Kazakhstan

 I thought I was in a Hollywood movie when I left Russia for Kazakhstan.

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“Let me see your papers,” said a Russian customs agent.

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“May I see?” said another.

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“Why is he crossing here?” whispered one to the other.

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“Your Russian hotel registration papers, please.”

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“Did you take the train here?”

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After all of this, one said to the other, “It all matches.”

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“Good…bye,” they said.

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***

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The plane swayed from side to side in the strong Asian steppe wind. Like a see-saw we rocked back and forth on our entire descent to the runway. Slightly above the tarmac, the captain cut the engines and we dropped right onto the pavement. The souls on board clapped loudly.

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Again, I had problems because I did not have a beard in my passport picture, but had one while traveling to Kazakhstan.

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I jokingly put my hand over the bottom of my face and the woman behind the desk giggled.

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I showed her another form of identification and she made me sign my name twice on a piece of paper to prove I could write my signature.

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She accepted that and let me into the Republic of Kazakhstan.

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***

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The city of Astana looks as if an alien ship landed in the middle of an Asian steppe. Strange, unmatching architecture; slums mixed in with the building of new housing areas, and skilled architecture of government/public buildings. Everything the city is trying to hide is covered up by temporary walls. 

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***

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I made my way south to Almaty, and stayed in a resort in the Tian Shan mountains.  

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I hiked many days in the mountains, and met many interesting people and a few new friends. I ascended the tallest peak I have ever climbed, Chimbulachka, elevation 11,319 feet.

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I met an interesting man on the top who had way too much energy and was waiting for his friends. Then eight other people made it to the top. I thought they were all together so I ended up asking the man whom I first met and the other group if I could follow them. They both said yes.

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The clouds swirled around us and the sun peaked in and out as we traversed up and down the peaks.

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We stopped to eat and they offered me sandwiches and fruit.

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I reconnected with the first man – an older, interesting person – and followed his small group for the rest of the way.

He is a pilot for Air Astana and has flown all over the world. He attended flight school in Florida. He knew history, aviation, weather, culture, so on... He is Ukrainian and Russian but was born and lived his entire life in Almaty.

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“America…the pinnacle of modern society yet everyone carries a gun,” he said.

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***

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One day while hiking near the Kyrgyzstan border, I came across an interesting place.

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On the trail was a small memorial area dedicated to all of the people who have gone missing or have lost their lives in the mountains. It was eerily quiet and I wondered if my name would someday be added to the list.

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“Missing” posters were all along the trail with pictures of lost loved ones.

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I hiked a long way to what looked like an old Soviet outpost, which looked abandoned.

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I looked in some of the old buildings when a door flew open behind me and there stood an angry looking man. I jumped and yelled; I was embarrassed. I think I woke him up. He gave me a stern look and then woke up another man who spoke a little English.

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They were two scientists studying the glaciers of the area.

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I thoroughly apologized and went on my way.

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