Crossing Border into Kazakhstan
Woke up at around 5am to hear the rain outside and I mentally prepared myself for another day of driving in the rain. Luckily by the time I got up at 7:30am it had stopped raining. I loaded up the bike and was ready to hit the road, when the woman at reception offered I could have breakfast for free. Of course didn’t say no to that. Headed off after breaky for the short drive to the border….
Last town before it I stopped to get something for lunch and then stopped a little ways down the road to have myself a little picnic. Then it happened. Dropped the bike for the first time. Not sure how but climbed off and then the bike came after me. The lesson out of this: The bike is too heavy. Struggled to pick it up. Didn’t really help of course that I pulled a muscle in my back on the first attempt. In the end I had to take off the spare tires and luggage roll. I barely was able to get it upright. I might have to think about what roads I take thru Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Also kept thinking the whole time what items I could get rid off, but there is nothing really except some small stuff.
At the border the Russian side was a doddle. No issues. On the Kazakh side the first thing that struck me was that everybody seams to speak at least some English, compared with Russia. However there were some issues, because on asking I said I was going to Mongolia and there was no visa in my passport. So second lesson for today: Only give the information that they need to know. I should have told them I was going back into Russia. Which I need to anyway to get to Mongolia and a Russian visa I have. So after customs and getting insurance for the bike I was in Kazakhstan. Insurance was another $50 where I actually saved some money because the guy wanted 2500 rubles, about 60 Euro. He must have gotten his exchange rates wrong somewhere.
So in Kazakhstan and straight into the steppe - flat, no trees. Camels, Horses and cows on the road. In Astrakhan I had already noticed that people looked more central asian.
About 30 miles from the border I met Thomas and Florence with there bicycles. They have been to Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and were now heading for Russia and the Baltics. Sounded like an amazing trip as well. We chatted for a good while and exchanged tips on what lay ahead of each other.
Found a good camp spot by a pond. Its only 200m from the road but in any case there is no place to hide anyway. Miles of flat ground with no trees or features around. Night sky is amazing tonight. I’d say on par with the Mojave Desert in California or the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
Day 30
15. May 2009
Start: Astrakhan, Russia
End: Near Zhanbay, Kazakhstan
Miles today: 133
Miles total: 4364
Odometer: 10485