Posted on by brucep

Blog 14 – A Lakeable Corner

This is Bruce’s 4th blog, but the staggering 14th overall. Hope you’ve all managed to stay with us so far, despite the amount of stuff landing in your inbox/facebook ! Actually, it’d be nice to know who is still with us, so make an effort to “Like” the facebook post or leave a blog comment or email. Sometimes it feels a bit like we’re sending all this off into the void 🙂

I’ll let the pictures mostly tell the story. This takes us out of the Altyn-Emel national park and eventually back to Almaty via the south east corner of Kazakhstan.

Here is also some random bits of >>video<< of various treks, including the singing dune, and Sergey’s shortcut through the mountains.

Here’s the rocket >>video<< again as many seemed to have missed it.

This is likely my last blog from this trip. We have one more day in Almaty faffing around, then Greg heads back to Melbourne, and 3 of us head to Perth for the Australian Orienteering Championships (& Sprints, & MTBO). It’s been fun !

A dual-humped camel herd (or whatever camels group in) just outside the national park.
A dual-humped camel herd (or whatever a camels collective is) just outside the national park.
A steppe mouse. Very hard to catch a photo as they flit from bush to bush to burrow (hence this unflattering angle). They make squeaky bird-like calls to warn others of danger.
A steppe mouse. Very hard to catch a photo as they flit from bush to bush to burrow (hence this unflattering angle). They make squeaky bird-like calls to warn others of danger.
Sergey, our driver, actually runs his own 4WD and motorbike trekking business. This didn't stop him copping a speeding fine in a roadworks area, but he was able to 'negotiate' the fine down to 1000 tenge from the official 1800.
Sergey, our driver, actually runs his own 4WD and motorbike trekking business. This didn’t stop him copping a speeding fine in a roadworks area, but he was able to ‘negotiate’ the fine down to 1000 tenge from the official 1800.

 

 

 

A particular rare variety of Ash (Aspen) tree found only in this part of Kazakhstan, and at similar latitudes in Canada.
A particular rare variety of Ash (Aspen) tree found only in this part of Kazakhstan, and at similar latitudes in Canada.
We pulled over at a roadside vendors to buy some local grapes. Like in Kyrgyzstan, there seem to be many small vendors selling exactly the same things in a row, which appears a bit inefficient.
We pulled over at a roadside vendors to buy some local grapes. Like in Kyrgyzstan, there seem to be many small vendors selling exactly the same things in a row, which appears a bit inefficient.
Desert Lizzard
Desert Lizzard

 

 

 

 

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In most of the smaller villages and towns the animals tend to roam freely without supervision. They seem to know where they have to be and who they belong to so it pretty much seems to work out.
In most of the smaller villages and towns the animals tend to roam freely without supervision. They seem to know where they have to be and who they belong to so it pretty much seems to work out.
The Charyn Canyon. There are a few pictures of this, despite me only picking a few, as it was so dramatic. Sorry about that.
The Charyn Canyon. There are a few pictures of this, despite me only picking a few, as it was so dramatic. Sorry about that.
Charyn Canyon
Charyn Canyon
Charyn Canyon
Charyn Canyon
Charyn Canyon
Charyn Canyon
Walking inside Charyn Canyon. We had lunch there too.
Walking inside Charyn Canyon. We had lunch there too.
Charyn Canyon
Charyn Canyon
Quite a few rock pieces looked very precarious.
Quite a few rock pieces looked very precarious.

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The old broken bitumen road into Saty was a bit slow going.
The old broken bitumen road into Saty was a bit slow going.
Our Guesthouse in the village of Saty, 1500m
Our Guesthouse in the village of Saty, 1500m
The wood heated bathhouse was the go for washing at the Saty guesthouse.
The wood heated bathhouse was the go for washing at the Saty guesthouse.
Junction box in steam laden batch house in Saty.
Junction box in steam laden bath house in Saty.
Interesting house wiring in Saty bathhouse. 220VAC !
Interesting house wiring in Saty bathhouse. 220VAC !
This village cow wasn't that interested in moving out of the way
This village cow wasn’t that interested in moving out of the way
View from our Saty guesthouse
View from our Saty guesthouse

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What creature with bright eyes was this that approaches ?
What creature with bright eyes was this that approaches ?
Autumn colours, leaving Saty
Autumn colours, leaving Saty
Leaving Saty. A typical sight.
Leaving Saty. A typical sight.
At hotels & guest houses in Kazakhstan something strange happens. They come and carefully 'unmake' your bed every day. Anything above the bottom sheet needs to be carefully folded so it does not fall over the side at all. This means you have to then make your bed each night so that you can sleep in it !
At hotels & guest houses in Kazakhstan something strange happens. They come and carefully ‘unmake’ your bed every day. Anything above the bottom sheet needs to be carefully folded so it does not fall over the side at all. This means you have to then make your bed each night so that you can sleep in it !
In the small, very rural village of Saty, where having electricity at all seems to be a miracle, one doesn't expect to come across a ceiling light fitting with flashing LED sequences and a USB flash stick socket to play music !
In the small, very rural village of Saty, where having electricity at all seems to be a miracle, one doesn’t expect to come across a ceiling light fitting with flashing LED sequences and a USB flash stick socket to play music !

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Heading down to Lake Kol'sai #1. There are 3 lakes in a chain, with #3 being very close to the Kyrgyzstan border in the Toen Sien mountains.
Heading down to Lake Kol’sai #1. There are 3 lakes in a chain, with #3 being very close to the Kyrgyzstan border in the Toen Sien mountains.
Kol-sai Lake
Kol-sai Lake
Kol-sai Lake rower was a park ranger collecting litter.
Kol-sai Lake rower was a park ranger collecting litter.
Where we had lunch above Kol'sai #1, viewed from the other side of the lake.
Where we had lunch above Kol’sai #1, viewed from the other side of the lake.
View of the Tien Sien mountains. The highest peak in Kazakhstan is near the corner of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China and is 5699m. Nearby in Kyrgyzstan the peaks reach 7200m.
View of the Tien Sien mountains. The highest peak in Kazakhstan is near the corner of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China and is 5699m. Nearby in Kyrgyzstan the peaks reach 7200m.

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Lake Kaindy (Birch tree) was a beautifully clear lake that was formed by an earthquake in 1911. The dead pine trees in the lake still stand as it's so cold there is little bacterial decay.
Lake Kaindy (Birch tree) was a beautifully clear lake that was formed by an earthquake in 1911. The dead pine trees in the lake still stand as it’s so cold there is little bacterial decay.
Lake Kaindy refelctions
Lake Kaindy refelctions
Lake Kaindy pines
Lake Kaindy pines
Scrambling along the bank of Lake Kaindy.
Scrambling along the bank of Lake Kaindy.
View above Lake Kaindy
View above Lake Kaindy

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Sergey, our driver, was keen to take a short-cut through a rugged mountain pass. A loud ding at one point was the spare wheel underneath taking a direct hit. Also one of the running boards took a bit of a hit scraping past another rock.
Sergey, our driver, was keen to take a short-cut through a rugged mountain pass. A loud ding at one point was the spare wheel underneath taking a direct hit. Also one of the running boards took a bit of a hit scraping past another rock.
A road on the return journey to Almaty, near a very large aqueduct leading to Almaty (the Big Almaty Canal). It was nearly empty as the dam that feeds it is very low due to the hot & very dry summer. We therefore didn;t visit this dam as originally planned, but Issyk lake instead.
A road on the return journey to Almaty, near a very large aqueduct leading to Almaty (the Big Almaty Canal). It was nearly empty as the dam that feeds it is very low due to the hot & very dry summer. We therefore didn;t visit this dam as originally planned, but Issyk lake instead.
Issyk lake near Almaty. This natural lake was destroyed by mud slides in 1963. 100's died as they were there to see the Russian President, who was running late ! This news was suppressed at the time. In the late 90's dams were built to replace the original (now destroyed) earthquake plugs and the dam was resurrected (but smaller than the original).
Issyk lake near Almaty. This natural lake was destroyed by mud slides in 1963. 100’s died as they were there to see the Russian President, who was running late ! This news was suppressed at the time. In the late 90’s dams were built to replace the original (now destroyed) earthquake plugs and the dam was resurrected (but smaller than the original).
Issyk Lake
Issyk Lake
Replica of the Golden man found in a burial mound near Almaty. His 'tomb' was preserved intact from prehistoric grave robbers, as he was a young royal prince (about 17) placed in a different spot away from the central King's tomb (which was empty and destroyed)
Replica of the Golden man found in a burial mound near Almaty. His ‘tomb’ was preserved intact from prehistoric grave robbers, as he was a young royal prince (about 17) placed in a different spot away from the central King’s tomb (which was empty and destroyed)

 

9 Replies to “Blog 14 – A Lakeable Corner”

  7. Hi Bruce
    Thanks for sharing the photos. They are amazing. Seems like you have had a fear time. Enjoy Perth and good luck!!

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