Crossing into the amazing Kazakh plains
Days 93, 94 and 95, 15350 km
Day 93 - Since rain was expected in the Tien Shan mountains, we opted to check into a hostel down here in the plains of Kegen. As usual, after crossing the border, our first priority was to sort out our data, so we headed to the market to find a shop that could sell and activate Kazakh SIM cards. After a lot of inquiries, we finally managed to get our cards activated and up and running. The next step was to get some Kazakh cash, Tenge, and this part was way easier than in Iran or Afghanistan as our plastic cards actually worked in the one local ATM. Little things like this really make our lives simpler. Gone are the days when we had to drive around with our 100 dollar bills looking for an exchange guy, trying not to be ripped off and then return with heaps of local currency banknotes stuffed in paper bags looking like we just robbed the bank. Long live Kazakhstan, we treated ourselves to a nice dinner.
Day 94 - I love Kazakhstan for this. The open landscapes are just breathtaking. I’m less thrilled though as I know as it’s our last country and feeling a bit nostalgic as the trip is winding down. In just a couple of days, we’ll be in Almaty, getting ready for our flight back home. The weather is still stormy and rainy, so we decide to skip the mountains and check out the plains instead. After a fantastic breakfast (American style at Altyn Dan in Kegen, which was a nice change), we pass by the lower mountains and pass at Temirlik. Instead of heading straight into the Charyn plain, we take an off-road route to explore some hills left and right. Need to enjoy every movement now off the tarmac! The photos should really tell the story; we spend at least half an hour just watching the weather change and soaking in the views of the plain. This is going to be the main theme for our last few days: the brown, grey, sandy, rocky mountains and canyons, the steppe, and desert-like plains - and if the weather opens up the views from time to time, the white peaks of the Tien Shan mountains when looking south.
Day 95 - Here are a few photos taken in the plains near the Charyn Canyon area. We visited Kazakhstan eight years ago (with 4x4 and trekking) to explore the stunning Altyn Emel National Park, and these views resonate with us the most in this region. At that time, I dreamed of riding through Kazakhstan on my own motorcycle, and now here we are. We’ve been driving for hours across these plains, zooming past forgotten villages and scenes that look like they’re straight out of a movie. For whatever reason it is, these open views calm my mind.
