Multi-Country Holidays

From the day I met Claudio in San Pedro to my last day in Salta.
I have seen so many different landscapes, cycling on so many different roads.
Was great to cycle on a salt lake, in narrow canyons, in a the devils’s throat on a road above 4000m in the middle of the puna among lamas and vicunias, in a forest along lakes or in the middle of vineyards and cactus !

Francois PUGET Cycle Chile & Argentina: Atacama to Salta

There was a lot of bus/ travel time on this journey. Given that, I felt that some days were very poorly planned.
Examples:
One day all we did was cross the border to Turkmenistan. We started at 1:pm and it took 2 hours. The next day there was a six hour excursion to a UNESCO site. Then back to the city for lunch. Then another 5.5 hour drive out to the gas crater. Obviously the UNESCO excursion could have been done the previous afternoon if we would have crossed the border in the morning. Then we would have arrived for sunset at the camp. Instead we were driving in the dark on a very poor and dangerous road, arriving stressed. As an aside, some passengers got bed bug bites at the camp.

The day we arrived in Uzbekistan we had been travelling for 9 hours. All we wanted was our hotel, a drink and some food. Sergi proceeded to say we had to go to the summer palace and a silk factory that night. The whole group was fed up and we did not enjoy either one. These activities were scheduled for the next day.

Anyway there were many days like this; it was agreed by all that we would prefer to get to our hotel in the late afternoon in order to unwind and perhaps explore on our own. There was no need for so many late check ins.

Most hotels were adequate. I did not have high expectations. Rooms were clean and comfortable. However, the breakfasts were horrendous. Cold food, empty buffet trays, very little offered.

Nickey Knight The Five Stans of the Silk Road – Almaty to Ashgabat

Baltis is a gem!!!!
3 countries in 12 days with fairytale old towns, culture, the music soul of the people, these countries have rich cultural traditions, centuries old folklore, song festivals of voices and UNESCO listed historic centers.
All the medieval towers and coloful facades walking through them feel likes stepping back in time.
Baltics offer untouched landscapes perfect for breathing fresh air from endless pine forest and serene lakes to the largest sand dune in Europe, the Curonian Spit.

Raquel Quiros Discover the Baltics