I crossed the border of Nukus to leave Uzbekistan . Turkmenistan did not issue tourist visas. But I considered myself lucky that I was able to get a five-day transit visa to continue my hitchhiking world tour across the country. At the market, I discover the traditional embroidered outfits worn by most Turkmens. I walked around the archaeological site of Konye-Urgench and the director offered me his hospitality. Then I discovered a huge arid desert with camels and isolated dusty villages. I camped on the edge of the Darvaza gas crater, but a windstorm crushing my tent against my face did not let me sleep. Two guides invited me to join their group for free to drive me to Ashgabat. This capital ha a crazy architecture ans athmosphere : huge avenues and buildings in white marble and gilding, statues in tribute to the former dictator Niyazov, police officers in each street corner to prevent people to approach and take pictures of official buildings. This megalomaniac delirium was built and supported by the French group Bouygues in the middle of the desert! I saved all my pictures and videos on an external hard drive, in case the custom officers would search for it (like in China ), but they did not. I hitchhiked a bus up to the mountains to reach the border with Iran .