We have spent the past 3 days (14th,15th, 16th) on the A340 from Barnaul to Rubtsovsk and the border into Kazakhstan. We have been forced to travel slowly because our Kazak Visa does not start until July 17th. Had we given a little more thought to our situation last week, and had a little more knowledge about the country side south of Barnaul we could easily have spent some extra time in the Altai Mountains, that would have been more interesting and more comfortable than the hot, flat farm land we have been in the past 3 days.

We have continued to be surprised and impressed by the countryside and small towns, there are large industrial level farm fields as far as the eye can see, the townships are generally tidy though modest, and the road is excellent. We have even seen work crews collecting trash from roadside trash cans.

We are somewhat anxious about tomorrows border crossing and the subsequent entry into Almaty, its a big city and we need to find a place to stay. Unlike other places we have no hints from other travelers.

On the other hand Kazakhstan will be the first country on this trip we have not been to before.


Camping the last 3 days has simply been, find a nice patch of grass/forest beside the road and pull in.