Radisson Sas Hotel, Astana

After breakfast I'm walking along Respubliki when I hear a shout. It's Nikolai. He telephones Assel who tells me to go with him. We spend the morning bombing around Astana with Nikolai buying bits of motor stuff. We visit his pride and joy, a huge black Landrover which looks capable of travelling around the world a few times, if necessary winching itself all the ...

... compliments of an invitation from Astana Motors. I am twice the age of anybody else here. There is a variety of dancing entertainment hosted by a Russian woman TV presenter whose name I don't quite catch but who is known as "The Breasts of Russia". I try to figure out why she is called that. Still I don't care. I happily dance 'til 3am when fortunately Kuanysh, Assle's boss, offers me a lift back to the hotel. Gratefully I accept it.

... Lonely Planet, their recommendations do all seem to be overpriced, but it serves great plain food - cutlets, pilaf, meatballs and some great salads. It's quite comforting to come in at the end of the day no matter what the news has been to be greated by a cheery smile and hello and then go through the lengthy discussion on what I'm going to have. I even bought a dictionary today to supplement my phrase book so my meal is now less of a gamble than it has been.

... dining room with two other men, business men I think and help myself to the mysteries of the buffet table. It seems like a million miles from my trucker's cafe. No smiles, no attempt at find out a bit about me, no mime and breakfast is definitely breakfast and not an early dinner!

... in to the BMW dealership at 05.30. Unfortunately there are neither ramps nor banks available to offload the bike. Suggestions that the four of us - we now have the help of the security guard - can manhandle it gently down the 90 degree angle on the unsteady plywood sheets were met with a look on my face that said we've survived this far, we're not going to mess it up now, got through to Serge.

Back into the truck and after an exploratory tour around ...

Eine fast normale Woche, die Polizeikontrollen nahmen zum Monatsende imm** mehr zu, zum Glück hatten die Ordnungshüt** ab** nie Zeit für Diskussionen mit einem Ausländ** und haben mich imm** wied** ganz schnell fahren lassen. Da in Almaty sowie in Astana die Geschäftseinheiten uns**es Unt**nehmens einen weit**en Ausblick auf das laufende Geschäftsjahr gewagt haben durfte ich meine Meinungen in beiden Städten kund tun ...

... Es lohnt sich wirklich sich mal ein paar Minuten davon zu gönnen. http://www.youtube.com/members?ytsessio n=_BPmymS66UPVpD5v1_2RSzJU4MPWVTI0cBPoe pXLLnWjJw8fI7u4pOrzNq2CjJLQYzaZ9vgB2qiv Db3_ZcCx_XmmAfxku25tpQoSKGyBM5jdBgj-fuX dEO9ITsMx7ilhhVni5o7jY6fKQ683bpZ6LkSzs2 q6h9xWxkxcaGHKbPHNFF1T7eyDr4poRq6uxT6jv 08ZsAYTf-SmeJc4iHBHhdE6W-biSHG54YNHMBj2 NhDNgpcMVjF3hHhH6g09033YzAUOjt_bJo7DiJz YNVTQSCE8yWa7nYOr

... t dazu war Trinksprüche zu halten hatte ich dann gleich auf dem Rückflug noch Stanislaw neben mir, d** mich, ohne dass wir uns irgendwie v**standen hätten, p**manent belab**te. Halt, das heißt nicht p**manent. Eigentlich hat ** während des Fluges p**manent v**sucht irgendjemanden mit seinem Handy anzurufen und sich imm** wied** darüb** geärg**t, dass ** keinen Empfang hat. Erst kurz vor d** Landung hatte ** dann Glück und konnte seinen Gesprächspartn** **reichen.

... Kyrgz Embassy. I shoved them at our helper who rushed them down to the office. She returns and says it is probably OK, and not to be afraid. And while I wait for the decision, why not join her and her friends? So I did. There were about 6 women around me that were all between maybe 45 and 60. I became their pet for the next 9 hours. Their English was poor, and if you know me, you probably have some idea about my Russian (rrrrRusky), but we communicated well with sign ...

... Terry from Uralsk (International Business Center), Greg from Aktobe (Invalid Project), and George from Taraz (Youth Organization Development). The Peace Corps are moving their headquarters to Astana in 2007 and they initiated this presentation. Astana is the new Capitol and Peace Corps is following the Embassy there. They want to start to build relationships and show the administration what Peace Corps volunteers can do. Some of the people that ...