Bicycle Touring The World: Kazakhstan, in Aktobe

My latest bicycle touring update, cycling around the world in Aktobe, Kazakhstan. I’ve decided to stay another night in Aktobe as I didn’t get everything done I wanted to yesterday. I had done most of it, but I still needed to give the bike a clean after all the dust of the past week. I was probably carrying an extra twenty pounds in weight. I’m not even sure how the chain was still going around. It was so caked up with muck!

After breakfast, I went down to reception to get my bike out, saying I was off to get it cleaned, to which the very helpful girl from yesterday said, it’s been done! Sorry, I said. She said she’d mentioned to the bell boy that my bike needed cleaning. And he’d sorted it out and got it cleaned! Okay, the chain still needed cleaning properly, but the rest of the bike was sparkling.

Off In Search

With my note from the girl on reception and a map she’d also given me, I set off in search of a garage, which was relatively easy to find. I tried to explain what I wanted to the man in the garage, but he didn’t understand. So I handed over the note and immediately got a response, with somebody cleaning my chain. When they’d finished, I asked how much, and they said nothing and wouldn’t take anything at all!

That was it then. There was nothing else I needed to do. I did a bit of sightseeing, but it’s quite chilly today with a cold wind. I then returned to the hotel and retired to the bar, where I stayed for the rest of the day. Getting reacquainted with my friend Stella! I might not see her again for a long time! I also met my mate Gordon and his friend Tonic later on.

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

Follow My Bicycle Touring Adventures

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.

Bicycle Touring The World: Kazakhstan, Qandyaghash to Aktobe

My latest bicycle touring around the world update, cycling across Kazakhstan. Qandyaghash to Aktobe. 57 miles. Fast ride this morning. I think it was the thought of spending the night in a hotel, well, that and a nice tailwind!

As so often happens when I get to the bigger towns, I can never find anything, so when people stop to say hello, I usually ask them where things are, like a hotel. Today, being no different, I got stopped by these two young men who didn’t speak any English. But fair due to them, they always like to try and have a conversation, which was nice. I asked them where a hotel was, and they drew me a map, which I didn’t understand. So instead, they told me to follow them in their car. Off we set down the back streets of Aktobe, and after about two miles, we arrived at a hotel. After thanking them, they went on their way, and I went to check in.

What a lovely, helpful girl on reception, I asked her so many questions about this and that. And if she didn’t know, she asked somebody else. She even wrote me a note to take to a garage so I could get some stuff to clean my chain with. Well, I think that’s what the note says. It might say something like, “I’m a tourist. I don’t speak your language, but just smile and humour me, and I’ll go away after a while!”

This might not be good. The hotel has a bar, which sells Stella! I’m already on my third pint, and I’ve not even been here an hour! They’ve also got good wifi. The TV in the bar is a bit odd; they’ve got the “World Fashion” channel on. Very strange! The models are so skinny and miserable looking and not really that attractive!

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

Follow My Bicycle Touring Adventures

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.

Bicycle Touring The World: Kazakhstan, Bayghanin to Qandyaghash

My latest bicycle touring around the world update, cycling across Kazakhstan. Bayghanin to Qandyaghash. 94 miles. Surprisingly, the trains didn’t keep me awake as much as I thought last night. I think I’m so worn out cycling the miles I do on such rough terrain that I’d sleep through anything!

I think Autumn may be on its way. The tent was pretty damp this morning when I got up. And the mornings are also feeling a lot fresher.

I finally came across some asphalt for the first time in three days. It’s not exactly smooth, but it’s much better than none! And a lot better than the surface I’ve been cycling on.

I’m hoping to stop in Aktobe tomorrow night, which looks like a rather substantial town that hopefully will have a hotel. So at least I can have a shower and wash my clothes. Maybe a bar and wifi would be expecting a bit too much, but you never know! Although I am getting pretty good at washing with wet wipes, I can do it with three now.

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

Follow My Bicycle Touring Adventures

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.