Head gaskets, hospitality
By Rob on 10th August 2008
We spent a few days bashing out the kilometers in Iran with the temperature warning light coming on with increasing frequency, staying in Bandar-e-Anzali, Chalus, and Miduset. The day we set out for Turkmenistan, the light came on after only a quarter of an hour of easy driving. Shortly after that we stopped to have a ponder. A policeman approached us and indicated he was going to fetch a mechanic. 10 minutes later he was on the scene and confirmed, with the help of gestures and our scribbled explanation of the problem, what we had been in decreasingly convincing denial of for many days: we had a head gasket problem. To cut a long story short, four hours, four mechanics and 70 dollars later, we were sitting in the chief mechanic's home sipping tea with a fixed car outside! (click below for more)
That night we were the guests of one of his English-speaking friends - amazingly generous hospitality. We spoke of our countries, and ate wonderful kebabs.
We made the Turkmen border the next day, bumping into two Spanish teams (including one in another Renault 4). A few stamps here, a few stamps there, and we were ready to cross at 5:03. The border shut at 5:00. Luckily, we were with another team, and it wasn't so bad sleeping in no-man's land! The car's had been stamped out of Iran, so we couldn't drive them into town.
Ashgabat was a truly crazy city - long, sparse, green avenues, golden statues on every corner, and load roads with scores of 20-story bright white hotels and appartment blocks that look at best empty, and at worst entirely fake. Had out first beer since Turkey in town that night along with a couple of very long games of pool.
Our third longest day's drive took us as far as Turkmenabat the next day, but the total inadequacy of Lonely Planet maps meant attempting to find our intended hotel was not fruitful. Somewhat fortunately, we were gestured to follow two young boys on bikes, who took us to their home. There we found an English-speaking woman part of a large family, and we were once again humble guests for the night. Lot's of food, tea, and pleas for UK work visas later, we got a little sleep before heading off early.
We are now in Bukhara (Uzbek crossing ~3.5 hours), a wonderful little place full of history but none of the hustle and bustle of somewhere like Istanbul. We're heading to Samarkand shortly, which promises even more visual delights.