Blogs from Astana, Kazakhstan, Asia

There are two sub-continents I have barely visited on this little planet up to today. I name West Africa and Central Asia. I only went to Ivory Coast and still have few places on the African continent to visit...as long as I can stay safe there. But when it comes to the "Stans", safety as a traveler is not an issue in most of them, so here I am back on the road...back-packing between decent beds. Over the coming month, I'll go across five countries finishing by few gorgeous days in Turkey. You will not see any pictures of Turkmenistan. The country is on my list, but getting a visa for the reclusive state is a little too challenging with my current traveling. I have no intention either to visit Afghanistan or Pakistan....sorry, not on my ... read more

Day 16 - Kostanay to Astana Kazakhstan is big, around 12 times the size of the UK, or equivalent to the whole of western Europe. A country of huge contrasts, it's vast steppe landscapes have seen the passing of the nomadic Scythian people, the warring hoards of Genghis Khan, unparalleled cereal production, annexation by the Russian empire, horrific gulags and latterly the birth of a truly stunning new capital city. Nuclear weapons have been tested on these plains, whilst the Baikonur Cosmodrome is the worlds first and largest space launch site. The Sputnik satellite was launched from there, as are the current soyuz rockets that service the ISS. The snow-capped mountains in the south are intrinsically linked to the northern silk road route, and cradle the old capital Almaty in their green rolling foothills. Day 16 ... read more

So Astana in the new capitol of Kazak, since only 1996, lots glitz. Journey 230km from Borovoe on pristine 3 lane fast motorway with light traffic, does have a toll - but not for bikes. City is friendly, especially local bikers, have invite stay in summer house tomorrow with Vitaley & family. But struggle to find a bike shop for new gloves etc. Route takes a turn south somewhere here, now 8500km East from Amsterdam, with approx 1500km to China border. Visit Almaty is possible for a few more km on bike, a beatiful old city in mountains, does have approx 50 earthquakes/month - a good reason to move capitol elsewhere.... read more

Astana is everything you don't think of when you think of Kazakhstan. President Nazarbaev is doing his darndest to bring the country hurtling into the 21st century with a thirty year plan to build a diversified, high tech economy, part of which was to create a new capital. Skeptics said it couldn't be done, but he's achieved it- and how. Twenty years ago Astana was a small city with not much to it. Now it looks like something out of a batman film, it's so shiny & new & impressive, I pretty much just walked around with my mouth hanging open- starting with the Byterik monument, a 97 feet (it was built in 1997) white latticed tower with a golden orb at the top you can take a lift up to. From there you can see ... read more