Tuesday 5 July 2016

Day 48, to Sarkan, Kazakhstan 143km , 4133km to date,  1201m up, 909m end

A good day riding, neutral wind and not too hot.

Two really wonderful things happened today:

The first was at a small coffee shop, a couple of us had stopped for a drink, then had some snacks and coffee.  A couple more people came in. We had paid for the initial items, I then went to pay for the “extra” stuff we consumed, but the lady (see below) would not take any more money.  We should have paid more, but she won’t take anything.  








The second was at another coffee shop (we call them coke stops) in the afternoon.  We were having drinks outside the small store when an elderly man rode up on a well used bicycle.  He talked to us somewhat excitedly in Kazakh - I though he was challenging me to a race to his house.  He disappeared and 10 minutes later returned and presented me with a Kazakh felt hat (see below).





I am constantly humbled by the generosity of people that have very little to be generous with.  I feel my “debt” to pay forward is getting quite substantial.

I’ve been told by our “resident” geographer that we are the farthest from any ocean you can get in the world - the closest happens to be the Arctic.

We are also very close to China, about 50km as the crow flies, or to use a local reference as the Kite flies.  Some rather serious mountains between here and there.  We are also close to where I wiped out two years ago, and approaching the same distance - so I’m becoming quite careful, I don’t want to crash again! 

Some pics from the day:







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