Wɔatintim: 19.09.2024
It was already 10 AM when I finally set off. Since today's stage was about 260 km, it wasn't too long of a journey, so it wasn't a problem. As has been the case lately, the drive went smoothly, with one exception. The exception was another police check, where it quickly became clear that it was just about bribery. Since I had all the documents, this time they also wanted to see proof of liability insurance for Kazakhstan, and I had nothing against me, one of the officers quickly got to the point and made it clear that he wanted to see a bribe. There was some back and forth, and since I persistently refused to pay even a Tenge, they finally gave up and let me go. Corruption within the police still seems to be widespread. Despite this unpleasant incident, I arrived at my accommodation by 3 PM. Stage goal achieved! Tomorrow, I continue to Astrakhan/Russia, where I will stay for two nights.