Entry/exit from Turkmenbashi during local events

[wanderlust2]

Please check to see if there are any events scheduled in/around the dates of your entry/exit to/from the country. On August 11-12 a Caspian Sea Conference was held and the powers that be closed the channel, roads, trains and airport to all except the attendees. Closure was in effect from afternoon of Aug 9th through 1 am on Aug 13th. I and a few other travelers on transit visas were stamped out and stranded in no-man's land for 4 days before boarding a ship. Once stamped out, you will not be allowed out to buy food or water or go to a hotel. You will essentially be held in one room but wonder of wonders - for the first time in 5 days we had wifi, likely only b/c of the conference.

[steven]

Nice tip, but how are you possibly going to find out about such a conference in advance? Even the attendees were likely only informed a couple of days beforehand that this would take place. That's always the problem.

Sounds like a terrible ordeal for you, hope you guys had enough food at least. But definitely not the first time something similar happens, and very difficult to predict.

[wanderlust2]

This conference was actually advertised - I saw it in brochures at the embassy in Tashkent. And even asked about it at the embassy; everyone seems very gung-ho about it No doubt b/c it was international. More details to be written on my blog along with photos as soon as I type them. It is a good thing I do so after leaving the country.