Bishkek to Almaty (day 22)

I left the hostel and went to join Damien at his hotel so that we could travel together today to Almaty.

Traffic out of the city isn't bad and we get to the border to find a small queue of cars waiting to cross. Not sure if the border is closed or if there's a problem given the people here. Walk to the front of the queue to find a Fiat Panda 4x4 participating in the Mongol Rally. The driver tells me that they only allow a few cars in at a time and they have been waiting about 20 minutes to get to the front.

Sure enough, gate opens and a couple of cars are allowed through. This crossing is a mess, certain cars pass on the opposite side (exit from Kazakhstan) - I guess when you have special privileges anything is possible! There are lots of people at this crossing, foot passengers and taxis dropping and picking up people and street vendors.

Damien is also trying to repair a small rack on the sidecar (one of the jerrican brackets has broken) but at one point we miss the chance to advance as we were both caught out by the gate being opened - a couple of cars sneak past. Exit from Kyrgyzstan took about 10 minutes, quick passport check, stamp out. No check of vehicle documents!

Then we join the queue to get through the Kazakh border. This is working at a very slow pace. We go and park the bikes and then do passport control then vehicle control. Again there's the issue of having a passport from one country and a bike registered in another country. I make sure that it's correct as I don't want any issues with exporting the bike. Forms stamped with a "Welcome to Kazakhstan".

Forms filled in I get the bike to the physical control. No one seems interested to check my bags. A guard comes over and starts talking to me. I've no clue what he's saying to me. Then in very few English words tells me to go back up to the other check point.

Guard comes over and I'm asked if I've got narcotics. Ohh how we laughed about the topic but he repeatedly asked me. Form stamped and I'm good to go. Final gate, I come up to the stop sign, ready to leave. A car comes screeching to a halt on the other side. Guard opens the gate, it's a soldier who's in a hurry to get through. There I was thinking it was another delivery of food. He's impatient with me as I can't move the bike out of the way. I'm blocked to the left and there's a wheel stinger to my right. I then decide to take my time to back up the bike.

Kazakhstan has compulsory 3rd party insurance for vehicles coming into the country. Was warned to buy this as the police will check and issue you with a fine if you don't have any. I look around for the insurance office but can't see it (although there's a sign on the building). I walk into and out and back into the cafe and a guy asks me what I'm looking for. Insurance I tell him. Ahh, he's the insurance guy. Sit down in his office - think table and chair with laptop and printer in the corner of the cafe and you've got the picture. I get some pancakes while I wait for the paperwork.

Damien does the same and we are ready to leave. Some people come over and ask about his bike - BMWs with sidecar aren't that common here. They ask if the sidecar is an Ural! Yes, it's a German Russian hybrid bike!

We take the only road out and head straight to Almaty. It's over 30c and I've no idea of the speed limit and the cops seen to appear just as you increase your speed just a bit!

The road into Almaty is very boring, farm land either side in some places there's no sign of life. There's also a strong wind blowing so I'm leaning to my left whilst riding straight. I did miss the chance to stop at the sign "Almaty Oblast" but stopped to see a monument closer to the city.

On the outskirts of the city we stop to find a mechanic to try and weld the bracket for the sidecar. Mechanic takes about 10 minutes to do the repair and doesn't even want to be paid. It's off to find accommodation for the evening. We're worn out from the heat and ride today.

Total distance: 340km

Bishkek to Bishkek (day 21)

Ehh, ended up staying in Bishkek again.

Kochkar to Bishkek (day 20)

I was at a homestay last night and it was the home of a little old lady. The house was off the main street and has parking. This morning she had prepared pancakes, eggs and even some rice porridge for me.

I filled up just after leaving the house and was going to lake Issyk-Kul but had no idea how far I was going to ride. The lake is big but I thought about getting to a village on the shore and having lunch then continuing to Bishkek to meet Damien so we can cross into Kazakhstan together.

After 20 days on the road I should realise that even though the days might seem boring at the start there's always something that will brighten it for me.

Today was no exception. After the very short ride I reach a small lake and it looks great. I stop to take some photos. I continue on the road to the actual lake. I riding through a village and there are some police, out pops the radar gun and busted. I'm told to stop. It's a 40 zone for short distance. One cop tells me I was doing 50. I protest, I might have been over but not by that amount.

I'm told to go over to the car. Cop in the car tells me I was doing 58. At this point they're just throwing numbers about. I ask to see the evidence. It's 45km/h. OK, so I was over the limit. They have also stopped a car which was at the same petrol station this morning. The guy if from Israel. We have a brief chat.

The cop gets the visa machine out and tells me it's fine time. Now some other cars have been stopped, locals come over, show documents and off they go. Hmm, strange. I ask how much. I don't utter anything in Russian. Then I hear a female voice saying how much in Russian. I look around but can't figure out where this translation service is coming from.

Look at the back seat and there's a woman there, telling my new friend to tell me the price. He writes 2,000 Som. I get my visa card ready. Nope, machine not working, cash only today. I tell them I don't have that amount on me as I'm leaving tomorrow and just have enough for fuel. He'll take 1,000 Som. So for a laugh I ask for a receipt. Israeli guy tells me not to bother! Go back to the bike and the Israeli shakes my hand, telling me that I've saved him some money. He got fined the same 1,000 Som. Some places you pay the tourist tax!

I continue on and then stop as I realise that I won't have enough money to fuel up and eat today. So I have to turn around and head for Bishkek and find a hotel that I can pay by credit card and change since money.

In order to make sure I don't run out of fuel I used the last of my money to fill up with 80 octane, gets me a few more litres but I find that the bike is now cutting out in the heat and heavy traffic in Bishkek.

I find a hotel and to hell with the costs. I have a walk around Bishkek.

Tomorrow is Kazakhstan and no doubt there'll be some fun at the border. There always is!

Kazarman to Kochkar (day 19)

Wake up to the sound of a passing rain shower and then notice the pain in my quad muscles. All that standing from yesterday.

I have some fantastic homemade pancakes and coffee and I leave the homestay. Shireen (phonetic spelling) was a great host and told me to come back and tell everyone I know passing through Kazarman to stop at her guesthouse.

After 2km of tarmac the gravel starts again. I'm not feeling it at that moment and wished I could have had some extra warm up time.

Today the ride was going to Song-Köl lake high in the mountains. Yesterday I was told it was a 4 hour drive to get to the town at the base of the mountain where the lake is. I see why as the road is a gravel track. There is a small bit of tarmac at the entrance to Ak-Tal. I fill up the tank and ask about places to eat. Only shops in the town but possible at the lake. It's about 50km from the town to the lake and the road if the worst I've been on so far. To make matters worse I've seen some black clouds and hear the rumble of thunder. I'm heading into a storm!

I'm very lucky today as I've caught the tail end of the storm but I still get wet on the way up the mountain pass. What's worse is that the road now has little streams on it making the rocks that bit slippier. Taking it easy as I'm on my own and don't want to fall off the edge nor do I want to pick up the fully loaded bike.

At the top of the pass the lake comes into view in the distance and it looks like the sky has fallen to earth. A glorious blue colour. I start to pick up the pace as the road is hard pack gravel/dirt and I'm having fun. Until I go over a blind crest and see a dip in the road full of water. No time to hit the brakes so I adopt the brace position and hope for the best. I slam hard into the water and I lose my footing on the pegs and get splashed with water. I've survived by some stroke of luck.

Found another homestay for this evening, nice comfy place, no internet but run by a sweet little old lady.

I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking for today.

Total distance: 315km.

Osh to Kazarman (day 18)

8:30ish departure from the hotel this morning. I was out of the light traffic within 3km and then it was just open roads towards Jalal-Abad.

I stop for fuel at the first opportunity as I'm not sure what I'll find ahead. Turns out that there's plenty to choose from and they're all open. The  service station I go to has a petite attendant wearing red dungarees working the pumps.

It's all going well, road is nice and flowing with not much traffic. I appreciate this calm after some of the cities I've been through. It's a bit short lived though as one car passes very close to me. Then a while later another does exactly the same. I notice that the two cars were right hand drive so it must be what they're used to doing. I was caught by surprise by both of them and they made me jump!

The tarmac on this stretch of road is nice and I can reach the giddy heights of just over 100km/h. Not seen that speed for a while. There's a small pass to go over and on the way down I find some turkeys on a bend. Not sure if they're wild or if they belong to some nearby farm.

After leaving Jalal-Abad I see two other bikes (one with pillion) on the opposite side of the road. I stop to speak with them and find out which way they're going. In my direction it turns out, so I might see them later on. They're looking for a restaurant but most of them are closed, it was 11am.

I decide to get a move on to Kazarman and possibly have lunch along the way out when I arrive. I've no idea have far away it is but I did feel confident I could make it today. Every time  I select the location on the GPS it tries to route me around a different route even though I've got the road on the map.

I take the turning and the road starts to climb and the tarmac also comes to an end. What I get is a mix of gravel, hard dirt, some mud and sometimes all three mixing together on some corners. Definitely keeps you on your toes.

I'm standing on the pegs for this section and it does start to get very tiring after a while. I'm out of shape when it comes to standing on the pegs, must do more biking. Turns out this off-road section was well over 100km and the part from Jalal-Abad to the hostel has taken me about 4 hours. I did stop for some photos but when I could see the speedometer I was travelling around 40/50 km/h with only occasionally seeing 80 km/h on safer sections.

The first pass on this section of road is the Kaldama Pass. The road is narrow in places and there's not much room for error at times as there's a nice drop to one side. The Chinese are working on road improvements and the road should be ready by 2017/8.

On the way up I see a cyclist. I stop and chat for a minute. He's not going to make it to Kazarman this evening so he's going to camp along the way. There are some families living here as there are yurts to be seen. The kids come running out when they hear the bike and start waving. The dogs also like to run out and try to bite! All go well except one time when two dogs run at me, I almost run over one of them and it then decided to follow me for about 200 meters barking and running across the front of the bike.

The mountains here are stunning, I'm concentrating on the road so much that I'm not seeing what is around me. Occasionally I catch a glimpse and take a look but I have to be careful as there's no barrier and it's a long way down the side.

I get to the top of one of the passes and it starts to rain. Now I'm worried that the track is going to get very muddy and make it tougher. I've no idea how these tyres perform in the mud. Just take it easy!

I eventually reach Kazarman and just outside the town I spot a petrol station and it seems to be open. I top up with fuel as I've no idea if they open early in the morning. As I pull in a swarm of urchins come over. Must check out how loud the bike is, needs stealth mode! The kids don't do much and they just say 'hello'.

I try to find a guest house. I don't see anything but I stop at a shop to get water. I ask about a guest house, he gets his phone and calls someone. They'll come and collect me. He points me to the 'kafe' and I go in to have Manty and some local bread.

I shown the way to the guest house which is tucked away in some of the back streets. I have a place to park the bike and I have to clean it as it's covered in mud and dust. The number plate is very dirty (yes guards in Uzbekistan, I'm cleaned out properly).

The owner Shireen (not certain of spelling) then comes to say hello. It's part of the Community Based Tourism (CBT) and hands me a map of showing the various locations where you can stay. The shower takes 30 minutes to warm up and it's outside. It's a small cubicle made of plywood with a tank above it, you turn the tap on and it's gravity fed! It's different but I couldn't care less, I get to have a shower.

The bike gets a clean and I try to clean the chain as best I can. After doing my washing I'm exhausted and it's just time to sit down and nod off.

Total distance: 245km (6 hours).

Osh (day 17)

Rest day with some walking around the city.

Took an early morning walk down to the local bazaar, where it was just about opening time for all the traders. It's a mix of open table stalls and containers. Some stalls are a good size but there was one that was barely 1 meter wide.

The traders are all sprinkling water outside their stalls to prevent any dust from rising from the passers by.

I stop at a stall and ask the young guy if there is a barber around. He leaves his stall and brings me to a barber tucked away behind the main row of traders. Would not have found this without asking.

Haircut and beard trimmed for less than €3. I leave a tip.

Now off to find somewhere to have a coffee. They only do instant here so it'll have to do. There are several waitresses running about serving the few customers here.

Today is rest day!