A trip to Georgia. To make it failproof I’ve planned my trip by train to have 4 hours to switch from train to plain in Astana.

The fail prooved stronger as usual: the train managed to be late by 3 hours during just 10 hours of travel. Lovely train crew asked if I had further plans in Astana. When we realized I can’t make it in time they advised me to leave train early and to get to the airport by car.

5 o’clock exit in Qaraganda. 200 km trip by taxi to Astana… To have 30 minute wait for anyone on the desk to get my luggage. Made it onboard. One transfer more, one pepper spray tank less, one conversation with the police more, 4 hour-long tea-time in Aktau (that’s the airport where you want expensive stuff to be sold but all you can get is cheap tea and a sandwich). I am in Georgia.

On the photo:

Lovely grannies sell apples on the Almaty train station

In Kazakhstan travel by train is very emotional: you see a relief of landscape and you are excited till the rest of the day

Or interestingly some patches of red soil on the ground

Also: if someone was curious how “luxury” train trip looks. If you book lower place, the upper one is unlikely to be sold. Luxury

Overall first impression: same mountains, more breathable air