An Adventure in Kazakhstan

Of late, visas have been the most annoying aspect of travel for me, and when I discovered that Kazakhstan offers a visa-free stay of 14 days to Indian nationals (and a direct three-and-a-half-hour flight from New Delhi on Air Astana), I could hardly contain my excitement. I promptly booked a ‘side’ trip along with the annual visit to my home country, and my family was generous enough to allow me some alone time, so off I went!

But I must say that I had never been so badly prepared for any other trip so far. For starters, I couldn’t convert any currency prior to departure, so I just carried American dollars since this would be accepted for the two group tours that I had planned with the “GetYourGuide” app (I have used them in other countries and found them to be great value for money). My accommodation had been already reserved on ‘Booking.com’ at THREE different places—the first two were hostels since I would be doing the local sightseeing on those days and would need to just have a safe place to crash.

Kazakh herder on his horse, with herd

The first hostel was furthermore an exclusive women’s hostel, and they served an awesome breakfast included in the price. It was here that I found a phone charger that became my lifeline over the next few days, since the charging points are completely different from anything I have used in the USA, India, Malaysia, or any other country. (Truth be told, the hostel receptionist ‘lent’ me the attachment, and I did search for an outlet where I could buy my own and return the former but failing this, I decided to keep it as a good luck charm, because the next morning the girl at the desk had changed and I kept mum about my misdemeanor!). And so far, I had been paying with my USD, which were now running out, and I had to get some local currency, the search for which brought me to the brink of tears at the challenges involved.

First, I could not get a cab because I didn’t have the local ‘tenge’. Second, I couldn’t book a cab because I didn’t have a phone number to link the taxi app, having been managing with the Wi-Fi internet (and later an e-sim). So, I looked up the nearest currency exchange  on Google maps (there is also a local map app called ‘2gis’ which is the preferred one in this region), and proceeded there on foot- it was a blessing that it was a few hundred meters from my next hostel, and within a reasonable walking distance of less than two kilometers, with my small suitcase in tow, and I had to climb and descend the subway a few times.

On this leg, I couldn’t be more grateful for the local people who went out of their way to help me out- allowing me to tether to their phones to continue using Google maps- and also physically showing me the way (it was only when I reached my second destination that I decided to purchase an e-sim using the Internet; Sim card outlets are difficult to locate using Google search engines, since most of the names and addresses are in Russian or Kazakh, but I generally got the idea that there was none where I could just walk to.

The second hostel was a mixed one, though I was in a female dorm, in a soft and comfortable lower bunk bed, and a homely ambience. It was here that I met an Indian student who helped me negotiate a taxi app called ‘InDrive’, which didn’t require a connection to a phone number, and which I was successfully able to use the next day as I made my way to my third and final accommodation—a service apartment with the most amazing view of the Zailiyskiy-Alatau range of mountains, which encircles the city of Almaty.

View from my apartment in Almaty

The next three days passed in a dreamlike state, exploring the town center with the beautiful Panfilov Park and the exquisite Ascension Cathedral, and all the bigger and smaller cafes, restaurants, malls and markets. I even gatecrashed a pub which was hosting a reggae night in memory of Bob Marley, having been drawn to the pulsating music as I was strolling aimlessly across the city. I also fell in love with the soulful strains of Kazakh folk and pop, heard almost everywhere that I went to- there is a very conscious attempt to preserve local culture and tradition, though English/Western pop did play at several venues.

Enough cannot be said about the lovely people of this magnanimous country. Boasting striking features of the best of the Occident and the Orient- with commanding stature, flawless skin, dark hair, winsome smiles and the curious mix of Chinese eyes and Greek noses, they are a sight to behold. They are also incredibly friendly, especially to Indians, and I was pulled into selfies and social dancing, much to my delight. They are also very devoted to family, especially their elderly parents, and I witnessed people of ALL ages going about in a sprightly manner.

In fact, the fences around Panfilov Park were being given a fresh coat of paint by pensioners the morning I visited here. The younger children are boisterous without being obnoxious, and the young adults engage in public display of affection without being in the least offensive—in fact, it just adds to the romance of this city. It is really SO refreshing to be in a liberal Muslim country practicing their faith in the confines of their homes (Kazakhstan is 70% Muslim and 30% Christian and does not have an ‘official’ religion), where the freedom of Western sensibilities sits cozily with moral values and practices.

A supermarket in Almaty

Kazakhstan is also a foodie’s paradise, and everything from ramen to pizza is available. Food, and the overall cost of living, is economical while being fresh, tasty and easily procured—especially an astonishing variety of fruit and vegetables; I found at least five varieties of peach! All kinds of meat can be found in supermarkets and eating places, with horse meat being the local delicacy—no, I did NOT try this one out, though I am told it is an acquired taste- having been violently sick in Thailand from a beef burger at a fancy diner, I am reluctant to try out any unusual type of meat anywhere. Salads were my savior here!