This week’s Travelsonabike2 bicycle touring on this day post comes from the 20th-September-2012, and I’m in Kazakhstan. Winter’s coming, and it’s starting to get cold.
Thursday, 20th September 2012, Bayqongyr to Zhorsaly. 37 miles.
It’s been a short ride today, and I’ve only just reached the point I hoped to reach yesterday. The roads are just too bad. I’m also feeling pretty rough. I hope I’m not coming down with something.
Last night’s campsite was very close to a new stretch of road that wasn’t open yet. So I thought I’d be okay camping there, which I was. But then, as I was packing up this morning, the locals discovered the new stretch of road. And the quiet road turned into a busy highway, with cars and lorries flying past. It took me a long time to pack away; most of the vehicles were tooting and waving at me. One even stopped and came to say hello. I’m not sure who they worked for, but they said they were monitoring the air conditions, I think!
If I’m not in a desert, I’d be amazed. There’s sand everywhere. It’s freezing at night and hot during the day. It was a particularly chilly start this morning. It’s also not getting light until well after seven; winter’s coming. I think that the sandals are going to have to go away soon.
My sore throat seems to be a lot better today, although I feel pretty rough now. I hope I’m not coming down with something, which is one of the reasons for not cycling so far today. The other reason is that I’ve found a half-decent hotel. Well, it’s got a hot shower, and I’m not sharing my room. Yet!
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