The "rail cruise" follows in the footsteps of ancient traders from Kazakhstan to Iran via Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, with tours to archaeological sites such as Samarkand and and Persepolis and natural wonders such as
Darvaza's "Door to Hell" fiery crater.
The author mocks the fact that at some shrines there is a doorway dubbed Bahishti
Darvaza ("the door to paradise").
The
Darvaza gas crater is a natural gas field located in the Derweze village in Turkmenistan.
The
Darvaza well in Kara-Kum is a bizarre tourist attraction which indicates the presence of a great deal of natural gas beneath the desert sands.
The Pompidou-Metz exhibition opens with a film by Adrien Missika titled
Darvaza (2011) that looks as spectacular as the Kraffts' footage of erupting volcanoes: terrifying, astonishing and immense enough to tick most of Burke's sublimity boxes.
Canadian explorer George Kourounis, 44, wore a heat-reflective suit, breathing apparatus and a custom-made Kevlar harness to brave temperatures of more than 1000C in the flaming
Darvaza crater in Turkmenistan.
The bizarre landmark - officially called The
Darvaza Crater - has been alight for more than 40 years after a drilling accident caused Soviet scientists to set it on fire to burn off excess gas.
The pit, known as
Darvaza Crater, has been burning for decades.
Author Diana Gleadhill recounts her Central Asian travels, including the Silk Road trade routes, the Akhal-Teke horses of Turkmenistan, the lakes of Pakistan and Tajikistan,
Darvaza's burning gas crater, and her experiences of the cultures of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
We continued our adventure to Turkmenistan where we visited a giant hole in the ground at
Darvaza (gas crater that has been burning for 40 years), we saw a couple of dead camels (Ben poked them) and survived 46C heat through the Karakum desert.
Darvaza kholna prasann (Hindi): open the door for me please