The Stans

[crotalus01]

Anyone have tips or advice traveling from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan?

[Kurt]

Anyone have tips or advice traveling from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan?

I have friend who is German and married to a Kazakh and he spends about 20% of the year in Astana.
I will hit him up for advice

[Kurt]

My friend advises Mangistau Oblast on the Caspian Sea. Tian Shan mountains near Almaty.
He also says that Astana is pretty cool. Most "New" Capitols kinda suck compared to the old ones but I guess both Astana and Almaty are worth a visit.
Land of Apples and Caviar but no apple pie as we Americans know it.

[Kurt]

The food he recommends is Beshbarmak which seems to be horsemeat, noodles and spices. The Russian "Settlers" have adopted this dish as well.
The Soviets wanted the Kazakhs to become more Russian rather than the Russians becoming more Kazakh so this dish was seen as a failure.

[Darcy]

We had long term contracts in Atyrau. Not dangerous but expats were obviously not welcome. Like, drivers would go out of their way to splash you if you were walking along a road in the rain type stuff, but never threatening. A few of the guys ended up marrying local though and are quite content. Never got to Almaty but heard it was pretty cool place to visit. I still have contacts if you want some. Most of the guys got pushed out eventually but some still have Kaz friends. Paid Kazakhstan taxes for a year.

Got a very good Uzbekistan buddy but he's living in Crimea now

[ReptilianKittenEater]

A part of the world I've always wanted to see. Post pics!

I friend of mine was widowed and in her later 60's cycled across most of Canada one year, then the rest of Canada and across Europe the next year, then from Beijing to Istanbul the third year. The last one she did with a group rather than solo. though they bypassed Tajikistan as some cyclists had just been gunned down by Islamists on the Pamir Highway.

[crotalus01]

Thanks guys. Hoping to be there in January after a week in Iraq and Turkey.