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by **Kicker774** » 6/22/2009, 12:54 pm

As mentioned in the recent attention whoring span in TTYKM8VFGL I went to Kazakhstan recently.

Almaty on the eastern border is a very bustling metropolis on the inside but on the outside you have picture perfect scenes of huge mountains with snowy peaks suitable for any postcard.

To the west Aktau is a city enjoying explosive growth due to those with oil money. Lots of construction going on all around. A bit of a slower pace than Almaty though with the beaches on the Caspian sea.

A good friend of mine was going to go but had some work issues at the last minute and was generous enough to give me the ticket and stay with her family. I was a bit hesitant begin Kazakhstan was completly unknown to me but with me being between projects at the moment I decided to just go for it.

Her family was extermely nice and very giving. Her sister is looking to come to the states as well so we got to know each other well. I made fun of her english, she made fun of my russian, we got along great together.

Some of her other friends and family were asking if I was interested in staying n Kazakhstan and working for Chevron (Like practically everyone else in the family does).

I could be tempted if the price is right. Always 80 and sunny, no lawn to mow, cigarettes at less than $1 a pack. I don't smoke but at prices like that how can I afford not to start you know?

TV wasn't bad. A couple msuic channells that actually played music and not reality TV. Discovery channel always playing mythbusters, dirty jobs, build it bigger, etc etc. w/o commercials. Some interesting UK versions as well. 1 car chanell dedicated to auto sports. And by auto sports I mena road racing, ice racing, rally racing, everything but nascar. AS far as other sports go lots of soccer coverage and lots of cricket exposure as well.

Anyways I have some pics to share I'll try and get posted soon.

If I wasn't so anal about spending my own money and making more of it I'd be close to hoping on the next plane back.

by **Kicker774** » 6/22/2009, 12:55 pm

Hmm .. can I post russian characters in the body?

Казахстан

EDIT: Indeed I can.
Thats wahts supposed to be in the subject line to grab your attention but I think the trick has been done already with the %&1024%#nspb yadda yadda yadda

by **Random Name** » 6/22/2009, 1:28 pm

... wtf

by **saman** » 6/22/2009, 2:29 pm

i saw this thread and thought it was a spambot thread. you might want to edit your title to the english language, brian

by **Random Name** » 6/22/2009, 5:48 pm

and not make a new paragraph for every sentence. ouchh maheyes.

by **myownsatellite** » 6/22/2009, 7:50 pm

I hate Kazakhstan. Nobody speaks English and it's impossible to communicate with doctors

/sarcasm

Seriously though, I had to schedule an IME in Kazakhstan for one of our international clients and it was NOT FUN. Maybe your friend's family can hook me up with some contacts in Almaty so I don't have to go through THAT again...

by **Kicker774** » 6/22/2009, 8:59 pm

That could be very possible.

The friend that gave me the ticket is a Russian interpreter for OSU Medical center.

If something like that happens again shoot me a line and some translation services could be made available.

by **beautiful liar** » 6/22/2009, 9:28 pm

sounds like an awesome trip, i'm looking forward to pics.

by **nikki4982** » 6/23/2009, 4:38 am

I also await your pictures!

by **Kicker774** » 6/23/2009, 8:19 am

I didn't get as many pics as I woudl had liked.

I left my own camera at home and grabbed my friends older camera running out the door. Unfortunatley the camera was low on power and runs off a battery that needs to be plugged into the wall to be charged. I had an adapter kit but upon opening the instructions read: NOT FOR USE WITH ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT meaning this was more meant for hairdryers, coffe makers, and TIG Welders or somehting like that.

So I took a few pictures to start with then didn't find a proper adapter till the last day or two of the trip.

I promise whne I go back I'll remeber my own camera and take some super sweet pics. In the meantime enjoy what you have because some people don't have any at all!

by **Kicker774** » 6/23/2009, 8:23 am

US Dollars, Euros (From my layover in Amsterdam), and Kazakhstan Tengez

Top Gear Russia!

A star in a reasonably priced car (Russian LADA)

The Toyota Hilux test being given to a Russian army truck. This is how it looked after the LADA had been dropped on it.

by **Kicker774** » 6/23/2009, 8:28 am

The backyard of our beach house in Aktau

You could see for miles

The view from the city house (Still near the beach)

Downtown Aktau

Lots of construction, lots of oil money, this could be the next Dubai city

by **Kicker774** » 6/23/2009, 8:31 am

Rocky shore

I could had spent hours in this spot just watching the waves crash in.

by **Kicker774** » 6/23/2009, 8:37 am

My guide Nurgul and myself out on the Caspian sea

Her cousin DaHan who was visiting in from the UK

Posing with Aktau in the background

If I get ambitious I might scan in some of the postcards from Almaty and Aktau

For now I'm still puttiing off doing laundry, sorting through my physical mail, sorting through 500+ Hotmail e-mails, and looking for a job so I can buy my own plane ticket back to Kazakhstan.

by **nikki4982** » 6/24/2009, 3:02 am

Oh that water looks GORGEOUS.

by **Kicker774** » 6/24/2009, 8:18 am

That it was. It's a shame some of the areas were a bit on the poluted side.

It's very 3rd world country 'esq in that regard. Even with small trash cans everywhere people still had the attitude of: 'Fuck it, I'm gonna be cool and smash this beer bottle on the rocks!!'

If I had a beer bottle myself (And wasn't outnumbered 3 to 1) I would had smashed it over the guys head.

by **nikki4982** » 6/25/2009, 4:20 pm

Heh. Well, it's not like most people in America don't have that same mentality. Bleh.

by **Lando** » 6/26/2009, 12:16 am

You should've fought the pollution. you totally look like you could've kicked it's ass. especially with your trusty sidekick dude in one pic and batgirl.

by **Kicker774** » 6/26/2009, 5:33 pm

Lando wrote:You should've fought the pollution. you totally look like you could've kicked it's ass. especially with your trusty sidekick dude in one pic and batgirl.

It was just me and 'batgirl' on the polution encounter.
I actually thinks she has a bit of a Danica Patrick thing going for her.
Only without the square jaw and pissed off frumpy face all the time.

by **Kicker774** » 6/26/2009, 5:34 pm

nikki4982 wrote:Heh. Well, it's not like most people in America don't have that same mentality. Bleh.

True.

Let's just say it's not Canada on the level of cleanliness and politeness. (At least in the streets)

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