The main part of this tour was Turkmenistan – a fascinating but little visited country. The grandeur of the domed cities of Samarkand and Bukara gave way to largely desert covered land revealing a number of ancient archaeological sites. Merv & Gonur were extraordinary (hailed as the worlds 5th civilization) as were the caves and dinosaurs footprints and the strange sights of Ashgabad. Turkmenistan is well worth exploring!