Written TODAY!
This is being beamed speedily from the Peace Corps office satellite internet line because I am in Ashgabat. I ran away for a weekend of not being in the oba and not being in Mary. It's a refreshing recharge.
I took the train with the Friday Club. Four of us meet on Fridays in Mary City and hang out while conducting important personal business. The train was the best possible combination of hectic, dodgy, and mindblowing awesomeness. It is far cheaper than a taxi, but it does take 11 hours, but overnight so you can sleep. With four of us we had the whole cabin to ourselves and had far ranging discussions on Enrique and the falling price of tomatoes. SWEET!
Ashgabat looms larger after the oba. There are shops and streets and buses and monuments to the late great Turkmenbashi. Its expensive though. We took a taxi to a restauant on Friday night and it cost 15000 manat!!!!!!!!! That would from my oba, to mary city and back. Oh, and the plummeting value of the dollar is wreking havoc with my travel plans. The Government is probably going to lower the exchange rate from 20,000 to 15,000. Since coming to this country, I've lost a whole snickers bar on the exchange; when we came in october it was 23,000. BOO!
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3 comments:
KT, Got your April 1. letter via Istanbul, today, 4/22. Great to hear from you and learn about Kat.
Skiing was great this year. Latest book was David Yallop,s "In God's Name",about the death of Pope John Paul, John Paul II's predecessor. He also wrote "The Dark Heart of John Paul II's Vatican" Both books are worth reading. Do you earn a Practical Nursing Certificate for your work? Love you. Dave
Hi there friend! I am a blog reader from the Philippines. I am happy to found your interesting site. It is really worth visiting.
Great to hear update = Glad you can have a few days R & R - Sent you a package today - stuff you asked for. Let me know when you receive it. More to come. Did you get my letter with pciture of family. Take care - elaine
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