Day 36

Around 3:00 in the morning the crew start screaming around “FINISH!!” “FINISH!!!!”, we guess that’s that we are approaching Aqtau. We have to get ready!

We wait until around 5:00 on the ship, and then the military come, that’s the first passports and baggage inspection. Then, we have to leave the ferry and wait on the harbour. A van comes and takes some of us every time to a building. Then, starts all the crazy paperwork. I’m just going to say that we spend on the border around 6 hours without water, food (any breakfast since 3:00!) or a shadow. When we were about to leave, they say that we need one last stamp. And here comes the surprise! An official closes the door leaving Tià alone with him on a room… and he asks for a bribe! Not in a disguise way. He keeps saying “TIPS TIPS TIPS!!” moving his fingers asking for money. Tià did it really well, he just played dumb saying -“yess, Baku is nice. Baku to Aqtau with ferry…” The man got tired an just stop.

So finally we are in Kazahstan!!!!!!! We search a hotel to stay with Pixie and Robin, and we have lunch in a fancy restaurant (well deserved after 3 days just eating chicken).

In the evening a big storm starts, the weather has changes and we are worried for tomorrow. When we check the forecast is a disaster. It is expected to have strong winds tomorrow, with gusts up to 100 km/h. We can’t ride like that, it’s not safe for any of us.