I have not been able to get a decent Internet service
AND because I want to update family and friends on the circumstances of my deportation from Turkmenistan.
When I was planning this trip I looked at the options available for Turkmenistan. Like China the authorities there required that I have a guide if I apply for a 'Tourist' visa. The price of a guide for five to seven days was about the $1,000 dollar mark plus my own expenses. There was another option which did not require me having a 'guide'. That option was a five day 'Transit" visa. The chance of saving a $1,000 was attractive.
As I was going to be travelling with Jim I discussed it with him. We agreed to apply for the "Transit" visa.
We applied for the five day 'Transit' visa and it was granted.
Doing it this way was a gamble because the ferry service from Baku, Azerbaijan to Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan is notoriously unreliable. There are about eight ferries that cross the Caspian Sea which primarily take freight but allow some passengers.
The visa is date specific and there is no option to extend or change the dates as stated on the visa. Our visa commenced on the 28th May ( Day One ) and concluded on 1st of June ( Day Two ).
See the previous posts but we were rejected on Day One.
See the previous posts but we were rejected on Day One.
Day Two. Jim and I got onto the ferry at Baku at about 6pm on day two of our five day visa for Turkmenistan. The Caspian Sea takes about fourteen hours to cross. We were hopeful of an overnight crossing and an early morning start from the port at Turkmenbashi.
Woke the next morning ( Day three of our five day visa ) to find the ship doing walking speed - four knots. Spoke to the crew and I was informed that there was no point rushing because there was a queue of ships waiting to get into port. When we would get into port was an unknown.
We spent a second night on the ferry and about 9am ( Day Four of our five day visa ) the ferry headed into port. Got to Turkmenbashi with one and a half days to spare but the route we had to ride was 1220 kilometres.
Now that distance on roads found anywhere else in the world is do-able in twelve to fifteen hours. We rode one and a half big, hot, rough days and got to the border at 10.30pm. Our visa concluded at mid-night on the 1st June and we made it with one and half hours to spare. The border crossing was closed - who closes international borders.
To do 1220 kilometres within that timeframe was a huge effort. Jim and I did well for old blokes. Never experienced roads like it. I promise to never complain about the odd pot hole in Australia ever again.
Once at the border crossing that is in the middle of 'no-where' and not a hotel take we could access so we decided to sleep there. I found a concrete road barrier that had a flat surface about three hundred millimetres wide. Rolled out the sleeping bag. Surprisingly I got some sleep.
Next morning the Turkmenistan immigration officers made a big deal of us being a few hours late - we were at the crossing within time - they were closed. They wanted us to pay a $450 USD cash fine each. We refused. Then they then reduced the amount to $300 after much grumbling about "Problem". We refused to pay the second offer as well. They then threatened deportation - we accepted their threat. That response troubled them - what didn't we understand that we could not ever come back to Turkmenistan? Yep we understood. So they then wanted a $55 deportation fee from each of us. Refused that as well.
Jim's first night camping and where do I take him. I know how to show a mate a good time. I was up for about two hours before he woke so he must have been comfortable. Hundreds of trucks waiting to get through the border - we rode to the front of the queue.
Next morning the Turkmenistan immigration officers made a big deal of us being a few hours late - we were at the crossing within time - they were closed. They wanted us to pay a $450 USD cash fine each. We refused. Then they then reduced the amount to $300 after much grumbling about "Problem". We refused to pay the second offer as well. They then threatened deportation - we accepted their threat. That response troubled them - what didn't we understand that we could not ever come back to Turkmenistan? Yep we understood. So they then wanted a $55 deportation fee from each of us. Refused that as well.
The boss, somewhere - maybe Ashgabat - spoke to us on the telephone and he instructed us to make a written statement about why we overstayed our visa. We did that and it was faxed to him. He then rang back and said that that we should make a written request asking for a free extra day on our visa. We did write that request and it was sent to him. I suspect the 'boss' just wanted the 'problem' gone.
The final offer came back down the line from the boss - we would get deported and we are disqualified for one year from applying for another visa to Turkmenistan. Our deportation would be free of charge because we were granted an extra free day!!!!!!. The logic of that evades me. We accepted that final offer in a flash. So we and our motorcycles were escorted to the border in disgrace. Just what we wanted.
My visa is stamped with the word "Deported" but in a language no one else will understand I hope.
My visa is stamped with the word "Deported" but in a language no one else will understand I hope.
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