Garry McGivern’s cycling around the world, Monday 20th-August-2012 in Aktau, Kazakhstan. First thing after breakfast, I made my way back to the police station to get the stamp I needed. And what a long-winded affair that was. I was there for three hours! Every time I asked how much longer I had to wait, I got the same answer, ten minutes. I think it’s the only English they spoke.
After eventually getting my stamp, I returned to the hotel and decided to spend the rest of the day adding some photos and videos to the website. Well, there was nothing else to do! Then halfway through the afternoon, I decided to look at the stamp I’d obtained this morning. And suddenly realised that I might have the wrong date stamped on my departure card, it said the 31st August, which is only eleven days away.
Things Go From Bad To Worse
Back at the police station, I again got told to wait ten minutes. But this time, I made a bit more of a fuss. I was very anxious that I’d got the wrong stamp and wanted to get it sorted. Thankfully a lady came out to see me who spoke excellent English. Although I wished she didn’t, I didn’t like what she had to say!
Now I have a real problem. Although I have a visa until December, after obtaining my second visa in Azerbaijan, my first visa expires on the thirty-first. And I can’t continue from one visa to the next without leaving the country! And I don’t have very many options available.
After checking the map to see which country I could go to, there wasn’t much choice. All the countries close by require you to have a visa. Which, for one, I don’t have, and two, they’re not easy visa’s to obtain. The only option is to fly to another country, and the only countries I can get a flight to without a visa are; Georgia, Istanbul or Amsterdam from the available flights from the airports near me! After working out my options, I went to a travel agent.
It’s all very stressful. All the options seem to be so expensive! But the easiest and cheapest flight was one to Istanbul, but I couldn’t buy a ticket as the credit card machine wasn’t working! I’m off to the bar.
Please Donate
Don’t forget the main reason behind my ride. I want to raise as much money for cancer research charities as possible. After my wife, Josie, died of breast cancer in 2007, aged only 42. Even the smallest donation helps. You can donate to Cancer Research UK or the Australian National Breast Cancer Foundation. Click on either one to donate. Every little bit helps to rid the world of this cruel disease.
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