In Borat country/Kazakhstan again

Zorro Jr. and his mission…..

Not crossing the Kazakh border at Taraz the day before but the next morning very early was done by purpose. As I am only permitted to stay 30 consecutive days, it gave me 1 extra calendar day.

Crossing the border went smooth and I was just on time before the daily group of border workers came in.

I decided to go immediately to the police office in Taraz, the first big city in Kazakhstan, to do the obligated foreigner registration. Also this went surprisingly smooth and I got immediately my needed stamp. Around 10 am I was done with the administration part and on my way again to Shymkent.

 

100 km before Shymkent I saw another biker taking a rest. He told his name but it was a too difficult pronunciation, so I called him Zorro Jr.

Zorro Jr. was a young kid of 20 years, just finished his studies and planned to go to Iran and back. A little weird as most of other travelers combining the “STAN” countries …

 

Zorro Jr.

 Together we continued and arrived late in Shymkent.
With more than 200km that day, Zorro was clearly exhausted (me too!). The only 2 words he could say the rest of the evening were “shower” and “sleep”.

The next morning Zorro Jr. told me that he likes to travel. He wants to go to Europe too and asked me if I was willing to help him to get a visa in case there is a need. Of course I agreed.

But then he told me why he wanted to come to Europe.

“Because in the Netherlands you are allowed to smoke joints” he said “and the marihuana is very cheap”

All right…..didn’t I just agreed to help him????? Maybe not the best thing to do....

Now the complete picture became also clear….a young kid alone on the way to Iran, well know of the best opium and other drugs in the world….

Zorro Jr. the cycling drugs trafficker….not a bad idea.

Our roads separated in Shymkent as Zorro Jr. continued to Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan. Whatever his mission was, I don’t really know. But Zorro Jr. was a good kid and I wish him all the best!

In the city Turkistan, I took a restday. Beside the normal cloth washing and bike maintenance I also did some cultural activity by visiting the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi.

Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi in Turkistan city



 
There they are……!!!

…..the camels!!!

 

The next 2 days were uneventful, except that I saw camels and some people that tried to rip me off.

Arriving in Zhangaqorgan, a small city 100km North East from Turkistan, people in a blue Lada offered to guide me to the best place in town to sleep. In reality, they brought me to a decomposed house. 2 young girls were in charge and asked first 8000 Tenge (+/- 30 Euro). Unrealistic high and after negotiating they lowered down to 2000 Tenge….

Afterwards I discovered why the price was that high: when I went to my room, I suddenly saw the blue Lada again, picking up his commission…..

On my way from Qyzylorda to Zhosaly I had 2 options. Taking the new M-32 road or an older road which is 30 km. shorter. When asking if the older road is still in good condition, I got this time 3 different answers.
Some people said “asfalto, da”, other said “gravel da, asfalto nietu” and the rest said “asfalto da, gravel da”.  

 

I decided to take the risk and took the old road. The first 130 km went well. Along the road there were "brem like" flowers everywhere, smelling magnificent, feeling you were biking in a SPA environment.

 

 

The last 25km, however, were gravel, making it a quite dusty ride…..

If I gained time or not, I don’t know. But I had a very nice ride and I later heard that the newer M-32 road was also still under construction.


The weather was perfect as well with almost no wind and cumuli clouds everywhere.



Perfect flying/gliding condition. Cumuli clouds as far as you could see

Several times I was even asking myself: what are you doing here on the ground, you should be in the air....!!!

 

Mary, the hard core traveler….

I was eager to go the next day as the route passed the cosmodrome of Baikonur. But in fact there was not too much to see. The rocket launch base is about 20km inland. The only thing I could see was an (old??) building with some satellite antennas.
 

Baikonur base





 

The next days the temperature kept rising. I was now riding in temperatures above 40°C.

Riding in an open area, high temperatures and dry wind makes you thirsty. I several times wished that I could jump in a swimming pool or had a nice ice cream.

But then suddenly, no way……a Dutch ice cream vendor from the "ijspaleis/ice palace" passed my way. I could not be hallucinating this time because I was riding at sea level, so it must be a “Fata Morgana”.

Clearly lost in the Kazakh Tundra. The poor Dutch customers....





....and by accident they got Russian Ice cream

Also a bus stopped along my way. I thought: again one of those people who wants to know where I am from, where I am going to and if my GPS is Sony's latest Xbox. 

A flying picture. I was the wrong man on the wrong spot at the wrong time 
(double click to enlarge, yeyeye)

Not this time as mother nature called for a collective sanitary stop.

Sorry, readers, I didn’t stop but I could not resist to quickly take my camera.....

Arriving in Aral I wanted to make a little short cut. That was not a good idea, as my GPS blocked again. Bye bye data of that day……

Aral is not more than a little city with still a lot of sand roads. The guest house I found by accident also hosted another traveler, Mary. Mary was a 26 year old tiny lady who was traveling alone from somewhere in Russia to Qyzylorda, a total of 2000km. She did not do it by bicycle or motorbike but by walk…..whaaaw, the hard core traveler.

When I asked her why she traveled her answer was very short but simple: “Because I don’t like to work……”

Mary and her "Colruyt" trolley

 

The sleeping machines

From Aral to Yrghyz was expected to be one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult, leg of this whole trip. It is difficult because beside some wild camels, there is absolutely nothing along the road….

But in fact it turned out quite well. I started very early, around 6 am. With good wind, at 10 am I got already the first 100km. But then the wind changed direction and got stronger. With no breakfast and empty stomach I got exhausted.

Recommended in the Michelin guide

Good there was that 1 house just on time where I could eat.

Again energized I continued and reached Yrghyz late afternoon. The owner of a road work company invited me to stay in his house and immediately we started to drink vodka and eating kurt, a kind of cheese ball…

First shoes out, then Vodka

I don’t know the real work of my host and his friends but what I do know is that they are sleeping the whole day…..
 

 

Full time sleeping

 

Baikonur, we have a problem……

I purposely choose for a bicycle with a Rohloff hub, a non-conventional gear.

And when buying my bicycle, the owner of the store told me:
“Don’t worry about your gear, it is a very robust, maintenance free system”
When consulting whether or not I should take also a spare chain with me, that same bicycle owner told me:
”No problem, your chain is the last thing you should worry about…“

Worn out chain: the 2 finger rule does not apply anymore....

Here I am, in the middle of the Kazakh tundra with a leaking gear box and a worn-out chain….

The necessary SOS spare part package is already on the way, thanks to A.K. However, to my friends of “De Bierton”, I would like to ask to stay stand-by for the next 2 months for an in the field repair job…..

I am now in Aqtobe. The next big city will be Uralsk where I must get my Russian (transit) visa. Hope everything goes as well as the last few days

The beauty of Kyrgyzstan

First of all, to all the STRAVA followers and Blog readers, family, friends and maybe colleagues: Thank you all for your very inspiring Nutella, lots of knuffels and hygienic advices.
It's truly a moral boost and increases my average speed at least with 1km/h!

Extra thanks also to Mr. Everything, also called Laifu: tour operator, weather forecaster, tele-operator, party-organizer for his great support along the way, specially when he sent me until midnight through a sandstorm in no man's land. But don't worry, your delicious German salami makes everything good, yeyeye!


I am now exactly 2 months on the way. A right time to make again a short summery:

• 7200 km
• 52 days
• Average 138km/day
• Still only 1/2 day rain

The beauty of Kyrgyzstan

As you might know, I decided to go southbound into Kyrgyzstan.
It took extra time and distance but it was definitely worth it!

Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, was just a lay-over. The city itself is quite Western and clean. The prices are Western too.....A night in the Hyatt hotel starts from 150 USD...sure too much!

Bishkek center.

 

The single cow farmer

The next day, I continued late and stopped after a short ride in Sosnovka, just before the start of the mountain. I could stay with a single cow farmer who was doing some exercise by plough-ing his land by hand.....

At 7 am the next morning I was on the road again because it was expected to be a though day crossing the Too-Ashuu pass at 3000 meter.
But luck was around the corner. I met 2 horse riders guiding other horses. One of them wanted to try my bicycle so we swapped vehicles. I didn't mind at all, it was anyway uphill!


A horse man on a bike....

....and a biker on a horse

For a while I was riding the horse and it went well, until the horseman on my bike and my horse got a little too enthusiastic.







Time to swap again and to continue.
The ride uphill was, let's say, challenging but with the wonderful scenery, more then worth.

 

The horse riders took short cuts strait through the mountains so I met them several times.
Riding a horse must be a very stressful and tiring job as my friends took every 5km their well deserved Vodka rest! 

1 shot for the road....

I was invited too and obliged to take 3 shots. Half drunk I continued and reached the top. 
Back in the valley I was again a witness of the wonderful scenery and virgin nature of Kyrgyzstan.

Just wonderful.....

I plan to sent the CEO of that famous German tire company with orange logo a request to built here a new headquarter. And for the employers: all get a company horse instead of car.....

Let's guess: what's worth more....his Mercedes S600 V12 or his yurt?

Kalashnikov bread

I arrived late and exhausted in Otmok. On the crossing there was  just what I  needed: a restaurant/hotel owned by Bulack, a Kyrgyz man with Russian roots.
Bulack seemed to be a friendly, serious man who assured me that he does not drink while running his business.
He joined me during dinner and we had a nice talk. In fact it was a very interesting monologue like: "Pang-pang, bandit, Kalashnikov, prison, boksing, vodka".
Bulack admired the Kalashnikov! I learned that during his high-school he got 70 hours military course, learning everything about that Russian gun.
As far as I could understand, even his self made bread had something to do with Kalashnikovs.....

Bulack, the friendly and very serious restaurant owner/Kalashnikov lover

Later that evening the local police officer, also called "General", passed by and suddenly 2 bottles of Vodka appeared...


The next morning it was time to pay may debt.....but that went different then anticipated.
Clearly still under the influence of a great Vodka night with the General, Bulack's brain did not work properly anymore.
He wanted to charged me twice for the overnight. When I explained him 3 times that I paid the day before, Bulack came with a very smart alternative: he wanted to charge me 500 SOM (+/- 7 Euro) because I used a tree outside instead of his toilet....

Also this didn't work and I left quickly before my friend got his Kalashnikov doing pang-pang....

To the Kazakh border

My plan was to go to Taraz, right over the border and back in Kazakhstan.

Cold and snowy.....indeed the Otmok pass

The first 1.5 hours were again though as I had to cross this time the Otmok pass at 3300 meter.

After that it went all downhill, back to 700 meter. The scenery was nice but not as beautiful as the day before.
The day was as usual: seeing a lot of good old Russian Lada's and 5th. hand Audi 100, enthusiastic kids and shepherds everywhere.....

The robust Russian Lada. A full option version: Roof rack, up side down towing hook and clearly life time rust warranty

Supporting kids along the road



Kyrgyz shepherd with a great taste of fashion! Brand name glasses: Dolce&Gabbana

Near the evening, at the Talas lake, the wind became strong.....

A present of Lening (bust in background)  during the Soviet time: Talas  lake used for hydropower.

With already 8pm in the evening, a little delay and darkness coming, I decided not to cross the border but stay 6km. before in a small town with again a very friendly, welcoming family.

Next time I will talk about a very famous TV and movie personality I met along the Kazakh road.....

Crossing the border part 2

The customs "market place"

4 days of Kazakh holidays and a border closed means lots of people wants to cross the border on May 11th.
I arrived again on time and met 3 other cyclist, Dan & Jess from Australia and Hanna from Japan, also going to Almaty, Kazakhstan but with London as final destination.

Gate open and inside customs

Exact at 10:30 am the gate opened and people where almost running to be first.

Complete chaos.....

Inside the customs we waited quite long and it seemed that the line in front of us became longer instead of shorter.
The reason was simple: we did not follow the right rules: negotiating with the officers, pushing as hard you can and overtaken as much as you can. It was just a market place....

Welcome to Kazakhstan!

 
 












Dan, Jess and Hanna crossing the China-Kazakh border by bicycle!

After almost 4 hours, we finally passed the last checking point and to our surprise we even could cross the border by our bikes! Great!

In Koktal, around 50km. in Kazakhstan and after lunch, we split already as Dan, Jess and Hanna wanted to do some more kilometers that day.

First and last meal together with Dan, Jess and Hanna

For me, due to the heavy wind, it was not worth it and decided to look for a place to stay. I found close by an hostel. Later I figured out that this hostel was in fact also a farm and disco club.
Around 10 pm, 3 goats entered my room. 1 hour later, the cook/DJ on duty gave everything he got to satisfy the 3 and only guests who just arrived.

Ms Cook

If it was a kind of compensation or not, I don't know, but the next morning I was invited to have breakfast together with the hostel family...








I started late. The road was not good and biking was more slaloming around holes.  
140km. was enough for that day and stopped in Kokpek.

Kazakh main road to the capital....

With a better sleep then the night before and a long trip on the agenda, I woke up early and was at 7 am already on the road.



Morning view

Gasoline prices almost half the price as in Belgium

I should consider next time to come by car. Kazakhstan has oil so gasoline prices are cheap, almost half of the price of Belgium.

Also along the road: a well known brand

I was now 20km before Almaty, had a break and suddenly saw someone on a bike waving towards me....Who is this? No way, it's Hanna, the girl from Japan who I last saw 300 km. when we split. Apparently she also separated from Dan and Jess and we arrived together at Almaty.



Kazakhstan efficiency?? 3 documents needed to stay in the country

The next day was an administration/restday: immigration police, local market and bookstore for more detailed maps.

 

Local market. Very big and clean

Haidy and his time problem

Hanna also needed to go to Bishkek but was not sure if she could do it in 2 days. She decided to come with me and if she could not follow, she will go her own way. The plan was to go at least to Targan, around 100 km from Almaty.
But this was without Haidy into consideration.
Haidy was the 26 year old guy standing aside the road while screaming: "STOP, STOP, STOOOOOP".

"I am a horse-man, this is my range. I study English and want to practice and talk with you and I would like to offer you a place to stay overnight.....".

With 20 km from our planned stop place, we accepted the offer.
It was definitely the right decision: we had just a great evening with an extremely friendly family.

Treated like kings....delicious fresh and self made  food

 

 We were treated like kings, eating fresh bread and delicious tomato (with a lot of other things) sauce, all self made by Haidy's mother.



"The horse-man" family

Haidy had only one problem, it seems: Time. That day, he explained, he came just back from Almaty where he had a job interview for flight attendant for  the AIR ASTANA airlines. But he arrived 2 hours too late.....so bye-bye interview and job.


Welcome to Kirgizstan!

The next morning we woke up early again to catch up the 20km of the day before. The roads were again in acceptable condition.
With a strong wind, good roads, downhill and my afterburner on, I was almost flying and even reached a speed of 0.0715 Mach (See also @ STRAVA of May 16).

The world is small: 10 km. before the Kirgizstan border, Hanna met an other Japanese biker, coming from Spain and going into the opposite direction, back to Japan. It turned out that this guy was her ex-boyfriend. They needed to talk, Hanna said, and decided to stay.
There I was again: The sole Belgian biker, but I didn't mind!

This time, in less then 30 minutes, the whole customs stuff was done: Welcome to Kirgizstan!

I am now in Bishkek, capital of Kirgizstan and will stay only 2 days before entering again Kazakhstan.
You might ask why...
There are 2 reasons. First because Kirgizstan is known to be very beautiful. Second because by entering the second time on the most western side (and only allowed to stay 30 days in a row) I reset my visa, gaining 7 days.

Talk to you again when back in Kazakhstan!