ASHGABAT TO DARVAZA
-10 & breaking down in the middle of the desert. The trip to Ashgabat to Darvaza usually takes around 3 hours but not when you break down in the middle of the desert!
IT WAS -10 AND NO SIGN OF CIVILISATION
After two hours, the jeep malfunctioned. I could tell something was wrong from the driver and guide’s expressions. The road is quiet, and despite the country’s resources, petrol stations are rare. The fifth largest flagpole is not useful.
WHERE IS DARVAZA?
Vietnam
-10
Anyway I decided I needed to use the bathroom so got out and was given the shock of a lifetime. It was chilly in the city, but here it felt much colder. The guide estimated it was between -5 and -10 degrees, and the car was cooling rapidly.
It had been 45minutes now and it was nearly as cold inside the car as it was outside. We hoped each passing car was from the company, but the wait continued. Things looked bleak until another jeep arrived to tow us to the nearby petrol station.
THE GATES TO HELL
After repairs, we continued with the other jeep. Soon, we got stuck in the mud again. I began to think it was the driver, not the jeep.
As you drive towards the Gas crater, you see a red glow in the sky. The reveal is unforgettable. Driving over the final dune reveals an insane view of the crater, with fire lighting up the sky, resembling a scene from Independence Day. You now know why it goes by the name, The Gates to Hell.
CRAZY LOCALS
Locals maintain the tepees we stay in and rent them out to visitors. Some locals had rented my tepee for the day and were incredibly funny and drunk.
They hugged me, giving me homemade liquor. They spoke nonsense, enjoying saying any English words, regardless of sense.
QUESTIONABLE FOOD
Next, we had soup and bread. The first soup was vegetable; the second was unknown, even to the guide and chef.
NEXT UP
Exploring the Gates to Hell and having the worst steak in the world. Click to read
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
128/229
This post is part of the Central Asia Series, click to explore or for episode 1 click here.
To watch the video of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.
