61. Stage 'Atyrau, Kazakhstan'

Today was different in one respect compared to the other days. Contrary to my original plan to cover the distance from Aktobe to Atyrau in two stages, I managed it in one go. This was partly due to the fact that the route, despite a roughly 5km long unpaved section, was manageable, and partly because the accommodation I had in mind was also about 5km off the main route and could only be reached via unpaved roads. Moreover, the place was situated in the middle of nowhere. I arrived in Atyrau in the early evening and was pleased to find a nice hotel in the city center right away. During my ride here, I discovered that a screw holding the luggage rack along with a special part for fastening it to the footrest had somehow gone missing. On the way, I could only stabilize it inadequately with zip ties. I hope to find a workshop in Atyrau tomorrow that can help me.

09/13/2024: I extended my stay at the hotel by two days today to attend to the motorcycle. According to iOverlander, there is the so-called 'Car City' where many workshops and shops with spare parts for cars are located. I hoped to find what I was looking for there. After breakfast, I headed straight there, and the first small (garage) workshop (AUTODOCTOR) was an instant hit. The staff removed the missing part, which was still present on the other side, and quickly made a new one. The whole thing took less than an hour, and I could resume my ride to the hotel. As has often been the case on this trip, these folks also categorically refused any payment. Simply incredible.