Kasachstan man ... what an amazing place
We came to the border 8 hours before we could get in
so we waited... and waited ... and waited at the border.
We left Russia with a big smile on our face. There were more and more asians at the border.
Nobody speaks english there... we don't speak russian. so we had to get along with the people playing the Pantomime.
It's crazy man.. on this trip i found out that between every country there is an empty space that doesn't belong to anybody. You go out from Russia and 3 Kilometers later.. you go in Kasachstan through the border. Inbetween you just have to be careful. people can rob you or beat you and they would get away with it.. because No man's land doesn't have any laws.
A guy from Kasachstan took us in his car and drove us the whole way to the kasachstan border...
He told us: guys, you should book a plane ticket and get out of kasachstan as soon as possible. Don't hitch-hike, because it is dangerous... and tickets for a train to Almaty you will not find anymore.
Well.........
Our Visa started on the 13th of August and ended on the 16th. We were at the border of Kasachstan on the 12th. The fat police guy at the border said: Sorry... your Visa starts tomorow... so go and try to sleep (in no man's land).
12th of August 9PM:
Sebastian and I are sitting three steps away from Kasachstan. Nothing is between us and the nomad country but a stupid fence and soldiers with guns in their hands .. that just can't wait for one of us to take an illegal step inside so that they can have some target practice.
Sebastian and I decided to hitchhike through the whole country. (almost the same distance that we made until now). By Kasach law.. if you stay longer that your Visa allows you to do... you go to jail.
113th August 00:00 hours
We stand in a long line for the check in. Many people from Usbekistan and Turkistan... curious what these two ugly white guys who really need a shower are doing there. We haven't slept for two days.
The first city we had to go to was Atyrau. Atyrau is 400 km away from the border.
A Taxi will cost more than we have... and we can't hitch hike at 1 o clock in the night...
A family from Kasachstan stops in front of us. Thanks to them we found a bus that goes to Atyrau.
The magic bus
There are no trees on the land... no buildings.. no water... a sea of nothing as far as you can look.
In the bus we started talking to some people. At first sight, they look like they don't want to have anything to do with you but after you talk to them you can see that the Kasachs are very curious and warm people. We spoke to somebody and after 10 minutes of talking he wanted to invite us to his house in Atyrau and let his mom cook for us.
In the Bus we met a great girl. Her name was Ai'amzhan.
In the middle of the way we stopped at a grave of a holy person. It is in the tradition of the Kasachs to stop there and everybody puts a Coin on it and says a Prayer. Still no trees or buildings as far as i can see.
I slept like a baby for three hours until we arrived to Atyrau. When i woke up people were laughing because i slept with my mouth open.
6 AM
We arrive and Ai'mzhan comes with us to the train station to see if there are any more tickets left to Almaty.
It's fucking crazy man... we had so much luck on this journey that i find it hard to beleive it was a coincidence. There were only 2 tickets left for the train to Almaty. 2000 Kilometers... two days by train... 15 Euros a ticket. It's fucking amazing.
We are dead tired. I slept 3 hours in three days... sebastian didn't sleep at all.
The train was leaving at five .. so we had a whole day to hang around.
At the train station, an old cool guy came to us and started talking Kasach to us. We had to play the Pantomime again. His name was Mady.. he was a retired architect. We went and drank tea with him. He was a very cool guy.
Later we met Ai'mzhan. Together with her we went around to see Atyrau for a bit. Kasach people are very proud of their culture and heroes. We saw a couple of statues... saw the national outfit... we heard a bit of Kasach music. That music has rhythm man. you will dance on a kasach song even if you don't like dancing.
Ai'mzhan took us to the border between Europe and Asia. It is in Atyrau. Half of the city is in Europe.. you go over a bridge.. and the other half is in Asia. Ching chang chong bishes...
The first fake markets are here too. You know... where the seller starts yelling at you to buy his fake Armani Shirts.
Ai'mzhan and her friend Elvira took me to a Kasach Restaurant. I ate Bishparmak (translated: five finger food). It was with horse meat. Now, i like horses and i feel sory i ate horse meat, but that thing tasted awesome.
Elvira and Ai'mzhan are two girls full of life man. I really want to party sometimes with them. I liked listening to the way they were talking...
We wish you all the happiness in the world. I was happy to meet you. If you ever come to Germany give me a call.. maybe i will answer it :p... of course i will answer it
Ai'mzhan waited with us until the train arrived. She waved us goodbye and then the train started rolling.
The things we saw from the train can not be put in words. We'll upload some fotos later and just have a look.
It's frustrating not to be able to speak russian. So many people were riding on that train that were eager to talk with us and us with them. We are masters of the Pantomime now...
We stink like hell. we really really really need a shower.
Some people here have golden teeth.. he he. PIMP
Two days later
The train arrives, we jump in the taxi and up we go hitch hiking...
We didn't make it to the border. we found a hostel on the way.
A very nice guy named Yerlan took us around until we found a place to stay. And when i mean around i mean 40 minutes of just driving around a city to find a good place to sleep. The city was full of criminality and also the only city where casinos were allowed. Yerlan was also an architect. he designed one of them.
Thank you Yerlan. You have a good heart. We wish you all the best...
9 o clock in the morning...
We hitch hike until Jarkent... it's 50 KM close to the border. We go through the mountains. They are far more different than the Alps in Germany. It was and amazing view.
Jarkent
We have no more Tengel (Kasach money) in our pockets and just a few hours to go until our Visa expires. We see a bus that goes to Urumqi (China).
"Hello.. are you driving to the Graniza (= Border in russian)? How much would it cost?"
a woman there tells us 1500 Tengel per person.. on russian.
"We only have 500 Tengel for both of us" how long can you take us with that money"
".... sorry ... NO"
as we were trying to find another way to get to the Border. The woman comes to us and says: Ok.. come.. no money ... come!
Talk about luck!
No luggage check ... no waiting.. no problem.
We already made some friends on the bus.
At the border with China we met a guy with a bicicle. He was dirty from head to toes. An englishman...
He rode the bike from Manchester until here.. and he'll go further to New York. He made every single Kilometer of the way on his bicicle. ALL MY RESPECTS MAN. You're awesome
Now.. finally we can speak some sense with the people. The officers from the border of China were really friendly to us. We spoke to them on chinese.. and then they were even more friendly.
Kasachstan... one day I will travel around you with a monstertruck. We'll be great friends you and me...
We came to the border 8 hours before we could get in
so we waited... and waited ... and waited at the border.
We left Russia with a big smile on our face. There were more and more asians at the border.
Nobody speaks english there... we don't speak russian. so we had to get along with the people playing the Pantomime.
No man's Land
It's crazy man.. on this trip i found out that between every country there is an empty space that doesn't belong to anybody. You go out from Russia and 3 Kilometers later.. you go in Kasachstan through the border. Inbetween you just have to be careful. people can rob you or beat you and they would get away with it.. because No man's land doesn't have any laws.
A guy from Kasachstan took us in his car and drove us the whole way to the kasachstan border...
He told us: guys, you should book a plane ticket and get out of kasachstan as soon as possible. Don't hitch-hike, because it is dangerous... and tickets for a train to Almaty you will not find anymore.
Well.........
Our Visa started on the 13th of August and ended on the 16th. We were at the border of Kasachstan on the 12th. The fat police guy at the border said: Sorry... your Visa starts tomorow... so go and try to sleep (in no man's land).
12th of August 9PM:
Sebastian and I are sitting three steps away from Kasachstan. Nothing is between us and the nomad country but a stupid fence and soldiers with guns in their hands .. that just can't wait for one of us to take an illegal step inside so that they can have some target practice.
Sebastian and I decided to hitchhike through the whole country. (almost the same distance that we made until now). By Kasach law.. if you stay longer that your Visa allows you to do... you go to jail.
113th August 00:00 hours
We stand in a long line for the check in. Many people from Usbekistan and Turkistan... curious what these two ugly white guys who really need a shower are doing there. We haven't slept for two days.
The first city we had to go to was Atyrau. Atyrau is 400 km away from the border.
A Taxi will cost more than we have... and we can't hitch hike at 1 o clock in the night...
A family from Kasachstan stops in front of us. Thanks to them we found a bus that goes to Atyrau.
The magic bus
There are no trees on the land... no buildings.. no water... a sea of nothing as far as you can look.
In the bus we started talking to some people. At first sight, they look like they don't want to have anything to do with you but after you talk to them you can see that the Kasachs are very curious and warm people. We spoke to somebody and after 10 minutes of talking he wanted to invite us to his house in Atyrau and let his mom cook for us.
In the Bus we met a great girl. Her name was Ai'amzhan.
In the middle of the way we stopped at a grave of a holy person. It is in the tradition of the Kasachs to stop there and everybody puts a Coin on it and says a Prayer. Still no trees or buildings as far as i can see.
I slept like a baby for three hours until we arrived to Atyrau. When i woke up people were laughing because i slept with my mouth open.
6 AM
We arrive and Ai'mzhan comes with us to the train station to see if there are any more tickets left to Almaty.
It's fucking crazy man... we had so much luck on this journey that i find it hard to beleive it was a coincidence. There were only 2 tickets left for the train to Almaty. 2000 Kilometers... two days by train... 15 Euros a ticket. It's fucking amazing.
We are dead tired. I slept 3 hours in three days... sebastian didn't sleep at all.
The train was leaving at five .. so we had a whole day to hang around.
At the train station, an old cool guy came to us and started talking Kasach to us. We had to play the Pantomime again. His name was Mady.. he was a retired architect. We went and drank tea with him. He was a very cool guy.
Later we met Ai'mzhan. Together with her we went around to see Atyrau for a bit. Kasach people are very proud of their culture and heroes. We saw a couple of statues... saw the national outfit... we heard a bit of Kasach music. That music has rhythm man. you will dance on a kasach song even if you don't like dancing.
Ai'mzhan took us to the border between Europe and Asia. It is in Atyrau. Half of the city is in Europe.. you go over a bridge.. and the other half is in Asia. Ching chang chong bishes...
The first fake markets are here too. You know... where the seller starts yelling at you to buy his fake Armani Shirts.
Ai'mzhan and her friend Elvira took me to a Kasach Restaurant. I ate Bishparmak (translated: five finger food). It was with horse meat. Now, i like horses and i feel sory i ate horse meat, but that thing tasted awesome.
Elvira and Ai'mzhan are two girls full of life man. I really want to party sometimes with them. I liked listening to the way they were talking...
We wish you all the happiness in the world. I was happy to meet you. If you ever come to Germany give me a call.. maybe i will answer it :p... of course i will answer it
Ai'mzhan waited with us until the train arrived. She waved us goodbye and then the train started rolling.
The things we saw from the train can not be put in words. We'll upload some fotos later and just have a look.
It's frustrating not to be able to speak russian. So many people were riding on that train that were eager to talk with us and us with them. We are masters of the Pantomime now...
We stink like hell. we really really really need a shower.
Some people here have golden teeth.. he he. PIMP
Two days later
The train arrives, we jump in the taxi and up we go hitch hiking...
We didn't make it to the border. we found a hostel on the way.
A very nice guy named Yerlan took us around until we found a place to stay. And when i mean around i mean 40 minutes of just driving around a city to find a good place to sleep. The city was full of criminality and also the only city where casinos were allowed. Yerlan was also an architect. he designed one of them.
Thank you Yerlan. You have a good heart. We wish you all the best...
9 o clock in the morning...
We hitch hike until Jarkent... it's 50 KM close to the border. We go through the mountains. They are far more different than the Alps in Germany. It was and amazing view.
Jarkent
We have no more Tengel (Kasach money) in our pockets and just a few hours to go until our Visa expires. We see a bus that goes to Urumqi (China).
"Hello.. are you driving to the Graniza (= Border in russian)? How much would it cost?"
a woman there tells us 1500 Tengel per person.. on russian.
"We only have 500 Tengel for both of us" how long can you take us with that money"
".... sorry ... NO"
as we were trying to find another way to get to the Border. The woman comes to us and says: Ok.. come.. no money ... come!
Talk about luck!
Border to China
We already made some friends on the bus.
At the border with China we met a guy with a bicicle. He was dirty from head to toes. An englishman...
He rode the bike from Manchester until here.. and he'll go further to New York. He made every single Kilometer of the way on his bicicle. ALL MY RESPECTS MAN. You're awesome
Now.. finally we can speak some sense with the people. The officers from the border of China were really friendly to us. We spoke to them on chinese.. and then they were even more friendly.
Kasachstan... one day I will travel around you with a monstertruck. We'll be great friends you and me...
We are in China
Bobby
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Song of the Post
1 comment:
so you're finally in china, boys!! 欢迎！see you soon guys! looking forward for your stories man!!!
manu
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