Bishkek to Almaty ( Kazakhstan)July 2016

Dag 51. Bishkek til Almaty ( Kasakhstan). 250 km

Dagen startede dårligt, regningen på at få vasket tøj var på 500 kr, hold da helt op jeg var sur på mig selv. Nu blev jeg drillet hele vejen,  især af Ulrikka. Vi kunne have købt nyt tøj for de penge i Kirgisistan.

Vi kørte mod grænsen, som ligger ca 30 km fra Bishkek og pludseligt var der et stop skilt (kort før grænsen), det overså vi desværre, så Louis og Michael blev først bedt om at betale 100 $ i bøde, de fik det dog forhandlet ned til 300 kr. Kort efter kom grænsen så. Vi passagerer måtte ud af bilen og gå, først igennem den Kirgisiske del og så over til Kasakhstan, som lå 100 m væk. Vi kom hurtigt igennem, så kunne vi stå og vente i 45 min, inden Michael og Louis havde fået bilerne igennem told m.m.

Efter at alle mand og 2 biler var kommet over grænsen, skulle der købes forsikring til bilen, 200 kr for 15 dage.

Endelig kørte vi mod Almaty, som er Kasakhstan’s største by, med 1,5 mill indebyggere. Undervejs læste Ulrikka op af guidebogen, så vi fandt ud af at der kun bor 1 person pr. kvadrat km i Kasakhstan.

Selvom fartbegrænsningerne blev overholdt, nåede Michael alligevel at blive stoppet af politiet et par gange, heldigvis uden at betale nogen bøde.

Donkey on the road - Æsel på vejen

Highway in Kazakhstan - Hovedvej i Kasakhstan

Vi stoppede og spiste frokost undervejs, og nåede frem til Almaty kl 16.30, det var en lang tur igennem byen, må siges at Almaty beboerne kører lidt vildt, vi så en 2-3 ulykker på vej ind.

Vi fik tjekket ind på hotellet, og brugte lang tid på at snakke om sim kort og videre hotel bestilling. Desværre havde de givet Michael og jeg, Ulrikkas værelse (meget mindre end de andre), så jeg måtte ned og forhandle nyt værelse, hvilket de villigt gav os.

Vi gik en tur på gågaden. Nu kan vi rigtigt mærke, at vi nærme os Europa, samme type butikker og højere priser. Lige inden vi skulle hjem, begyndte det at regne, så vi blev bare drivvåde på vej hjem. Ikke godt for Michaels forkølelse.

Click on the photo to see our album
Click på billedet for at se vores album

5th July. Bishkek to Almaty – Shitty day.

Distance 250 km. Driving, and waiting time 9 hours.

Our day started of with, Susanne getting a laundry bill of Rs 5000. It took her, quite some time to get over this. We then, loaded our cars, with Ulrikka in the back seat, together with the laundry, and left for the Kazakhstan border.

500 m, before the Border, there was a Stop sign, at the side of the road. Since, we did not stop our cars totally, the silly cops, (bastards) ran out, and asked for our passports. I thought that this was the passport control, and handed over my passport. He then, (bastard) asked Louis and me, to come into the building. He showed us, (bastard) on his computer, that both our cars did not stop totally. These 2 policemen ( bastards) then demanded 100$ from us. With some hard bargaining, we bought it down to 50$. Which we then paid them, and cursed them and their families, in Danish, English and Konkani. (Bastards).

Drove the last, 500 meters to the border, where the Danes, had to get out and walk through passport control.

Louis and I, had to drive through, 100 meters of no-mans –land, to first get through immigration.

We reached the Kazakhstan border, where we were stopped again, passports checked and stamped.

Our cars were just glanced at, and a few forms had to be filled up. This process, did not take long.

We were then, directed to drive to a customs hall. Here we were first checked, by a junior customs officer, and then his senior. This process took at least 45 min.

Thank God, they did not ask me to unload our entire luggage.

I was given, a small piece of paper, with a stamp on it. This very important, small piece of paper. Which was, then handed over, at the main gate, to an evil looking border guard. He waived us through, and opened the gate with, “Welcome to Kazakhstan”.

Susanne, Ulrikka and Janet were waiting patiently, just outside this gate.

We parked our cars in ‘Kazakhsten’ to buy insurance.

The border - Grænsen

This process, took at least an hour. We were finally free, to leave for Almaty.

En route we stopped for lunch at a small Highway restaurant.

 Lada car -  Gammel Lada

Kazakhstan - Kasakhstan

Even though, I was driving peacefully, we were stopped a few times by the police (bastards) to check our passports; they just do not give up.

We reached Almaty at about 5.30 pm.

Traffic - Trafikken

Driving into Almaty, was a nightmare. Every car raced around us, and there were no police to stop them. I soon joined the crowd, and kept loosing Louis.

Reached our hotel “Kazzhol” which was in the centre of town.

Lovely place.

Went for dinner, in the walking street. Had dinner at a beautiful restaurant, and got soaking wet in the rain, on the way home.