2019-09-30 Day 368 Mon

 -5℃ degrees at the front and 1℃ degree at the back. The heater started and the room warmed. We adjusted our clocks to Russian time by winding them back one hour. Trying to leave early, the wound back clock helped, but being thwarted by waxy fuel. We did notice at the last filling station in Kazakhstan that there was another diesel with a snow symbol, we assumed the normal would have some protection and the snow one to be for -30℃ or so. Wrong!!!

Some hot water poured over the fuel filter and the stainless steel bowl under it full of hot water, soon did the trick and 90mins later were on our way.

In Ufa we stopped by a BIG supermarket, Metro cash and carry, shame we only need food for 2 weeks such a lot to choose from here. From bottles of mushrooms to fresh dried and smoked fish and seafood

 

Bought a new whisk, new chopping board, a bottle of vodka for our two sons, a couple of bottles of wine and some vegies. You actually need a member card to check out here, but when we came in a lady at the desk handed us a piece of paper needed for check out.

Driving Just around the corner for lunch with fresh bread didn’t happen and we drove another hour and just pulled onto a side road for a quick bite.

 

 A lot of road works which is slowing our average a lot but at least the sections that are finished are smooth and fast

We have heard back from Cleggy (an Australian squash friend of Johns) in Nizhny Novgorod. He will be there on Wednesday so taking a slight detour to visit him. We feel we have the two days spare….So trying to get miles done.

About 18:00 John wanted to know sunset time - sun set time 17;10 ummm something wrong. Googled time in Ufa 1600, We had crossed into Moscow timezone missing gmt+6. So now gmt+7. Changed 3 hours today! A bit confussing.

We struggled to find a camp on the map. A lot of oil here abouts and  lots of nodding donkeys..

Finally just slipped off the highway and on a dried muddy track found a camp in a small forest under power lines between the highway and the train line. A bit noisy but OK.

 
Dark at 17:30 but our bodies still think it is late. 

Ate some cheese and ham with fresh bread for dinner. I retired to bed about 8:30 but slept lightly. John came about 21:.30 but was up again at 04:30…

460km Camp site  232m alt.

2019-09-29 Day 367 Sun

The front thermometer was sitting on -3.5℃ while the aft one read 1℃. The grass was all frosted outside so we agreed with the -3.5℃ gauge.

Our water taps had been drained last night and we had water for a shower.

Leaving around 09:40 for another potential long day. 

 

The over burden for a mine. The hole must be amazing. 

By the time we stopped for lunch, to cook dinner and to use good internet we had already achieved 170 km.

The roads were good ,not fantastic and we happily sat around 90km/hr, the speed limit.

The road up through the Urals was very busy but quite pretty with the fir/birch mixture. The birch are all changing into their autumn clothes which sets off their white bark.

We got above the recently fallen (yesterday?) snow line but none was on the road. At one point we did receive a smattering of snow on the windshield but only for a moment.

An overcast day but no rain.

 

Took a while to find a camp the river was too drab all brown from the recent rains. 

 

Found an old track up to a quarry and perched in a clearing that had been cut maybe for hay?? Not very good fodder though.

358km Camp site  389m alt.

2019-09-28 Day 366 Sat

The decision was to try for the small border crossing even though I could not find any information about whether it is a local’s only crossing or not.  Just before the border control there is a track leading 5km into a small town then a white leading back north to the main road, theoretically we will not need to back track the 100km’s.

At the outskirts of Rudney we stopped at a restaurant and had a pork kebab and rice with vegies. To use some of the local money that would not fit in the fuel tank. Very nice pork.

 By now it was drizzling and grey. The road degraded rather severely and we were back at 60km following trucks. Our turn off came just as we pulled up behind 6 more trucks. Filled up with fuel at the last town before border using the last of our local money. Only one of the 3 stations on map were alive.

The new road fell short of the border. As we were going around a new bridge a local stopped us to tell us that the border was only for locals. He wanted a look inside then he wanted us to go to his place for chai on our way back from the border if we could not cross. The road was very muddy and slippery... At a turn off he asked us to follow him to see his house so we could return. We followed and when at his house he said he’d called up and the border was definitely closed to foreigners. He took us into his corner store to introduce us to his wife and daughter. When we refused tea, saying we needed to keep rolling, he bought us two ice-creams, two chocolate bars, a liter bottle of iced tea and a carrot salad. We refused but he managed to get it into our vehicle. Such friendly helpful generous people.

We wisely decided that the track would probably be very wet,muddy and slippery didn’t fancy 10km of that, then the 60km white road may not be much better. So we retraced our steps. Happy we were doing so as the bands of rain clouds dropped their loads on us.

The question now was do we try to cross the border late evening or stop.

John could not find an interesting camp so decided to continue to border.

At Karabalyk we then put more diesel in paying with card. Fuel is cheaper here than Russia.

We exited Kazakhstan within minutes, a very quick border crossing. At the Russian border it was also very quick. Through both borders in under an hour and the sun just setting.

45km to a camp site about 500m off road near a paddock. Quite cold already, although it was around 9pm.

 475km Camp site  275m alt

2019-09-27 Day 365 Fri

Even though we drove out the scenic and touristy way, we did not see any tourists maybe too late in the season.
 

The Firs and birch tree forest looked wonderful with the contrasting colors, autumn is definitely upon us. All through the forest drive was a bicycle path and a walking path no bikes allowed on road.

 

Finally saw the “rock” that has been on all the promotional posters we saw yesterday.

There was a boom gate to enter this road and one to exit but we were not stopped the guy just lifted the boom for us so not sure what that was all about. A lovely little drive.

Every small town seems to have a monument 

 A swampy area.

Harvest harvest harvest the crop they are harvesting only looks to be 2 feet high. There are a lot of small lakes dotted around and many that are not shown on our map. 

These Swans were swimming beside the road.

John had picked a forested area for our camp and when we arrived there was a big sign, google translate said “no entry to Forrest for the purpose of lighting bonfires” All good then.

 

A small track into the forest found us a nice little camp. An early one so we could wash clothes….

Hung in a cold still forest but hopefully they’ll get rid of their drips over night.

The bark from the trees felt a little bit like plastic so different to our paper barks.

484km Camp site  177m alt.

2019-09-26 Day 364 Thu

Rang Stu for his birthday and had a good conversation. Rang Uncle Michael Deverel to say I will be thinking of him when he has his tumor removed from his Larynx. In a few days.

We did some computer stuff while waiting for the email to say visa ready for pickup. It came around midday. So back to the Ukraine consulate to pick up visa’s and head north, to a lake.

What a relief to have the visa. Yes we have paid more than we really needed to if this was all planed but with the way things are still shaping up around the Saudi bombing we have made the right decision. Now at least if we get the Ukraine e-visa we can use that and keep our other 45 days till later. We may make use of it on our way to the Scandinavian countries next summer.

Certainly having the multi entry visa for Russia has made this change easy.

We stopped at a small suburb to do shopping and buy lunch. Could not find the supermarket but bought a pasty and a Donner kebab of sorts. Not too bad.

 

This region of Kazakhstan is flat and a little uninteresting. The wheat is being harvested and sometimes 6–8 harvesters are seen in the one large paddock.

In the small town of Shchuchinsk we did a shop. The security guard was really pleased to talk to John in his 3 words of English. Bought some apples, grapes, beetroot, carrots, bread and wine. Then we ventured into the back streets to find a water tap. Finally found one up a street that had recently had sewerage pipes installed. Filled up with the bottles and then put the full bottles into the shower for washing tomorrow. Our hands got very cold. Autumn is well on it’s way and the evenings are getting down to 0℃.

Onwards to the lake where we perched above the lake and watched a horsemen herd his horses past through the sunset

289km Camp site  293m alt.

2019-09-25 Day 363 Wed

EC looked a bit "buglike" driving out of the park.

 A grumpy parks guy came to move us on about 0800. I had just gotten out of the shower. He wanted us gone in 10 minutes! John tried for an hour but wasn’t accepted. 
 

Had no idea we were in a park and lots of tracks here. Came in the back door again…..

There were some dug drains which is what we thought they were…..

Anyhow off to Nur-Sultan and the Ukraine embassy just too see what can be done.

The consul spoke French not English so he rang his public relations person who had great English. Valerie translated for us and we ended up being offered two multi entry visas valid for a stay of 45 days over one year, ready tomorrow. We accepted then had to drive to bank and pay which in itself was interesting. John stayed in EC to fill our the application forms. I entered the bank explained that I wanted to pay and got a number. I sat and waited… Next at the counter a lady worked away at her terminal adding the cost US$400 and details of my passport then I was directed to the cashier to pay. However they only accept cash so I was directed to the ATM down stairs. I ask how much I needed. 
 

Downstairs the ATM didn’t want to give me money so moved to other one still same so ended up with drawing 3 lots out…

Back at the cashier I paid and got my receipts…

Meanwhile John had finished the forms and got the email with finance, hotel bookings already to go.

Back at the consulate we met Valerie leaving we asked what to see and she mentioned a great place for horse steak.

Application in with a collection time of 3pm tomorrow.







We found the horse steak restaurant and headed there. A great lunch, John had horse steak and I had horse flesh on stone. A beer, a wine , coffee and a creme de brulee AU$100. Very nice for a change.

Nur-Sultane x Astana is an interesting city. Architectured buildings which are interesting on the eye but each one is very different 

Back through town and NW to camp by the river. 
 











Lots of tracks and fishermen

124km  Camp site  297m alt.

2019-09-24 Day 362 Tue.

John got up in the night to lower the roof. The wind was coming in very strong gusts.

We drove through the little village, It looked very tired but had at least one new building in the making. 
 

The mosque was well looked after.

The drive through the park was very interesting. Quite different landscape with the weathered red rock formations.

 

Smoke was still being issued from a grass/forest fire but the fire brigade and two choppers were still in the vicinity.

The Grain silos look like thy were created for a sci fi movie.

Some of the roads needed a bit of attention. It looks like they were not built with the big trucks in mind that slowly make their way down these roads.

 

 At our lunch stop we applied for the Ukraine e-visas It will take 10 days and we had to put the date of the 8th in as you must apply at least 10 working days in advance. We assumed we could apply for another tomorrow for our return from Australia

 The road we took skirted north of Termirtau the area had mines and many smoke stacks a very industrial area.

About 6 unused, nearly finished apartment blocks a great playground for kids. One wonders at their story?

A wonderful colored sunset 
 

At least the road from her was a highway so managed to catch up some time. 
 

Turning off at Arshaly after dark we were soon on a rather rough track.

Using google maps on satellite view we poked into the reeds but a bit wet underfoot so went back out to the side of the lake, there appeared to be trenches everywhere and we did not now if they were drains or try to stop people.

We got to the beach without crossing any drains and camped on the sand above the beach in the dark.

I checked the website and can only have one application for visa in at a time. Going to be cutting it very close need that return visa before we leave our vehicle behind in a foreign country

403km Camp site  391m alt.