John & Mick's BIG AdventureA change of oil
Day 25 – 344 kms (9412 Kms total)
Left the crappy digs in Burybaytal first thing and headed off. The weather was bright and clear and hot and windy again. We stopped for petrol. Next to the petrol station was an open café where a friendly woman did us coffee and then using our dictionary suggested fried eggs for breakfast. Splendid.
Bellys filled, we left and drove through more moorland towards Almaty.
100km from Almaty we stopped at a roadside lay-by with a ramp and did an oil change. We had managed to get hold of some Castrol 10/60 full synthetic. Just the job.
It wasn’t long before we were mobbed by 5 drunks in a Lada and a lorry. They wanted us to drink with them and when that failed, started asking for money! We swiftly finished up and were off.
30 km later, John spotted the enormous mountains ahead – I thought they were clouds!. The Trans-Ili Alatau Mountains. Part of the Tien-Shan Mountains we would ride over later. Even from 80kms they looked big. Hight up to 6250 metres.
We arrived in Almaty and traffic was almost gridlocked. It took an age to go 5km even though it was middle of day. Heading into the centre was worse still, but we asked some chaps at the roadside and they led us to the Hotel Zhetisu, which is another grand place and very expensive at 8400 T, but has proper rooms, parking and has all the things we need to re-arrange ourselves after nights of dodgy accommodation.
While out for the evening meal we met a Scottish couple who were travelling around using public transport. They had been to the Iranian Embassy for a visa. Our turn tomorrow.
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