Hell in Baku
Submitted by OMLE on Sun, 20/07/2008 - 9:20am.
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Hi guys. By blind luck we found an open internet cafe on a sunday in Baku!
In the end we (team f7f7 and team wateraid) took a 200km detour to the northern Georgian/Azerbaijan border and were able to cross without issuse. We even got food accomodation and dating advice... lol.
But that was the good news. We are stuck in Baku. The ferry company will not issue us with a ticket unless we have a visa or letter of invitation. Our visa is in turkmenbashi and we dont have a letter of invtation. The azer border guards are quite willing to let us pass but the ferry company officer will not sell us a ticket, bribe or no bribe.
So we went to the turkmenistan embassy in Baku. Spoke with the friendly guy there on a saturday (its closed sat sun). He can offer us a letter of invitation which can take 10 days!!!!! Or we can contact Go Help (our charity). Go Help asks the London Turkmen embassy to ask Turkmen immigration service to tell the Turkmen embassy in Baku we are cleared and allowed a letter of invitation. When that happens it takes 1 hour for paperwork.
Beauricratic or what !!!! Basically if everything goes well we are stuck in the blistering heat of Baku until Wed/Thursday. We are considering ferry to Kazak but at the moment we are sticking it out.
As it stands We are in a totallly shit hotel room, but its a cheap 10 pounds a night. Gotta conserve money since we have a long way to go. Dangerous cooling fan, Bad air, lots of god damn misquito bites. Still what is an adventure without adversity.
Cheers from Baku,
Ben - Dyce - Michael
Date | Message | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 weeks 4 days ago |
In the end we (team f7f7 and team wateraid) took a 200km detour to the northern Georgian/Azerbaijan border and were able to cross without issuse. We even got food accomodation and dating advice... lol. But that was the good news. We are stuck in Baku. The ferry company will not issue us with a ticket unless we have a visa or letter of invitation. Our visa is in turkmenbashi and we dont have a letter of invtation. The azer border guards are quite willing to let us pass but the ferry company officer will not sell us a ticket, bribe or no bribe. read more » | |
| 20 weeks 4 days ago | Hey, Ben Dyce and Michael here. We are curently in İzmit, Turkey. Been convoying with the Outermancunians since prague. Hooked up with the Mongol Warriors for a bit before they went north. | |
| 21 weeks 6 days ago | In Falkirk at the moment, vehicle fully loaded and ready to go. got to pick up some food supplies tonight then off to london tomorrow! |
Re: Hell in Baku
Hi
Not sure if you will get this or whether it will help but if you need any help in getting your visa stuff from Turkmen embassy so you can get the ferry then the Outermancunians are in Ashgabat, Turkmen and are willing to help you and the other teams.
You should have their number but of not you can call/text Stephen on 0037259715923.
Good luck with the rest of your travels.
Andrea