Two months into 2020, I had already booked my flight to a new destination. What made it even more exciting was that I was about to explore a new region I had never been to before. Then suddenly—BAM! COVID-19 hit. The whole world went into lockdown, and our priority was to stay safe and healthy.
As the world slowly opened, flight tickets remained way out of my budget. Yet, the travel bug in me can't be stopped from traveling. Instead, I get redirected to other cities each time I attempt to visit my original planned destination. I ended up in Kyrgyzstan, then Uzbekistan, and even Uganda! How insane was that?
Four years later...
I quit my job and I'm traveling the world, it's now or never! Lol, just kidding.
But I did quit my job, for real. Finally, the stars flight tickets aligned with my budget and dates. I was ready to slap someone, should they stop me from my travel plans. Well, I almost did.
With only 24 hours left before my flight, I started packing. I realized I didn't need much. Then off I went. Kazakhstan, here I come!!!!
Exploring Almaty & Southern Kazakhstan.
In a short span of time, I’ve seen a stark contrast between the places I visited.
Almaty is a city full of life blending modern buildings with wooden architecture, and a mix of European and Soviet influences. Kaindy Lake, on the other hand, offers a surreal and dramatic landscape. Ghostly spruce trees rise out of the vibrant yet crystal-clear waters of the lake, giving it the nickname "sunken forest".
Another alpine lake at 1,800 MASL is Kolsai Lake. It is a scenic natural mountain reservoir surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands of spruce trees and wildflowers, with the Tien Shan mountains as its backdrop. Last but not least, and my favorite of all, is the Charyn Canyon. Its ruggedness, dramatic rock formations, and vibrant desert hues were totally up my alley!
F*ck Peak Bagging, it's yet another lesson of humility.
Recommended to me by Tala Shin, I joined a group led by brothers Aibek & Eric. Both of them were kind enough to assure me that I would be okay despite my worries about keeping up with the pace. Two hours in, I managed to reach the first stop just within the cut-off time.
Then it started raining. Everyone took their raincoats and windbreakers out. One hiker even had windbreaker pants which I find interesting. Unfortunately, I had nothing else to pull out. I was wearing all the waterproofs I owned and I knew I was in for a disaster.
Slowly, I approached Eric and told him I would be turning back. His smile disappeared and was replaced by a look of sadness—maybe even a bit of disappointment. He has all the right to be.
But I knew my limits. Without a proper raincoat (it's all my fault), my waterproof jacket would not be enough once we hiked higher. I didn't want to be a burden once the cold set in, because it would be an ugly situation. So at 3,000 MASL, I turned back.
With a heavy heart, I bid goodbye to the group. As soon as I started walking back, I couldn't help but shed some tears. Not that I'm turning back from Everest or anything, but because I had to let go of my desire to reach the peak (only 660 MASL left).
You can't get away from the Kazakhs' hospitality.
A few minutes later, I realized that it wouldn't hurt if I stayed a few more minutes before going down. I went back to the gazebo to take a short rest. All of a sudden, I was joined by another hiker. Followed by his friends, one by one.
There was no time for me to sulk anymore. I found myself in the company of the liveliest group I could have wished for. With my limited Russian, we exchanged introductions, snacks, photos, and lots of laughter. They taught me new vocabulary and even introduced me to a place I had never heard of—the Republic of Tatarstan.
His YT channel is: Batya Life
The unexpected rendezvous in the mountain reminded me of the Kazakhs' warm hospitality. I experienced genuine kindness not only from the hikers I met but also at the local market during my first day in Almaty.
Back then, Green Bazaar was my first stop. While free samples are common in bazaars, have you ever received something from locals while doing their shopping? Nah. Me neither, this is a first.
Traveling solo, but I was never alone.
As a solo traveler, I'm pretty sure I looked naive from the get-go. And being one sometimes means being vulnerable. Fortunately, in this part of the world, being vulnerable attracts the opposite of what you might expect.
I can't express my gratitude enough because all I've received was nothing but kindness, helpfulness, and respect from other people. Strangers would go out of their way to help me, take pictures of me, and keep me company even if just for a short time.
When they got a chance to strike conversation with me, they never failed to mention how brave I was to travel alone. To which, my response is, "You can do it too".
Of all the solo travel I've done so far, Kazakhstan is another place where I've felt truly happy. It is now in tight competition with Kyrgyzstan, that's for sure.
The trip wasn't perfect and there were LOTS of hiccups. I even almost ran to a clinic because of the spreading insect bites all over me. But in the end, I always felt I was in good company like people were looking out for me. It was a sense of community and belonging, I guess. Even in the banya... especially in the banya (a traditional Russian steam bath).
Embracing the slow days and a fresh start.
I believe there's always a reason as to why we are where we are. Similar to how I was redirected to Kyrgyzstan back in 2022, my solo travel to Kazakhstan was no exception. Although I was four years late, this trip couldn't be more timely than ever.
In those four years, I’ve grown significantly as a person and as a traveler. Had I traveled in 2020, I probably crammed everything in a few days and moved on. Chances are, I wouldn't have appreciated the importance of rest and slow days, and how essential they are both in travel and life. This time, I was able to do sightseeing, slowed down in between, and immersed myself in the present moment.
Rest and slow days are what's waiting for me around the corner. This time, I’m learning to go with the flow, without resistance. Life isn't just all about big and small wins, milestones, and highs and lows. There are also what we call the in-betweens, the idle days, and the uninspiring chapters. Here's to our uninspiring chapters ahead—cheers! So long, Almaty, and goodbye!
