Day 108 Jul 26 Thu - Mosquito camp to Kyzylorda

Rundown cafe restaurant hotel in Kyzylorda but nice & cheap room
Our room
Seperated hall completely furnish

Russian word of Kyzylorda
Around Kyzylorda
There are 4 Mercedes limos for hire on wedding occasion
Around Kyzylorda
Two of us finished one whole roasted chicken for 1000T

Today's Distance: 71km

Temp: 26 - 36c
Average Speed: 16.0 max: 25.0
Time on Bike: $ hr 23 min
Ave climb: 1% max: 8%
Trip altitude: 80m max: 292 m
Today's spending: 3090
Total Distance to date: 7238km
Total spending to date: 14789 T

As plan today we started early at 7.30am try to avoid headwind and also to reach Kyzylorda early to update our blog. What a beautiful morning with calm & refreshing air . I only needed 4 hours to reach the outskirt of kyzylorda while waiting for Heater in a roadside cafe restaurant. I did not wait for her and straight ordered my favarite "lafman" cos' I am so hungry with no stop earlier,only have twice short water breaks. I waited for almost 2 hour before she appeared and told that she had a flat in her front tyre with a wire cut thru the tube. This is her first flat since leaving Beijing , at least better off than me with a broken rims and forced to ride a few hundreds of km before it finally "dead". Earlier we were stopped at a police check point to check our pasport by 3 policemen there. After flicking thru our pasport , and talking in their language , they don't seem to return our pasport still holding in their hands , We sensed they wanted money but they dare not open their mouth to ask openly, and we have no intention either to off any. Maybe they are waiting for us to off,but we make don't know. Finally , they returned our pasport rather unhappily and empty-handed from a tourist they thought can make some dollars. The ride to town under heavy traffic of trucks loaded with bricks/stones/earth makes the road from bad to worst and the air was flying with the earth dust whenever they zoomed pass. The surprise of the day was we accidentally found this rundown hotel from outside appearance but inside the room was superd and cheap. The man asked for 3000T but I offered him 2000T, knowing well 3000T is already cheap compared to Taraz & Shymkent. It is a suite with carpeted flooring,hotshower bathroom,fridge,TV,sofa & coffee table. But what a pity we only plan to stay one night.

Day 107 Jul 25 Wed - Dostikta backyard camp to Another mosquito camp 60km to Kyzylorda

Sunset at mosquito camp time 8.00pm
Muslim cemetery ,those with dome shape on top must be rich man

Samara in Rusia 1923km away
Free melons stop
We found the campsite in a sheep territery
Campsite with lots of mosquitos bite
Sunset at the campsite

Today's Distance: 97km

Temp:26 - 39c
Average Speed: 16.0 max: 23.5
Time on Bike: 6 hr 04 min
Ave climb: 1% max: 2%
Trip altitude: 92 m max: 317 m
Today's spending: 555T
Total Distance to date: 7176 km
Total spending to date:11764 T

Another day of free food.After having free breakfast of bread & tea , we bid farewell & thank you " Rahmet " in Kazakhs . As usual group pictures taken. Then a free lunch of 2 bowls of my favarite Kazakh's noodles with beef & vege " Lafman " from 2 gentlemen who used to fly to China on business trip . At 4.30 another free melon. By 7.00pm , we found our campsite with a nearby cafe house ,we thought we might have a free dinner as well from a very talkative man in his 30 plus who drinks a few cans of beers while Heather have 2. When we signal to leave cos' we haven't set our tent yet, he did not respond while we asked for the bill that cost 770T for 8 fired eggs,bread , milk tea and 2 cans of beers. So disappointed! Tomorrow,we plan to start early and hope to check in a hotel in Kyzylorda early ,to have our blog updated.

Day 106 Jul 24 Tue - Deserted house camp to Dostikta village backyard camp

Made in Russia - simple ,light and rigid
Good idea and who knows one day you will need to do this!
Picture outside the house just before we go

This kid like a man in the house invited us to stay is only 17 years old
Serving tea for us in a special hot water pot runs by coal
Our tents at the back of the house Baby feed on boiled cow milk
Two families with some of the kids

Vast flat land
Watermelons in Kazahstan are big, you have to buy the whole , no cut and sell
Truck or van always loaded with watermelons
Besides the two families, there is a dog family also
A picture while having dinner .

Today's Distance: 104km

Temp: 26 - 38c
Average Speed: 14.7 max: 39.5
Time on Bike: 7 hr 03 min
Ave climb: 2% max: 9%
Trip altitude: 215m max: 449m
Today's spending: 300 T
Total Distance to date: 7070 km
Total spending to date:11209 T

In Kazakhstan, you will never feel lonely but many surprises especially you go on an adventure like this. The people are beautiful,lovely,warmth and friendly.They regard as a honour to meet,talk with tourists, it seems ther is no language barrier to stop us from interacting , they like to offer almost eveything . Heather had been offered 700T but nothing so far for me , " do I look like a rich man on bike? The kids from far they they saw ,they will run to the road just to say hello or Hi , they will smile and happy if you responded with your hand held high to wave at them. They will cycle with their light,rigid Russian made bicycle with you for a good distance if they are on their bike. Sometimes how your day ends, you will never know. For today after hitting 100km mark,time 7.30pm desperate looking for a campsite,I was flag down at a watermelon stall at a bus stop.As usual free watermelons & honeydue and the best is when one of them offer a place for us to camp in their house backyard just behind the bus stand. Free dinner of lamb cooked in potatos,bread,nuts, cow milk with tea. This house have 11 kids plus one still yet to be borned , believed are from 2 families with husbands working in Taraz. At nite some of the chidren slept in a row outside with sky the blanket while we slept in our tent. Kyzylorda is still 155km to go and most likely another camp for tomorrow.

Day 105 Jul 23 Mon - Irrigation camp to Deserted house camp

Sleeping without setting my tent in the deserted house
A nice camping spot with this icy cold water running 24 hours
The deserted house where we slept inside
Electrical pump pumped water deep from the ground for irrigation
Sunset as we comfortably clean and having coffee

Peoples of Turkistan love to ask for pictures
Kozha Ahmed Yasaui Mausoleum like Mecca in Saudi Arab for Kazaktstan Muslims
Modern ,pretty , sexy ladies of Turkistan

Lamb skewers with tomatos ,onion slides and binges

Soft drinks cooled in a big basin of cold well water in a cafe restaurant
Watermelon road side stall seller always stop us to off free

Building with international flags in Turkistan
Stone statue of a lady in Turkistan

Today's Distance: 99km

Temp:28 - 46c
Average Speed: 17.3 max: 28
Time on Bike: 5 hr 43 min

Ave climb: 2% max: 5%
Trip altitude: 189m max: 438m
Today's spending: 890T
Total Distance to date: 6966 km
Total spending to date: 10909 T

We wanted so much to at least hit 100km per day , but we were so very tired and exhausted riding under hot sun the whole day,what's more the last 20km were met with strong headwind on a very barren land on both sides of the road.Imagine there is not a single house or tree on this stretch,our speed was down to 8-10 kmh. My mind was wondering " Can I find a campsite here?" Frankly I wasn't confident,the only sensible thing is to keep pedalling,while Heather was at the back out of my vision. We really needed a campsite badly! Luck was always smile on me at the right time.I spotted two deserted houses near the roadside and a running electrical pump operated well opposite side of the road. The well water from the ground must be constructed by the government to help the farmers to irrigate the field. The water was so cold , we dared not dip inside even under hot sun. Earlier at 50km mark , we passed by Turkistan and visited the famous "Kozha Ahmed Yasaui Mausoleum " said built in 14th century and restored by Turkey . The locals almost 100% are muslim were surprised that someone from Malaysia has come to this place and wanted to take pictures together. Have roasted chichen and lamb skewer for lunch cost 810T. Also some free watermelons and honey due melons along the way.

Day 104 Jul 22 Sun - Shymkent to Irrigation Camp 54km to Turkistan

I really don't know how many kilos I lost since the last weight taken in China. But I am feeling fine.,maybe all the fats have turned into muscles.
Kyzylorda 413km , expect lots of camping
Weather is hot here ,so locals like to get cools in the river.

Irrigation campsite near a village

Today's Distance: 113km

Temp : 26 - 43c
Average Speed: 18.5 max: 45
Time on Bike: 6 hr 04 min
Ave climb: 1% max: 6%
Trip altitude: 282m max: 675m
Today's spending: 1750T
Total Distance to date: 6867 km
Total spending to date: 10019T

Finally glad to be back on the road again after staying 3 days in Shymkent to recover from fatique and stomach problem. Strange to find no signboard in town showing direction to Turkistan or Kyzylorda,towns that we are heading to,needs lot of asking around to get out to the main road. but once you out of the centre,then only you see signboards, following road M32,traffic is very busy and constantly I need to look at the rear mirror for cars or trucks speeding from behind.The sceneries was nothing worth to stop for pictures,pretty flat road with some small rolling hills,weather continues to be hot the whole day and you need to drink more often. We started looking for campsite after 100km mark and asked for approval to camp near an irridation drain where there is a constant flow of well water pump from the ground. We took our shower in the drain as what the villagers do the same.