Kazakhstan

[Written on 15 July 2009]

We've finally entered Central Asia starting with Kazakhstan. It is such a fascinating blend of European and Asian cultures mixed in together. The Soviet influence is very strong and so the language of commerce and business is Russian. Some young people speak very good English and they have been extremely warm and helpfulaside from being quite sophisticated and fashionable. Tourists are atill rare in Kazakhstan so people are really nice when you are a tourist!

We took the plunge and caught a tour bus at midnight to a collection of 3 alpine lakes known as Kolsay Lakes about 6 hours east of Almaty. The hikes we did out there amongst fields upon fields of buttercups and other wildflowers and alpine forests were amazing! We also made friends with a Kazakh girl called Gaukhara and her 1/2 Kazakh and 1/2 Estonian boyfriend, Erik on our first day. We ended up sharing a yurt with them. Plenty of photos of our time at Kolsay Lakes are up on our Picasa web album. Some of the older folk we met during the tour had no idea what 'Australia' is so we have settled for their understanding that we are from 'Austria'! *lol* I must clarify that they could't speak English so communication was limited.

After our tour, we met up again later in the week for dinner and drinks with Gaukhara and Erik as well as with a French friend of theirs in Almaty for a week on business. We also met up with 2 uni students and part-time models, Polina and Aiman whom we also met during our tour to Kolsay Lakes. They showed us a bit of the emerging Almaty bar scene and we ended up at a place which played fantastic Turkish live music!

I really enjoyed Kazakhstan which is nothing like in 'Borat'. Mst of all, I enjoyed sipping on my chai lattes after having not had one since leaving Melbourne. Unfortunately, soy milk has not yet arrived in Central Asia but beggars can't be choosers!