DARVAZA
The gates of hell. The temperature is now no joke and if anything is getting worse as the night goes on.
THE ONLY RESPITE IS STANDING BESIDE THE CRATER
The guide decided to show me around briefly before going to see the crater, and to be honest, there wasn’t much else to see apart from the toilet. As you can imagine, it had just a hole in the ground with a tent over the top of it. If you needed a sh*t, then you could use a disability frame; however, I just hoped my constipation would kick in for a day or two.
TURKMENISTAN….
- Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
- Called the North Korea of Asia, it is ranked as one of the hardest countries to enter.
- You are required the assistance of tour agencies and a guide to gain a visa
- Turkmenistan ranked is as the 178th most censored countries in the world – out of 180!
- Only North Korea and Eritrea are worse off.
TOILETS IN THE DESERT
Since it was pitch dark, on the way to the gas crater, I accidentally walked into areas that someone had roped off, which I thought was unusual. There were just these random areas that they had cordoned off. As it turns out, they had covered the old toilets with sand. Indeed, we are right down to the bare bones here!
As we headed down to the gas crater, nothing could really prepare us for it. It is safe to say there is nowhere else on earth quite like it! Additionally, another benefit is the heat that comes from the flames, which probably makes this the hottest place within a 2000 km radius.
GATES TO HELL….
- It was given the name by locals
- 226ft / 60m wide, roughly the size of a football field
- 98ft/30m deep.
- Soviet engineers set it alight in 1971 in an attempt to burn off the excess gas
- It was estimated that it would take a few weeks to burn off but hasn’t stopped.
- It is located near one of the largest gas reserves of the world
THAT SNOOD FROM BAKU
I could only last around 30 minutes before it became unbearable and that was with all the layers. All I can say is thank god for that snood I bought in Baku and I was right to say it was the best purchase of the trip LINK!! Managed to get some great shots with the drone and the guide couldn’t believe how I got it in the country!
KETTLE
The accommodation was interesting, and six of us slept in it. After listening to the snoring, I took the best part of an hour to fall asleep, only to wake up to the most bizarre noise. As it turns out, the guide had decided to leave the kettle on the stove since I arrived, and it took the entire time to boil!
FINAL THOUGHTS
It was always going to be part of my itinerary when visiting Turkmenistan and it sure didn’t disappoint!
NEXT UP
Visa disappointment at the border. 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.
Question Time
- Have you been to the Gates of Hell, what was your experience like?
- Would you return?
- Did you like the locals?
Let me know in the comments below . . .
