Day 102 / 103 Jul 20 - 21 Fri / Sat Needed more rest in Shymkent

Heather needed a good sleep From right - antibiotic/diarrhoea/stomach pain / gas
My first experience on this multi-function bathtub
Modern clean toilet bowl and wash basin
Having set dish in this Istanbul restaurant

Housing at the entrance 10km to the shymkent town center

Apartments
Our Hotel in Shymkent 50USD per nite
Spacious room with aircond and 29" Sony TV

Two days spending: 1449 + 2000 Total : 3449 T
Total spending to date: 8269 T

What a sad day ,both of us came down with stomach problem ,and were not in normal condition to ride. Yesterday it was me first having stomach trouble while busy looking for Hotel and today it was Heather turn and practically slept for the whole day . I am getting better after taken 4 different tablets for stomach pain / stomach gas/ antibiotic/ diarrhoea. The suspected rootcause for this could be from the food we took along the way , and most likely the flies were all over the food while preparing in the kitchen. When the food is served on the table,the flies again flying & resting on top of it,our hands always kept busy chasing the flies away. Managed to do some internet update on my blog for 150T per hour. Hopefully by tomorrow 22/7 , we are back to normal to continue our journey to Turkestan 160 km away. c u on my next update!

Day 101 Jul 19 Thu - Starlight camp to Shymkent

One of my favarite dish - big green chili filled with meat and veges inside served in a bowl of soup
Starlight camp with a small stream besides
Apple tree near the camp,only discovered the next morning

Road on our way to Shymkent
Noticed the ramp on the left , is for cars or trucks to check or repair
Before the climb to the Mashat Pass to Shymkent

Met a group of young road cyclists
Many of these exchange rate signboard for USD,EURO,RUR,SOM
This is the stall that we were conned even for sugar on the table is charged

Most of the road is rough and uneven

Today's Distance: 88km

Temp: 28 - 46c
Average Speed: 16.1 max:59
Time on Bike: 5 hr 25 min
Ave climb: 3% max:10%
Trip altitude: 647m max: 983m Today spending: 1545 T
Total Distance to date: 6754km
Total spending to date: 4770T

While we were in Taraz, people advised us not to come to Shymkent,the town is not safe for tourist,many flies & mosquitos,you will get robbed etc..etc...It was indeed somewhat regret not to listen to them. But we need to get on to the internet and Heather needs to send email to Australia,so decision is to stay in Shymkent. By 4.30pm,we were at the outskirt turning left to Shymkent,tired & exhausted having rode under very hot sun 46C, signboard say 6km to town ,but actual is 12km uphill with 2km of gravel road under paving. Narrow road,congested traffic.Took 2 hr to locate Hotel Dorsbik which is recommended in Lonely Planet for 17 USD double bed. However we were disappointed as the price has gone up to 75 USD. Hunting & asking around , managed to settled one with 50 USD, the room is very spacious , aircond , 29" sony TV,and a massage bathtub , paying 50USD is really valued for money,if you are a businessmen or real tourist , but I really need is a bed and shower. There is no budget or cheap hotel here cos' no tourists or backpackers will come here. The Hotel here only cater for those rich businessmen from the oil industries. Don't come to Shymkent if you are on a shoestring budget.

Day 100 Juyl 18 Wed - Taraz to Starlight camp, 77km to Shymkent

Hotel room in Taraz cost 4500T
Service my bike at the balcony
Hotel Taraz
Around Taraz

Today's Distance: 108 km

Temp: 25 - 41c
Average Speed: 17.3 max: 55.5
Time on Bike: 6 hr 14 min
Ave climb: 2% max:11%
Trip altitude: 696m max: 1270m
Today's spending: 970T
Total Distance to date: 6666km
Total spending to date:3225T

We had a nice beautiful campsite near a small stream and a sky full of stars at nite,we were sitting outside our tents while enjoying our hot coffee . Can you believe this ? we saw 2 shooting stars within 5 min .And instantly I made 2 best wishes that me & my bike will stay healty and fit all the way to London and second is , safely without any untoward incidents. Another hot day ride right fr the morning 9 am till 8 pm and we carried extra water for camping.Road surface is slightly better,much more greenery and vegetable growing field at the valley. One thing I learned pretty well is that - Ask for the price first b4 you order your food! First stall charges us 170 T per lamb skewer when it normally cost 1/2 of that in Kyrgyzstan. and when the suger on the table she wanted to charge 35T,that is when I show my angry face,then the price started to drop,but stii we are not happy. 2nd stall for a bottle of Pepsi, at first 100T,then 120T ,we agreed on 120T,while drinking 1/2 way ,the lady comes and say "sorry,the price is actaully 130T"No..NO..NO we are not paying 130T,we agreed only on 120T b4 we ordered. They knew we are tourist,but we are not stupid anymore after our first experience.

Day 99 Jul 17 Tue - Podgornoye village to Taraz

Dinner dish at Mr Kosbach house , lamb cooked with potatos, with side diah of cucumber and tomatos,bread,butter,jams...
Sunset at Podgornoye village
Mr Kosbach's soviet stallin truck under engine overhaul
Before we say good-bye

Today's Distance: 95 km

Temp:26 - 40 c
Average Speed: 18.2 max: 39.5
Time on Bike: 5 hr 13 min
Ave climb: 1% max:5%
Trip altitude: 190m max: 862 m
Today's spending: 1400 Tenge
Total Distance to date: 6558km
Total spending to date: 2255 Tenge

Thank you very much to this kind family of Mr&Mrs Kosbach for a great stay.We had a group photo before we shakehand and say good-bye. Back on the road at 8.30am,the road is newly tarced but there was no shoulderon the side,surface is really rough and uneven. Most part of the road is flat and a bit of rolling hills towards the town of Taraz.Weather is very very hot.Living std in Kazakhstan is a little higher than Malaysia.Lunch with a plate of beef noodle + a cup of coffee cost 400T ( Rm 13).A bottle of coke 1.0L cost 100T (Rm3.10) . A double bedroom with bath but no aircond cost 4500T (Rm140).Kazakstan is much better off than their neigbour Kyrgyzstan due to oil money. Earlier had checked out one hotel in Taraz town ,but the price is 6000T but room only available after 9pm and must checked out before ( am tomorrow.Ridiculous! Settled in Hotel Taraz which is abt 3 km from Town.

Day 98 Jul 16 Mon - Chaldovar - Podgornoye village

Mud bricks for making house wall
Mr & Mrs Kosbach little house Mr & Mr Kosbach who hosted us for a free nite with dinner & breakfast
Good times at dinner table

Kazakhs soldier
Looking for water
Then we found this water shooting out in a tiny jet
Stopping at the village and got a surprise free homestay
Podgornoye village with the great mountain view at the back

A German cyclist Mickael gave us a useful info on the route we are going
Bus stop in Kazakhstan
Uzbeks ethnic operating a cafe stall in Kara Balta
A Map of Kazakhstan outside the office where we got our passport immigration card stamped
A Tower on the road with muslim doom design

Today's Distance: 106km

Temp:26 - 34c
Average Speed: 16.4 max: 47
Time on Bike: 6 hr 24 min
Ave climb: 1% max:7%
Trip altitude: 290m max: 950 m
Today's spending: 555 som
Total Distance to date: 6463km
Total spending to date: 855 Tenge

It is really feel good to hit century mark for the last 2 days. In Kyrgyzstan mountain pass ,we were struggling to reach even 50 km,but the sceneries you enjoy worth every hard pedelling.Here in Kazakhstan, the sceneries is so plain,nothing worth mention,never see people working on the field,no great river,no irrigation. The prices of food and drinks are more expensive than in China & Kyrgyzstan , even Malaysia.The road is not properly maintain,often rough and uneven.But one good thing among all the negatives parts is , I met this boy while stopping at a village looking for stay at abt 7.00pm. He together with a bunch of kids on their russian -made bicycle asked me all the normal question but he speaks good English. " Any place to stay in this village?" " Yes!Yes!" he replied " My house! come come". But I had another fren behind ." no problem,no problem" and when they saw Heather ,they cycled there to give her a welcome. This boy is really amazing to invite strangers to his house without first getting approval from his parents. We were escorted like VIP to his house .

Day 97 Jul 15 Sun - Bishkek to Chaldovar border crossing to Kazakhstan

Dorm bed at the Kazakhstan border for 300 som per bed
Passage way for crossing and passport stamped
Kara Balta 60 km from Bishkek ,we stop for lunch

Sunday car market where seller & buyers meet ,8 km out fr Bishkek
Statue of Lenin Soviet great communist leader still respected by the Kyrgyzs
German & Russian Bikers who speaks no English
Not a very good scenery !
Kyrgyzstan border at Chaldovar ( picture not allow in Kazakstan)

Today's Distance: 100km

Temp:24 - 33c
Average Speed: 17.4 max: 28
Time on Bike: 5 hr 44 min
Ave climb: 2% max:3%
Trip altitude: 179m max: 958m
Today's spending: 167 som + 300 Tenge
Total Distance to date: 6357km
Total spending to date in : 7749 som + 300 Tenge

Morning cycled fr Nomad's Home to British Council to meet up with Heather & Lindsay there. Lindsay will move to stay in Nomad;s Home while Heather & I continue our journey to Kara Balta and hope to cross border to Kazakhstan in Chaldovar abt 100km fr Bishkek.We also changed all our som to Tenge. I had worked out the exchange rate for RM1 .00 = 32 Tenge. Lunch stop at Kara Balta and without much problem,we crossed the border which opens for 24 hour. We were given priority over the others on a queve of abt 10-15 for passport stamping. We stayed in a dorm at the border for 300 Tenge per bed and there are 6 beds in the room. common bathroom but hotshower is lovely. Today's ride was almost flat with a little uphill to Kara balta, hot in the morning & noon , but dizzing rain the late afternoon. Road is busy and bumpy once out of Bishkek and a very busy sunday car market where seller and buyer meet. We are into our 3rd countries in our first day in Kazakhstan.