Now that I have a decent internet connection I can publish some text and more importantly share some photos so a few photos of the truck, her name is Rashida, a silhouette of a fountain and a couple of  photos of horses at the stables that I visited just outside Ashgabat but very sad that I couldn't do any riding...no helmets so no insurance,,,awful insurance rules.

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Arrived in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan before sunrise so went slowly through immigration and baggage reclaim waiting for dawn before heading to the hotel.

I met up with the others and Euan our driver carrying the rubbish with the truck in the background.

First stop was a trip to a stable but no riding as we had no hats.

Next we were off to Turkmenbashi a port on the Caspian sea, stopping of at an underground lake 65m below ground level at the bottom of a cave with water temperatures at 36C, but no pictures as it was too dark.

PS internet speeds too slow to load photos so I will try again at another hotel in a couple of days time as we are bush camping tonight.

Across Iceland ride

Some time previously I rode from the north coast across the centre of the island, stopping at natural (and free) hot springs at Hveravellir, past the Longjokull glacier and finally to Thingvellir, the oldest parliament in the world.Plus it gives an opportunity to share a few more photos and test mt blogging skills.

Bardarbunga

In the deserted centre of Iceland is a volcano called Bardarbunga that has been erupting for several weeks. I have seen areas before an eruption and after an eruption but I have never seen n actual eruption. In 2008 I crossed the Eyjafjallajokull ice sheet and just two years later this volcano under the ice covered peak erupted throwing ash into the sly that caused havoc to European airspace.

I booked to go and have a look and whilst I was travelling, the eruption ceased...but I went to have a long anyway. This time I got close to the eruption but the authorities were not allowing anyone to get too close so \i only got to see a glow in the sky. I want to see the liquid rock up close, smell the sulphur, feel the heat on my face and have to keep moving your feet otherwise your shoes melt and stick to the hot rock.

I didn't get too close so I will be off again at the next eruption but will check that I can get up real close. But the journey to get there was rewarding and where the road ended, I left my four wheel drive vehicle and met a guide with a superjeep for the four hour journey across dirt roads at speeds up to 60mph into the desolate centre of the island.

I never tire of Icelands dramatic scenery with its mix of ice and glaciation, volcanoes and solidified lava flows, mountains and rivers and I will be back again.