Spent the morning uploading the blog at a WIFI-enabled cafe. Also tried to track down a map of the local mountains that showed the Aksu-Dzhabagly national wildlife reserve park in greater detail, but was lead on a wild goose chase into the burbs by the Lonely Planet Guidebook to a trekking agency that no longer existed. Managed to find a map with the Russian names of the villages (instead of the Kazakh ones) that correspond to the names in my guidebook. 
So at least I know where I am going in a few days! Packed up all my stuff at the hotel, saddled up my bicycle, said goodbye to Michal, headed out on the road by 1400h. 
So at least I know where I am going in a few days! Packed up all my stuff at the hotel, saddled up my bicycle, said goodbye to Michal, headed out on the road by 1400h. 
I decided to head back the way I had come by train because I have read that Turkistan is a pretty good place to visit, being the religious center of Kazakhstan. (And besides it was only 165km away!) The first 40km were over some minor foothills with pretty good roads. I stopped at a cafe and had some goulash with noodles, and then decided to have a few more orders to go for the evening's and following morning's meals. The next 20-30km were over very flat land with very little cover, which is less than ideal for crash camping! Headed over a few dry riverbeds, deeply incised in to the thick soil column. Eventually made it to a canal system with some small convergent rivers. Fortunately, there were a few small trees and a long grasses near the river such that I could hack a small campsite mostly hidden from the road and cover it with camouflage.
Had my goulash dinner and read until the sun went down and passed out for a good eight hour sleep.
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