Day 176 – Pavlodar to Koyandy (outskirts
Astana) - Sun 18 Aug
Put watches back an hour but awoke with body clock so had time to rinse out clothes we've been carrying around in sudsy water for two days – they will drip all day in the shower stall so will make toilet stops less fun. Under way just after 8am for long drive to capital Astana. Passed town of Sputnik (evocative of documentaries seen in our childhoods), infrastructure power station, electric train. Saw first Kazakhstan animals - a goose farm! Holes in road getting bigger, but sometimes split double lane roads, so had choice (such a novelty). Police waved us over, gave them international drivers licence, they checked our high beam, and mimed we radio Guy travelling up front of us to tell him to do same. Let us go, indicating to turn our lights on full beam in face of oncoming drivers – weird law. Another coal mine and power station – but accompanied by more modern infrastructure than Mongolia. More Soviet style derelict stuctures behind fences, but approx half still in use. Stopped for morning tea (pumpernickel bread with chive cream cheese - yum!) near one set of concrete buildings with vats and chimneys, including fenced off lake, but didn't dally more than checking tyre pressures once the caretaker came to see why we were stopped there. Plots of land under cultivation with small one or two room cabins in each, on outskirts of large towns – flowers, vegetables and occasional fruit trees.
Put watches back an hour but awoke with body clock so had time to rinse out clothes we've been carrying around in sudsy water for two days – they will drip all day in the shower stall so will make toilet stops less fun. Under way just after 8am for long drive to capital Astana. Passed town of Sputnik (evocative of documentaries seen in our childhoods), infrastructure power station, electric train. Saw first Kazakhstan animals - a goose farm! Holes in road getting bigger, but sometimes split double lane roads, so had choice (such a novelty). Police waved us over, gave them international drivers licence, they checked our high beam, and mimed we radio Guy travelling up front of us to tell him to do same. Let us go, indicating to turn our lights on full beam in face of oncoming drivers – weird law. Another coal mine and power station – but accompanied by more modern infrastructure than Mongolia. More Soviet style derelict stuctures behind fences, but approx half still in use. Stopped for morning tea (pumpernickel bread with chive cream cheese - yum!) near one set of concrete buildings with vats and chimneys, including fenced off lake, but didn't dally more than checking tyre pressures once the caretaker came to see why we were stopped there. Plots of land under cultivation with small one or two room cabins in each, on outskirts of large towns – flowers, vegetables and occasional fruit trees.
Lines of power poles in every direction - might be good economics to be an exporter of electricity to neighbours but sure is ugly on landscape. Finally moved away from industrial areas to low rolling hills covered in short grass, not sown - haven't seen any herd animals to date so questioning the need for hay. Came upon a coal mine with new equipment at Bikak. Plenty of Muslim cemeteries, some with very large (family? personal?) mausoleums spires topped with crescent moons. Also a few ornate memorials on sides of road etched with pictures of those who had died.
Ah- herd animals - brown sheep almost hidden in grass. Harvesting gangs also baling hay, and shiny new harvesters being transported in a road convoy. Hills of white rock tailings as a contrast to coal, probably road base. Enjoyed half hour respite from holes in road – we marvelled at bitumen gangs at work on a Sunday. Lunched beside telecommunications tower, among wildflowers; rang BoyRob’s sister in Australia for birthday, and nursing home to see how his Mum is, and GirlRob’s dad to see whether house sale is progressing, and whether he actually/finally put up his Winnebago for sale. Now we are out of China it is so much easier to communicate with the children through email, facebook and skype.
Cattle on hills, lone rider mustering in skull cap. Back to weaving between potholes. Dead red fox on road. Herd of horses, manes glowing in afternoon sunlight - one with forelegs closely shackled. Large marmots playing in dirt track paralleling road. Ah, and finally goats - that's all the herd animals bar camels, we’ve seen in Kazakhstan now – although there are only small widely dispersed herds on the open grasslands compared to Mongolia, and only two commercial gers to date.Grasses in our campsite field glowed in setting sun.
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