Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan & China May 2015

Exotic, curious & off the beaten track 

Silk Road Trail !

A replica of a Tang dynasty painting

" After my retirement in 2006 at the age of 56, I started a joke. I told the world that I would like to travel like a teenage backpacker. That started the whole world laughing ! But I believe in you reap what you sow - age is no barrier " 

" The world is big and I want to go out and see it - a teacher in China said these words in her resignation letter ! " 

" However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do & succeed "

" My 24 days traveling solo to Central Asia (Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan) and the provinces of Xinjiang, Gansu & Shaanxi, China from 8-31/5/2015 - My first open mind & hard earned visit to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan & a down the memory lane visit to Xinjiang " 

Travel Itinerary : Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) > Xi'an (China) > Lanzhou > Urumqi > Almaty (Kazakhstan) > Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) > Almaty > Urumqi > Lanzhou > Xi'an > Kuala Lumpur

Total cost incurred (24 days) : Rm3,754 (US$1,040)

Airfare (Air Asia-KL>Xi'an>KL) : Rm1,038
China Visa: Multiple entry valid till July 2015
Kazakhstan Visa: Visa free for Malaysians till July 2015
Krgyzstan Visa: Visa free for Malaysians
Hostels-dorms (total) : CNY734 + Euro$30 + US$20=Rm623
Airport shuttle bus (Xi'an) : CNY50=Rm29
Airport shuttle bus (KL) : Rm20
Trains (total) : CNY1,283=Rm750
Long distance buses (total) : CNY460 + 11,400 Tenge + 400 Som = Rm524
Food: CNY700 + 1,491 Tenge + 432 Som = Rm470
Entrance fees: CNY88=Rm51
Taxi: CNY41 + 1,635 Tenge = Rm58
Metro: CNY10 + 400 Som = Rm32
Bus: CNY62=Rm36
High speed boat: CNY120=Rm70
Sundries: CNY90=Rm53
Hostels (total-20 nights) : CNY734 + Euro$30 + US$20
-Xian (7.5 nights) =CNY327
-Lanzhou (6 nights) = CNY240
-Urumqi (3 nights) = CNY167
-Almaty (3 nights) = Euro$30
-Bishkek (2 nights) = US$20
Food: CNY700 + 1,491 Tenge + 432 Som
Sundries: CNY90
Metro: CNY10 + 400 Som
Taxi: CNY41 + 1,635 Tenge
Bus: CNY62
High speed boat: CNY120
Entrance fees: CNY88
Trains (total) : CNY1,283=Rm750 (US$208)
- Xi'an > Lanzhou > Xi'an: CNY186
- Lanzhou > Urumqi > Lanzhou (high speed trains) : CNY1,097
Long distance buses (total) : CNY460 + 11,400 Tenge + 400 Som = Rm524 (US$145)
- Urumqi > Almaty > Urumqi: CNY460 + 10,100 Tenge
- Almaty > Bishkek > Almaty: 1,300 Tenge + 400 Som
Exchange Rates : US$1=Rm3.61(Ringgit Malaysia); Euro$1=Rm4.07; Euro$1=60 Som (Kyrgystan); US$1=180 Tenge (Kazakstan); Rm1=0.585CNY (Chinese Yen)

Central Asia 

There were 3 things in mind when I planned this overland visit from Xi'an, China to Central Asia

- A down the memory lane visit to Xinjiang since my first backpacking visit to this province in May 2006 - a lapse of 9 years !
- My first open mind visit to two Central Asia countries bordering China ie Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan
- Taking the newly launched high speed train service from Lanzhou to Urumqi

The total distance covered on this overland visit starting from Xi'an to Bishkek via Almaty & return is about 7,040km:

Xi'an > Lanzhou (train) - 653km
Lanzhou > Urumqi (high speed train) - 1,776km
Urumqi > Almaty (sleeper bus) - 860km
Almaty > Bishkek (minibus) - 231km
Total = 3,520km x 2 = 7,040km

In comparison with the Tran-Siberian train ride from Moscow to Vladivostok - the total distance is about 8,400km - so a major challenge awaits you if you one day could like to take on the Trans-Siberian or Trans-Mongolian or Trans-Manchurian train journey ! Thanks god, I had already done the Trans-Mongolian train ride (Moscow > Irkutsk/Lake Baikal > Ulan Bator > Erlian) in May 2009 ! The longest train ride I had ever taken in my life thus far ! A famous writer from the Lonely Planet made the following remark - "The Trans-Siberian is the big train ride; all the rest are peanuts". The total distance is equivalent to a third of the globe ! Peanuts or no peanuts, treat yourself to a canister of macadamia or hazel nuts each time you accomplished a great journey !

Indeed it was a hard earned trip and a severe test of my mental & physical strength to complete this visit involving the three countries - what a wonderful outcome !

Given an opportunity, I could like to visit Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turmenistan & Azerbaijan. Hopefully this dream could be realised soon !

Travel Highlights :

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Medeu, the highest Olympic ice skating stadium (1,691m high), Almaty

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Ala Too Square, Bishkek

Urumqi, Xinjiang China

Da Baazar / Erdaoqiao, Urumqi, Xinjiang

Lanzhou, Gansu China

Sculptures of the Mother River
The Yellow River, Lanzhou

Bingling Si & Grotto, Gansu
UNESCO world heritage site

Xi'an, Shaanxi China

Little Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an

At any stage of our life and as a citizen of a country, we may experience either worry or joy in any thing we do. But through good governance, a country can prosper and bring about a better well being & quality of life for her people. Singapore & Switzerland are classic example. As a citizen of the world, we too have our worries - climatic change, food crisis, pollution & religious conflicts etc

Ordinary people through perseverance & belief are most likely to succeed in achieving their dreams. Dream is the main driver and if your heart carries a dream, you can transform yourself from an ordinary person to become an extraordinary