Bicycle Touring The World: Kazakhstan, Tortkol to Shymkent
My latest bicycle touring around the world update, cycling across Kazakhstan. Tortkol to Shymkent. 49 miles. It seemed to take me ages to get anywhere this morning; everything seemed to go wrong. I had another bolt work shake loose, which required attention. My headphones kept cutting in and out, so they’re probably on their way out. And for some strange reason, I managed to load my front panniers on the wrong sides. God knows how, as they don’t even sit properly and are noticeably wrong.
I managed to find a half-decent hotel tonight with the help of some young lads who directed me here. It’s a vast Soviet-style building and reminds me of the buildings I saw in Serbia. Although Serbia wasn’t part of the Soviet Union, the buildings are remarkably similar. I’ve even got the internet tonight, although it’s only available in the lobby. Randomly, they have one room with the internet, but somebody had already taken it.
There are also a couple of Israeli bikers staying in the hotel, who I went out for supper with. It was nice to have some company.
Tour Information
It’s been years since I took this ride, but the memories (and the data) are all archived:
- Photos: See my photos on Flickr
- The route: View my journey around the world
- Videos: Check out my YouTube videos
- Tour page: Ride overview
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Subscribe to my blog and follow me as I continue to travel around on my bike. Plus, as a subscriber, you’ll be among the first to receive news and updates on future tours. If you’re enjoying the ride and want to fuel my next mile, you can always buy me a beer. And, of course, you can always follow me on social media: Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, X, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. I’m also on Flickr, where you’ll find pictures from all my tours, along with regular photo updates that I generally publish each month.
If you want to find out if I’m away touring at the moment and check my location, visit the Where’s Garry page. And for an insight into the gear and logistics that keep me on the road, see my Life at 10mph Guide.