Astana / Kasachstan, September 2nd 2004

Yesterday we left Ekaterinburg and, after a re-organization of our luggage on the top of the cars, we reached Kazachstan: Not a good impression, four hours at the border. It works only with corruption, and the officers handle everything only with one aim: To get extra money for “services”, they create. So it was late in the night, when we arrived in Kazach “Switzerland” – which looks much more chinese with rounded granite slabs and cliffs with pines around a lake.

Roads up to now, outside the towns, are very good in the country, but the new capital Astana is one of the worst we ever saw. In any case, we found an Internet Café and could send all our mails. The next week we will travel in the Altai and be out of communication systems. Next news from Almaty!

GA (Gerd Albrecht)