After hiking in the Taganai, I cycle towards Miass. I take a look at Russias 2nd largest lake (after Baikal, in regards to the amount of water) – lake Turgoyak.
I continue towards Troitzk. I planned on crossing at the border point Petuchowo – Mamlyutka.
I figure out, that it will be tough to get to the border in time after the required PCR test.
So I decide to already cross at Troitzk, there the border point is close.
On Wednesday in Troitzk I do the PCR test, unfortunately they tell me I will only receive the certificate on Friday. So I buy groceries for 2 days and head out of town into the fields.
The following day I perform a check-up on my bike. Tim, a cyclist from Troitzk contacts me and in the late afternoon I pack my stuff and head over to his workshop. There he and friends repair bicycles in their freetime.
Later Tim and Stanislav show me the city and afterwards I stay at the workshop and sleep there.
The next day Stanislav meets me, we pick up my PCR certificate and cycle to the border point.
After I got in line behind the cars, someone comes to me we chat a little and he tells me I should go to the front – I am first.
The passport control on the russian site has some questions I don’t understand – there is noone available who speaks german or english, so it takes a few minutes.
Then I am free to leave russia. I am very glad they did not consider me a spy and ask questions for hours – I had been told, that happened to others, who were leaving the country recently.
On the kazhak passport control noone speaks english or german either. It takes a few minutes there too and I excuse myself for the kind people who let me go first.
The customs control guy is a funny one. He just wants to know if I have a gun and I should open 4 bags, but he doesn’t really look into them.
I am free to go, it was less complicated than I had expected.
I cycle to the first town Karabalyk and want to buy a SIM card. A nice man and girl help me find a shop and buy a SIM card – there seems to be an issue with my german passport. Then another woman helps me exchange my rubel for tenge and takes me to a house where a german guy lives.
Alex currently stays at his parents place where they invite me for tea and a meal. I end up staying there for the night.
The next day Alex accompanies me for the first kilometers. After only 10 km my left pedal falls off the axle.
I can’t repair it, try to fix it with zipties and then just cycle with the the axle only. It’s not working great, so Alex buys a cheap pedal for me and we meet again.
In Kazakhstan I have 30 days for 2500 km if I cycle straight to Almaty. It would be a tough schedule when so many people stop and invite me.
This way my time in Kazakhstan won’t be stressful and I might have time to see some mountains instead of steppe only.
When we get to Sarykol, we stop at a cafe for dinner. Nurlan invited me earlier to his place for food and shelter. He comes to the cafe before I ordered and takes me to his place, where his mother-in-law prepared the traditional meal Beshbarmak.
The next day I see the first camel. A girl and her brother sell Shubat, I buy a bottle, but don’t really like the taste.
After one more night in the steppe, I arrive in Balkhash, buy some food and cycle another 30 km and pitch my tent next to the lake Balkhash.
At the lake a take a restday. Swimming in the lake feels great after all the days in the steppe.
Soon after I continue, I meet Asilxan. He is cycling from Karagandy to Bishkek and we team up.
His plan is cycling to the next city and sleeping in a Hotel, but later it turns out it’s too far for him. The strong headwind is really challenging.
At some point, when it’s already dark, I pitch my tent. Meanwhile, being eaten my mosquitoes again.
Since I expected us to go all the way to Saryshaghan, I didn’t pack enough food at the last cafe. We cook some instant noodles and go to bed.
It’s probably the worst place I slept at on the tour so far. It’s too close to the Highway and I don’t catch much sleep.
Toilets
Showers
The next morning I meet Asilxan infront of the border. We cross without trouble and cycle into Bishkek.
In my hostel I meet a german couple traveling for 6 months. They too just arrived in Kyrgyzstan and will explore it by feet for about 2 months. The hostel is a great place to meet all different kinds of people. I meet 2 brothers from Palestine (in Bishkek for weightlifting events), a mongolian guy (traveling 1 month through central asia and russia), one Indian and one Pakistani studying medicine and a vietnamese from Silicon Valley traveling with his wife. I leave Kyrgyzstan again and cycle towards Almaty. On the way I meet Anatoli, who is currently taking part in a 2000 km race with Solar powered vehicles and on 2nd place. But that’s not enough for him, he will be driving 7000 km in total through Russia and Kazakhstan.
Later that day I see the third racer, but he doesn’t stop. In Almaty I meet my warmshowers host Dan. He lives in a big apartment and I have my own big room and bath. It’s on floor 17 and offers great views over the city – atleast when there is no smog.
My parents sent a package with some spareparts from Germany to Dan. Unfortunately it is stuck in customs and I only realize now. After many calls to DHL I receive documents for customs. Dan writes a letter for me stating that I am allowed to pick up the parcel and gives me a copy of his passport. Since it’s friday the customs department closes in a few minutes and only opens on monday again. So on monday I go there and hope for the best. One woman actually speaks english and they seem to be doing their best. It takes a while, but eventually a guy appears with my parcel in his hands. A bicycle mechanic helps me installing the parts and unfortunately tells me my rear sprocket is already worn off too far. I actually thought it’d be fine if I turn it around. It’s not available anywhere in Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan so I continue with the old one and try to import the new with a letter. Now I can finally continue. Only 300 km to the border with Kyrgyzstan. Overall I didn’t expect Bishkek and Almaty to be this flat, located so close to the mountains.
Around ~190 km from Almaty I meet 2 cyclists from Slowenia. They have just been cycling through Kyrgyzstan and are on their way to Almaty. They tell me how beautiful the Sharyn Canyon is, which I already saw signs off and is only 25 km away. So now I certainly check it out.
After cycling through the Canyon, I prepare lunch at the entrance and fill up my water supplies. Now it’s getting mountainous. In Aksai unfortunately no Cafe is opened, so I just buy some noodles, corn and cookies. The next morning some cows wake me up.
I cycle up to 1965m and make it to Kegen, where I plan to eat at a cafe or restaurant, but all places are closed. So again I just buy groceries and cook lunch later at a small resting area for farm workers. Now it’s time to say goodbye to Kazhakstan.
Thank you Kazhakstan for your incredible hospitality!
I truly enjoy looking through on this site, it has got good content.