Taraz.Kazahkstan
I have no clue where to start… - so with a help from movies:
The Great Debaters:
James Farmer Jr.: We do what we have to do in order to do what we want to do.
Into The Wild (I read the book on a ride to New Jersey beach back in 2002..Thanks Cathy;)):
Christopher McCandless: The freedom and simple beauty is too good to pass up…
Title Card: There is a pleasure in the pathless woods; / There is a rapture on the lonely shore; / There is society, where none intrudes,/ By the deep sea, and music in its roar; / I love not man the less, but Nature more… / - Lord Byron
Facts first:
- Few photos uploaded at Taraz.Kazahkstan
- Back on roll and ride part of my life
- 27000 km all together done (Just not to forget last year attempt 
- Kazakhstan is hot and huge…and so far really hospitable (It is good to be back to Central Asia.)
- Heading west eventually
OK so lets start… The life in big city was mistake. I went back to early (Still way too tired from the journey before - The months of cycling in south China remain to be one of the hardest time in my life. Looking now back from the distance. ) and nope I did not find myself their. I saw myself in the worst condition so far. Me as a person. Me as being unproductive. Yeap that was not Marija who crossed from EU to BJ and around. So the change was made.
The end of China was another experience from which I learn a lesson. Last day I spent in Khorgas ( I travelled to Almaty together with Asmund, Norwegian biker that Rob and I met on the way to Turpan) and memories were flying through my mind all day. China - what a part in my life! There is no way to understand it all. But till last moment expect to be surprise in good or not so good way.
Crossing boarder. Once again. Being foreign made a difference. The guards helped while trying to put our bikes through. (Recumbent bike with a lot of people around can be a bit painful for some people.) We tried to bike to Kazahstan, but the guards start to yield. So we follow the rules. We must put the bike on the bus for couple hundred meters ride. One more formality. And Kazakhstan here I am.
First day. Me. My bike. Road. I need to breath. I need to bike. I need to roll and ride. For couple of hours I was “flying”. I pushed, I felt my lungs, I felt my legs. It was just as you let animal back to the nature. I was free. I needed nothing. I had my moment. I have the freedom and the beauty. I have the simplicity and the pure joy. I would just bike, bike, bike. I was happy. I did not the day to end. After over 100 km body could not follow the brain anymore. I was tired. Before finding place to camp I felt down. Two times. Too tired for brain to concentrate. Finished the ride. Pitched the tent (due to mosquitoes. My sleeping bag is home. I am travelling light :), with cca. 5 litters of water on bike normally.) Did stretching and dropped down for a nap. Woke up hours later. Middle of the night. Hungry. Snicker bar with bread and litter of water was a good night snack…. Back to the dreamland. Till the morning sunrise. I was out. I was back. Legs hurt. But with sun there was heat. We moved on.
Second day nice ride. Till around 10.30, when we passed the “Shyrin river”. I want to have long mid day break. Asmund replied: “It is too early. We can still bike for couple of hours.” Reality hit, once we climbed over the hills. On the other site, there was nothing. NOTHING. In next 60 km two separate kind of tree-bush, where we could put our toasted body under for an hour or soo… So welcome to Kazakhstan Marija. That is reality. Hot, semi deserts, steppe. Remote areas. You can search for the end of land, but there is none. It is pure flat on north and still mountains on the south.
The road is mostly flat, which is nice for my body that got used to lazy life in last month and perfect for the knee to get back to the shape of good old time. I have second speedometer on bike for cadence. the number is not right, but just by feeling I know which numbers works for me. It helps at the moments when i just forget to spin. spinning is magical and only way to save my knee for the future. On uphill knee is no good. So I walk and bike. I have time. I took the time.
In couple of days we came to the city. Last hours were night mare. Truck, cars… City. I need a shower. Typical. And I do not like the city. Also a fact. I did not want to pay the Soviet style price for Soviet style hotel… (Same as in Russia last year. I wish I would be in China.) So I used Couch surfing. It worked .Thanks Abraham and Somaliya (I hope I spell that correct.) As Asmund, they said I should get my registration. So I gave in. First time on journey. I Register myself. For 15 EUR I got registration of my two months visa. It was good to listen them, if I would do it day later I would need to pay a fee of 80 EUR. So official part is done, say good bye to Asmund and headed it west. Solo. Road.
For other travellers this road is kind of boring and easy. A bit remote. For me is perfect. I need just that. I need easy road. So I can roll hours and hours. The only problem is heat. Yeap it is hot. Mid day easily over 40 C in the shade. Simple facts. You wake up early. Ride for couple of hours. Till around 11 am. Long mid day break .Time to read, sleep and write. And at the evening to hit the road for another couple of hours.
Yeap I am repeating the Turkmenistan part of the ride. So I am cycling long sleeve, long pants and taped thing that were dark. (Such as helmet, handlebar…) Drinking plenty of water.
Second day after Almaty I want to find the shade. Cafe - place for lunch. No luck. Nothing. I continued. Another 20 km done. It was over noon. It was hot. Marija break time the mind talked. And there was construction and people drinking tea. I stopped and asked…. how many km till next cafe? We started to talk and talk. I was served with lunch and tea. We talked some more. They asked: “Zarezati baranjo? - I said yes, not having clue what it meant. It was Friday. (Day off for Muslim world.), so they killed the sheep. That what it meant. Just there. Simple. Knife. Sheep. Cut the throe. Blood out. Clean it and cut it. Done. We have fresh lamb meat for dinner and I stay over nigh for next morning.
Before the night come down I had a chance to drive the motorcycle on four wheels (Yeap I did ask to drive by myself. They were surprised and I was simple happy. I loved it!)
And we went to Kazak Jurta to drink K(H)umus - the horse female milk.
Next morning I said thanks to all. And they said thanks to me. And I asked what for. I am just a biker. Just a traveller. They say nope. You shared your experience. You stopped to talk to use as well. You trusted us (all Men) to stay here. In my diary they wrote. Workers from road 143 km from Almaty..if there will be more people like you, Marija the world would be better place. I am impressed. They were construction workers from all over - Uzbek, Tadjik, Kazak… Men, who left families to work, to earn money. And at the fall they go back. Home. They are somebody son, brother, father and husband and for that moments for me great company to have talks about this and that.
Next day, new day… and yeap it was. I had a nice ride till evening when the rain starts. I want to find the roof in village I passe. i asked in store and first cafe. The most impolite people. What do you want? What do you need? Hard, straight questions. I explain. Just a roof for a while as long rain does not stop. No there is no roof. no we do not know where you can wait. No you can not stay here. Wouwe… What is going on? Have I done something wrong? I hit the road. It was raining. I was wet in the country that is known by heat and dry. I scream. I was not happy. I pushed. And stooped again on the other end of village. Asked again. Sure, no problem they replay. They drank vodka and toasted for my journey. They offered it to me, but have no problems with me saying no. (So far in Kazahstan they do drink, but they do not push.) The rain stopped. i had another hour of daylight. So I used it. Slept in middle of nowhere and yeap it was another good day.
The story of Kazahkstan continue. Every day there is something. I am stooped by police and invited for the or lunch by truck driver. The usual conversation is where I come from, where I am going, if I am alone, where I sleep, if I am not tired, how why I am not afraid, how old I am, why I am not married (25 years means it is time to be married by former Soviet union countries.), am I paid for what I am doing and a lot of time what is my religion and if I believe…. more about that is some other report.
The ride continue. I came to Taraz a week ago, just to pass it by and week later I am still here. I got invitation again on the road and I stayed. I spend some day in the hills. higher, where it was clean and cool. Nice rest. Good experience. I had a chance to spend time in the family. normal family. Firs couple of days in city and then up. First day was simple. Shower, followed with 16 hours of sleep….And then enjoyed plenty of black tea, talks. Once the weekend arrive we went up to the hills. Lada Niva, 4×4, driver 21 years old brother of Zurpa. He knew how to drive it. There was no school needed. It is really practise. The road was not good.So you learn from experience first hand. Because of heat, the car stooped two times. Too hot. Facts. Need to wait. Need to cool it with water. Up there it used to be a camp for pioneers from 1968 till 1993 in old Soviet times. There was good road, couple thousand kids, adults there over summers. Now, the road was taken away by water couple of years ago, the camp destroyed. Because the Kyrgiz boarder is close their neighbours are soldiers. Kazakhstan army. Life is not easy, neither in Kazahstan neither up there.
I went for a walk. I met a Shepard. He noticed I was not from there. I was not from Taraz either. Who I am, he asked. We talked. I explained my part. He was OK. He used to live in Taraz in flat with his mum. He is Tatar (Part of Russia). Mum died. He did not have enough money to pay for flat, so they took it away. Now he was living here. During summer being Shepard, during winter help at army part. I asked if that is his work. He replied:”I do not need money. There is no shop here. I do no work. I live up here.” I listened.
…..
Few more Soviet style - I called for visa for Azajberdzian. They replay no consular in office for a month, because he went home so no possibilities for getting visa. But you can fly into Baku and get visa on airport. I try to explain that I would like to use the ferry to cross Caspian see and come to Baku. I am travelling by bike…. No luck this time…Later.
Or how to lose patient on post office - when it took more then 3 hours to send package home to Slovenia….
So few bits are out now. I have to say thank to everyone who in last months keep up with me and had been, was, is and also will be there to talk about this and that. Btw. the answer just follow “your mind or heart” does not really help when you search for the answers. Time and distance on the other side does help to see things clearly.
Sunshine and smiles.
–
Albert Einstein: “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.”
June 17th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
hiya
glad you are back with the full speed….and enjoying it. still following ur stories.
mojca..dublin
June 19th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
hi marija
where are you now?
we hope see in iran soon
in tehran
in my home
sent me new pic
tankse
azari/and familly