Semey, Kazakhstan
stopped in to the charming Semey, location for testing of 460 nuclear bombs in soviet times, for loo break, wifi and electronics charging after two days in the outback. Managed the loo and some horse burgers, power and wifi not working today... Never mind, it's only going to get worse from hereon!!! Nearly approaching the last week of the rally, and having just started (maybe ill advisedly late) reading the Mongolia lonely planet, it could be quite a week. Fortunately our tents seem to standup to gale force winds and torrential rain, and the diet of supa noodles, tomato sauce and tinned sweet corn is delicious. The jury is still out as to how best to increase chances of survival when at 3am you find yourself in the middle of a rather scary electrical storm whilst in a field by a lake in your tent. Stay in the tent, lay on the ground outside, or get in the car? Answers on a postcard....
Almaty, Kazakhstan
hotel bed and shower very welcome after our glorious drive and camp though Kyrgyzstan, and another huge downpour which flooded the road on the way in to town. Almaty a huge city, quite modern, bustling and with some great restaurants. Dinner at 10pm last night resulted in a delicious pasta with morels and apple pie with ice cream, followed by proper coffee at breakfast today. Now fully rested, and on to the final push up ** some text is missing **
Osh, Kyrgyzstan
a stunning days drive yesterday up through the kryg mountains. Kryg quickly becoming our favourite stan due to an amazingly smooth border crossing in record time out of Uzbekistan, and a plethora of petrol stations which are open and have 95 petrol at less than a dollar a litre. Hurrah!! Netty and Suzi feeling much better with good fuel and knocking/ pinking now largely gone. Most of yesterday's drive was along a river and large lake, where we stopped after lunch for a wash with some local kids. All the worlds melons seem to be on sale on the roadside here, Although bizarrely all of a sudden all that you could b was raspberries and honey - delicious little raspberries like they must have been in the days before genetic engineering. Just as we were thinking about stopping to camp we started a long slow climb, and the suzukis ground to a 20mph due to lack of oxygen as we climbed to 3096m and the air temperature dropped 20 degrees. Snowy peaks and clouds rolling in, wild horses everywhere and our first yurts complete with steaming chimneys. We headed off road int the rolling plains and found a camp spot in an old river bed: flat and sheltered but full of stones which not so good for tent pegs. All dressed up in hoodies and coats - so strange to be cold for once - the storm clouds and thunder draws near and the heavens open, so we retired early to bed with the remnants of some sweet Georgian red wine and the first two episodes of series 3 game of thrones.... Tents rather wet and muddy this morning, but still there, so we're back on the road to Bishkek. No police checkpoints unlike Uzbek, although Steven did get stopped for speeding yesterday, but let off with a winning Aussie smile!
, Fergana Valley
spent the last couple of nights at the radisson blu in Tashkent waiting for netty to be reunited with Susi. Pool, working shower and a comfy bed - awesome! Admittedly anti-rally accommodation, matched by equally anti-tourist behaviour, we only left the hotel to eat. A welcome break, as we've got to push through Kyrgyzstan pretty quickly to stay on timetable. Looked like the Aussies were on top at old Trafford when we left, so one half of netty very pleased!
Samarkand Province, Uzbekistan
have had a very relaxed couple of days seeing the sights in Samarkand interspersed with quiet time in the hotel courtyard garden and even some cheeky game of thrones in the heat of the day hiding out in the air conditioning. Back on the road now to Tashkent, with the brilliant news that Suzi is better and heading out To join us - hurrah!! What's more we've just bought some actual 95 petrol from an actual petrol station at a reasonable price! Seems almost too good to be true, hope its not diesel. So far so good, apart from my pesky cold and rather croaky voice, which is an ironic ailment to get in the scorching desert sun, but there we go!
Bukhara Province, Uzbekistan
drive to bukhara was a bizarre mix of new highway and old roads with car killing craters. Made it in one piece though. Plenty of other ralliers around bukhara - seems we dodged a bullet (almost literally) by avoiding the caspian sea ferry crossing... Reports of teams encouraged to pay bribes by the presence of a gun on the table. took in sights of bukhara old town this morning. kalon minaret and the ark were highlights. we also stopped by the notorious "bug pit", anyone interested in a gruesome link to victorian england should look up stoddart and conolly. off to samarkand this afternoon, which is a short 4hr hop down the road.
Samarkand Province, Uzbekistan
back on the road again after our three days rest in nukus tending to Suzi. Not that I feel completely rested, spending more than 10 seconds in the blistering 40 degree heat here renders one a sweaty mess with legs of stone and a general longing for swimming pools and dark air conditioned rooms. However, we have filled the car to the brim, inside and out, with luxurious 91 petrol, so we should make it to Tashkent if we don't di ** some text is missing **
, Uzbekistan
the fuss about the beyneu nukus rd has been much overstated, much of the way was brand new road resembling a Race track!! The car suspensions are however starting to show a little wear and tear, so we took advantage of finding a large auto jumble in kungrad to take the wheels off an have a look. I even used the jack. Looked fine to me, rattling noise we think is something to do with the engine wobbling. Had a nice lunch in a local cafe, although jury's out as to whether that is the culprit for the 75 percent food poisoning strike rate playing out in the early hours of this morning. Uzbekistan seems to be having a petrol shortage, which is not good news for people with several thousand miles to go. There are a lot of petrol stations, but all either shut or only sell gas - who'd have thought they would convert old lada's to run on gas?! Finally managed to track down an emergency supply of 80 this morning (which is not good for the engine apparently), we followed a woman down a mud track to her house and she had a hoard in water bottles in the shed. Could have been anything, but seems to be running ok mixed with the last of the 95 from the jerry can and various additives supplied by helpful mo from Wandsworth rd garage. Fingers crossed we'll get into nukus where there should be a bit more infrastructure. Last night we stayed in moynaq, which is on the coast of where the Aral Sea used to be before it became desert. Quite eye opening and rather sad, but the boys were pleased to have a play on the rusty ships abandoned there in the 'ship graveyard'. Hoping to get to khiva this afternoon which is exciting as an actual tourist attraction!!
Atyrau, Kazakhstan
kazak border pretty smooth and everyone very friendly. Not much in kazakhstan currently, very dry and flat, apart from the road, which is very potholey. Time beginning to tell on kit, car and organisation. Lost one watch, gained one tick, hopefully not bearing encephalitis. Also have self diagnosed caffein withdrawal headaches which hit about 4pm each afternoon, although i suppose that could be the roads too?! Car charger also playing up, so goodbye two ipods, hello shania twain cd on repeat. 90km to civilisation in atyrau, then to tackle beyneu to nukus where there is 'no road'.....
Rostov Oblast, Russia
Russia has good long straight flat boring roads, surrounded by large flat boring fields. Made it through border ok, although they made us fill in the car forms six times... Bored guys with weird hats on a power trip. Camped off main road in field out of town. 8 hrs to kazak border today. We cant remember what day it is, over and out
