Ka Pai Kiwis

Happy birthday to me. Great treat this morning, face time with the grandies. As I have mentioned we are ahead of schedule. It was difficult to know how long it would take to get through the Pamir region. So we have decided to collect another Stan. So today we head to Almaty in Kazakhstan. This was not on our original schedule but neither were Georgia or Azerbaijan and overlanders are flexible right? We have been following along a fellow Kiwi called Chris Eden who is far more experienced in this business than us and as it happens will be in Almaty tomorrow. The border seemed to arrive quickly, hadn’t really cleared the built up area really. All straightforward but today I just couldn’t resist my Tiger quip.  Goes like this.  Bike Passport Yes Model  Teeger Teeger? Yes Teeger.  GRRRRRRRR.  Managed to get a small laugh from those inside so I consider that a result.  That's about the highlight so far though. The road is long, stra...

This morning we bid farewell to Jason and Kurien. We couldn’t have wished for better travel companions through the testing Pamir region. Heaps of fun and memories that will endure. Hopefully we’ll meet again. So Darby and Joan set off for Bishkek. And what a treat it was. Up up up and over a mountain range, very scenic with a lovely fast flowing river for company and beautiful mountain scenery. The air is cool and clear a welcome relief. Our high point is 3200m and its a little cool but not enough for another layer. Mark leaving a Ka Pai kiwi sticker The green meadows up high and on our decent are dotted with yurts and many grazing animals, horses, sheep, cows and goats. It is picture postcard stuff (again yawn). Not as dramatic as previous days but very very nice. The roads are generally very good and the standard of driving equally as good as other nearby countries (appalling). We descended for a while and then plateaued and the scene st...