Stage 121: From Almaty to Kyzyltu

I didn't leave Almaty to my host until the evening because he still had to work and it was only 30 kilometers. I was looking forward to seeing Aman again! The family also welcomed me very kindly. However, the head of the household was not there yet. I found it somewhat strange that his wife can only stay in the same room with me once he had met me. But since he worked until 10 p.m., it led to the absurd situation that Aman and I were sitting in the house while she seemed to walk around the village the whole time. I don't understand that! In the evening, we chatted for a while, with Aman as the translator. Uighurs also don't have an easy time in Kazakhstan. They get poorly paid and unpopular jobs and are not highly regarded in society either.

Aman and I had planned to cycle together for a few more days and then separate again further north. He now didn't want to stay in Kazakhstan but return to Mongolia and later to Yakutia. After sleeping in a traditional Uighur bed and having Uighur tea (milky white), I slept very well and looked forward to the next leg of the journey together!