IMG_4316
Date: 09/05/08
Stuart, our host for our stay Atyrau, in his luxurious apartment
IMG_4319
Date: 09/05/08
Things are starting to get slippery. This is not far from where Dirk crashed his bike.
IMG_4320
Date: 09/05/08
good road!
IMG_4323
Date: 09/05/08
Taking the camel for a walk.
IMG_4327
Date: 09/05/08
My thoughts... "holy crap!"
IMG_4328
Date: 09/05/08
Who stole all the trees... and tarmac... and hills...?
IMG_4331
Date: 09/05/08
Camp site after my first day alone.
IMG_4343
Date: 09/05/08
sunset while camping (maybe you spotted that yourselves...)
IMG_4350
Date: 09/05/08
you handsome devil... beard's coming along nicely!
IMG_4361
Date: 10/05/08
road under repair...
IMG_4364
Date: 10/05/08
normal road.
IMG_4368
Date: 10/05/08
no shit.
IMG_4369
Date: 10/05/08
Scaring the crap out of wild horses.
IMG_4380
Date: 10/05/08
Camping in the hills east of Aktobe.
IMG_4381
Date: 10/05/08
Camping in the hills east of Aktobe.
IMG_4396
Date: 11/05/08
Camping in the hills east of Aktobe.
IMG_4399
Date: 11/05/08
The beautiful tarmac turns to this 60 miles south east of Aktobe. Nice surprise, especially in the rain!
IMG_4403
Date: 11/05/08
The pace where I rocked up and Nurlan took me in for the night.
IMG_4405
Date: 11/05/08
Nurlan and his 2 children.
IMG_4411
Date: 12/05/08
Kid in a cafe. Future biker perhaps...
IMG_4415
Date: 12/05/08
170kms of this! North of Aral.
IMG_4421
Date: 12/05/08
170kms of this! North of Aral.
IMG_4424
Date: 12/05/08
I made it thru alive!
IMG_4429
Date: 13/05/08
Rather him than me.
IMG_4440
Date: 13/05/08
Baja, my fisherman host on the Aral sea bed.
IMG_4450
Date: 13/05/08
Riding god.
IMG_4452
Date: 13/05/08
Looking for the remaining Aral sea. We never saw it.
IMG_4457
Date: 13/05/08
Tortoises. Crunchy on the outside, smooth on the inside.
IMG_4460
Date: 13/05/08
Baja preparing the fresh fish to make soup.
IMG_4463
Date: 14/05/08
Baja's hut on the Aral sea bed
IMG_4466
Date: 14/05/08
This guy has the best television reception in all Kazakhstan.
IMG_4467
Date: 14/05/08
Guys I met in a shop heading away from the Aral sea.
IMG_4468
Date: 14/05/08
Part of the Bykanoor Cosmodrome. Launch site is about 30kms away in ther distance
IMG_4469
Date: 15/05/08
Folks from a cafe I stayed the night at.
IMG_4473
Date: 16/05/08
Folks from a cafe I ate lunch at
IMG_4475
Date: 16/05/08
Heading towards Shymkent
IMG_4476
Date: 16/05/08
This canyon is much smaller than it looks. Was just at the side of the road.
IMG_4478
Date: 16/05/08
Turkistan mausoleum, and rose garden.
IMG_4480
Date: 16/05/08
Turkistan mausoleum, undergoing renovation.
IMG_4484
Date: 17/05/08
from left - Micah, Kerry, David (CS host), Jana, moi, Scott
IMG_4486
Date: 18/05/08
Making sachlyk between shymkent and Kaz/Uz border
IMG_4487
Date: 18/05/08
Between Shymkent and border, the scenery starts to change dramatically. Snow capped peaks in the distance.