When I woke up the next day I realised I was exhausted and needed a rest day. I proceeded to use the time to get some errands done, including changing the antifreeze, registering with the migrational authorities and trying to change my route in Turkmenistan. When I arrived at the Migration Authorities, I was told that as I was on a transit visa, I didn't need to register. I was slightly unsure as everyone had told me that you have to register - I was given short shrift by the lady and told to go on my way. After this a one hour drive around Ashgabat followed looking for the offices of the Auto-Transport ministry. No-one knew where it was. I was first sent to the Transport Police building near the train station, then the roads ministry and then the road tolls ministry. At this point it was lunch and I realised that I could easily spend a day doing this. So I gave up the ghost and went to have lunch.
A wide boulevard in Ashgabat.
A rocket shaped thermometer.
In 35 degree heat I walked up five flights of stairs to a restaurant next to the Teke Bazaar. When I walked in, there was no daylight. It was like walking into a nightclub, with booths and curtained off VIP areas; only this was a restaurant serving lunch, full of young Turkmens on their lunch break! The owner came over to greet me warmly and told me what a great honour it was for them to have me for lunch. Lunch was indeed delicious. I had Kakmaç which is thinly sliced mutton that is then beaten, fried in mutton fat with onions and served with french fries. The meat was delicious and feeling fortified I ventured into the sunshine to get some fruit and then get the antifreeze on the car changed.
Kakmac.
Later that evening, while driving to a restaurant for dinner, a car pulled up at the traffic lights and one of the occupants greeted me warmly. It turned out it was Misha, the chap I'd met at the cafe the previous evening. I asked him for directions and he got of his gypsy cab (a car that is driving in the same direction as you and is dropping you off for a small sum, far cheaper than an ordinary taxi) and jumped into my car with his friend Artik. I invited them for a beer and we stopped off at a restaurant called Merdem.
A gold statue of Turkmenbashi, the first leader of Turkmenistan.
This is a traditional Turkmen restaurant where you sit in yurts and no alcohol is served. I had a quick bowl of Dograma and then we went to a bar to get a beer. Dograma is a traditional Turkmen dish. Mutton is boiled until it is tender enough to fall of the bone. Then baked flatbreads are torn into small pieces and mixed with meat and onions. This is then put in a bowl and covered with hot broth. Very delicious.
The inside of the yurt.
In Ashgabat most places close at 2200. Therefore after this we went to Misha's house we had some beers in the garden outside his house. We agreed that the next day we would go for a barbecue.
The circus in Ashgabat.