An Old Man
& Four Stans
W
hen do we riders stop
looking for adventure?
Maybe we simply fade
away!
Having done a few
great overseas rides and
lots of my home country (Australia) at
77 years of age it is only now and then
that I think about stopping. Although,
I will admit to a comment on a previ-
ous ride: “This is my last one!” Obvi-
ously, I was not serious.
A few months back I read a small
article on Kazakhstan and decided I
should find out more about Central
Asia.
Very quickly my research led me to
the web site: www.silkoffroad.kz of-
fering a twenty-day tour across four
“Stan” countries. I was hooked and
booked!
KAZAKHSTAN
Almaty with a little over 2 million
people has a very well-planned in-
ner-city region. The cleanest under-
ground rail stations imaginable, great
cafes and even an inner-city street
TRAVERSE 73
named “Walking Street” set up for
family enjoyment and where a guy
playing a piano accordion picked my
accent and as I walked away played
‘Waltzing Matilda’, an iconic tune to
any Australian. He certainly spun me
around!
I visited an Almaty museum and
there was a somewhat battle scarred
BMW K1200LT motorcycle on display.
It had been ridden 250,000 kilometres
across 100 countries. Why 100 coun-
tries on a very heavy tourer? There
was a life size model of the Kazakh
rider revered as their ‘Famous Biker’.
Judging by his stature and muscle he
could pick up the 380kg machine.
The day before the official time
with Silk Off-Road the six other riders
flew in. A few ales were downed as I
caught up with old friends and made
new ones. We were met by personnel
from Silk-Off-Road who had arranged
for an evening out at a great eating
house.
Food was generally great but with
horse meat often on the menu and
having a grand-daughter who is a