Oral - Aktobe

After a bath in the Ural River and breakfast, we set off to Merey-Bazar in the south of Atyrau on Monday, September 9, 2019. Once we arrive there, we take a stroll around the market and ask about the needed brake pads, but unfortunately without success. We are directed multiple times to a green container, whose owner is currently on his lunch break, but might be able to help us. So we decide to take a walk in the nearby area and come back to the container later. Our walk leads us to a snack bar, where a Dürüm is waiting for us, and then through a park that was apparently built in memory of local victims of several wars. The dominant memory is of the Great Patriotic War. Back at the market, the uncle from the green container is back, but unfortunately cannot help us in our search for brake pads. So we continue on our way to the Bazar Dina to pick up our charged battery and continue our journey to the north. At Inderbor, we refuel gas and take a rest while the sun sets. Then we continue driving in the dark, struggling with bad road conditions and occasionally encountering cows on the road. So we stop again and I switch our jumper wire from low beam to high beam. Then we continue driving through the darkness for a while.

Around half past one in the night, we decide to prematurely end our journey to Uralsk and find a spot to set up camp near the village of Kolovertnoje on the riverbank of the Ural. By half past two, our tents are set up and we can get a few hours of sleep. Rango prefers to stay in the car, while Dicke has already made himself comfortable on the back seat. We wake up around ten and have breakfast on the idyllic sandy beach. We take the opportunity to swim and relax, and I take a look at Schrotti's electrical system. For now, I remove some unused wires from the engine compartment, but I can't solve our lighting problem yet. Then in the early afternoon, we set off for Oral. We stop at the first market there, buy a USB adapter for Schrotti's cigarette lighter, and inquire about spare parts for old cars. We are also directed to the Merey market in Uralsk, which is located further northeast of the city. But we have no luck there either, although we receive another tip. It is already late afternoon, so we decide to continue our search for brake pads the next day. Outside the city, we find a suitable spot to camp by a lake. We set up our camp, Markus collects firewood, and takes care of dinner, while I tackle Schrotti's electrical system again. To control the lights using the designated switches and levers, I need a bit more time. So I run two new wires into the interior and use the switch for our gas supply to switch between low beam, high beam, and no lights. I connect the gas supply to the old light switch. After about 2 hours, it seems to be working as planned. Then we sit by the fire for a while and celebrate the many kilometers we have covered despite some problems with Schrotti. We have already traveled about 1,500 kilometers.

On Wednesday morning (September 11, 2019), after breakfast and packing up our camp, we head back to Oral and can buy the needed brake discs at a market. We also find two new (used) tires in the right size for Schrotti. After mounting them and putting the spare tire back in its place, we look for a workshop to have our brake replaced. It takes a while, but we finally find a master who installs our new parts. The old brake pads are now partially worn down to the bare metal. We also have the parking brake adjusted a bit. In the workshop next door, another mechanic takes a look at our clutch. Occasionally, there is a loud noise when shifting into first gear, and I suspect that the clutch cylinder is not always doing what it is supposed to. The master tightens a few screws and adjusts the clutch a bit. He advises against installing a new clutch cylinder. The car is on the verge of being scrap. Check the water, check the oil, put it in fifth gear and drive to Almaty ('Water, Oil, go go go...'), that's his advice. We will try. After exchanging our USB adapter (which didn't work) and replenishing our food supplies, we hit the road again. Our next stop is Aktobe. It is already around six o'clock when we start. This way, we can test the functionality of my light installation right away. In Zhympity, we stop for a small dinner, and I use the break to connect our USB adapter. The one we bought is simply too short for our cigarette lighter. Then, during our nighttime drive eastward, we gradually charge our battery-powered devices.

Our first attempt to find a camping spot at a reservoir in the southwest of Aktobe fails at four o'clock on Thursday morning. The area is fenced off. So we drive into the city and park near a city beach along the Elek River, which is marked on my map. Markus sets up his tent, and I immediately fall asleep in Rango on the back seat of the Moskvich. Around nine o'clock, two park rangers stray around our campsite, but they don't dare to wake us up. Still, it's time for me to get up. I briefly chat with the two security guards and they give me some mushrooms as a gift. Then I fix the pump for my gasoline stove and make some coffee. After Markus has also gotten up, we have breakfast together and then drive into the city. We stroll through the streets, visit a church, and go to the market. It's the first time since Aktau that we're not looking for help or spare parts for Schrotti. It feels good. Then we buy supplies for the next meals and drive to a large reservoir in the southeast of the city. Here we set up our camp on a beautiful sandy beach. After swimming, we have dinner. The mushrooms prepared with the fried potatoes are quite bitter, so we decide not to eat them. Then the evening ends by the fire. We hope it will continue like this...