58. Stage 'Aral, Kazakhstan'

The plan was actually to drive to Ayteke Bi and spend the night there. Since the route was manageable and I arrived very early, I decided to drive straight to Aral. Another reason was that there was really nothing to do in Ayteke Bi. Additionally, Aral was appealing because I had the opportunity to visit the Aral Sea. On the way to Aral, I passed by Baikonur, which I definitely wanted to visit. However, since I had no registration, a visit to the site was out of the question. You can, however, see the so-called substation from a distance. I suspect this is some sort of control station for rocket launches. The view from afar immediately reminded me of scenes from Star Wars. The place seemed completely surreal. There wasn't much to see on site, except for a few rockets. Alex had recommended the NUR to me, where I then checked into a room. For dinner, I had to take a longer walk. Tomorrow, the Aral Sea is on the agenda, and the onward journey towards Aktobe is planned.