Lake Balkash

The road to Lake Balkash via Karaul and Aktogay was rough and it won the dubious award of 'worst road to-date'. I wouldn't recommend it unless you have strong masochistic tendencies.

It did, however, supply me with a few "firsts".

My first flat tyre......

The first time I bottomed out completely and seriously did not enjoy where I was and what I was doing.....

And.....

My first swim in Kazakhstan!










I was given the use of a small shack on the side of the lake so I made the most of it and spent 2 days trying to regain my sanity after the steppes.

The Kazakh Steppes

By the end of the first day I was bored....

By the end of the second I was going loopy.....

After 500km I started to consider watching grass grow and paint dry to be stimulating activities......

And still it kept going.

I even began to toy with the idea that watching test cricket could be entertaining.......