was pushed back, he lost. Either way, everyone that took part left with a carpet as a prize.
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| Traditional singing, music and dancing at the local festival |
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| The gang await the start of sheep fighting |
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| One man and his fighting sheep |
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| One ram and his posse, waiting to head butt |
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| Go! |
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| Charge! |
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| Boosh! |
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| One man and his cock |
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| Cock fightin' man |
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| Cock fight face-off |
So from here we head to Bukhara where more eastern delights await us!
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| Bukhara mosque & minaret |
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| Pillar Mosque, Bukhara |
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| Carved wooden columns in Pillar Mosque |
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| Traditional silk embroidery in Bukhara |
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| Walking tour in Bukhara |
Having prepared for the worst it was a pleasant surprise to find the cabins to be clean and the communal area to be very nice complete with bar and a form of restaurant/cafeteria. The radio operator Samil spoke good English and was very helpful showing every one around the ship including the bridge, Lou even closed the rear door of the ferry. 
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