This is the third blog I've created in as many weeks. My travel pre-planning has really ramped up. The time change in Fall always makes me antsy to get out of town!
For those of you keeping track:
So Borneo is going to keep me busy before I get to this one with any seriousness but I like to get things started when things start.
I have been wanting to do this one for years. After my insane year of travel in 2024 (Columbia, Newfoundland, Europe), I knew this one was going to work for 2025. I held off until I could see if it would be on Black Friday sale. It wasn't. That's how I ended up booking a tour to Borneo! 30% off, thank you very much.
I had my dates picked, I was ready to go. But I booked Borneo so I delayed a few days. When I went back in today, my date was completely sold out!! I panic booked the next departure date, Sept 16, I paid my deposit and that is kind of that for now.
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The Five Stans of the Silk Road |
As per my usual, I booked a trip to a completely remote part of the world that I know nothing about and then read a few lines of the 'things to know' which included A Letter of Invitation may be required for your Uzbekistan Visa. which sort of caught my notice. Oh dear, as I went back to look that up, I see there are many more paragraphs in that email that include:
A Letter of Invitation may be required for your Tajikistan Visa.
A Letter of Invitation may be required for your Kazakhstan Visa.
A Letter of Invitation may be required for your Kyrgyzstan Visa.
A Letter of Invitation may be required for your Turkmenistan Visa.
Hmm, this is obviously going to take some investigating. As will this:
- There are restrictions to your included departure transfer.:
Please note, the departure transfer included occurs on the last day of the tour. If you plan to depart after the tour, you will be required to arrange post-tour accommodation through G Adventures to be eligible for the airport transport. Due to customer experience and quality considerations, all services related to the tour must be continuous.
Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore...
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| as predicted, no Kansas to be seen on this map |
WHEW (80%). Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan do not require visas for Canadians. Turkmenistan requires a visa for all visitors.
Another WHEW. Looks like I have to apply for a 'letter of invitation' to G Adventures 40 days before we leave, who then submit it to Turkmenistan. And it is all finalized when we cross the border. But it looks like there will be no lollygagging in Ashgabat as my 'invitation' is only good to the end of the tour. At least I save the 'visa fee and immigration tax' in the other counties. Or at least the visa fee.
I had a quick look at flights. All round 'not great'. Expensive and long. I thought I might take a jumper flight from Ashgabat back to Bishkek. According to Rome2Rio, this is a 9 hour flight or a 40 hour train/bus trip! I may be wildly underestimating distances in my head. And that 'jumper' is almost $1500 bucks on its own! I seems to be much cheaper to fly into Bishkek and out of Ashgabat. 'Cheaper' being a relative term.
That's enough for my wee heed to process for now. I'll get more serious after Borneo.
