You can never get enough of travelling because it is always interesting to know what is going on over there, behind the windows of your car. This time we are going on a trip from Almaty to Astana so don’t forget to fasten your seatbelts.

142 km. Near Aidarly Village. Taisiya and her family have 10 m2 of land where they grow watermelons for sale. In winter, they grow and take care of their cattle.

171 km. Kongenshel Village. This cafe was opened 10 years ago by Kuralay’s parents. Today it is a place well-known among haulers, hunters, fishermen and police officers.

Recently, Kuralay returned from China where her special needs daughter was operated on. The woman paid $9,000 for the operation but her daughter still cannot walk by herself. Kuralay hopes that she will get better.

Kuralay’s competitors.

Zhazerke cleans up the table because lunchtime is the busiest part of the day for her, even though they open 24 hours.

265 km.

The truck of these two haulers has broken down.

Rustem is a certified brewer but he failed to find a good job to provide for his family. Now he is a hauler.

Haulers always support each other on the road.

320 km.

337 km.

340 km. This truck is transporting a mosque dome.

350 km. We are in Nadezhda Cafe.

Nadezhda (on the right) is a certified cook. After the fall of the Soviet Union, she lost her job and had to start her own business. She opened a cafe. Her husband has a wrecker and her son-in-law works in a tire fitting shop.

353 km. Nurash is a guard who works up selling fish.

365 km.

391 km.

420 km.

431 km. Another fish sign.

Medet is an owner of the store selling fish.

Ivan is from Lipetsk, Russia. He sometimes visits Taraz where he has friends. It takes him about three days to get there.

431 km. This is a cafe serving Azerbaijan dishes. Nazir and fis family moved to Kazakhstan 10 years ago.

His shish kebob is considered the best in the area. He makes it by himself and has his own secrets how to make it tasty and juicy.

It is delicious!

500 km. Another cafe. Murat used to have a minivan and was a taxi driver. However, unauthorized taxi drivers from Priozyorsk sent down his prices so he had to start something new.

His wife. They opened the cafe together about 13 years ago.

They named their cafe after their daughter Raushan. She wants to enter a medical university to become a surgeon.

The cafe’s proprietary dishes.

505 km. Saryshagan Village.

590 km.

630 km. Ivan is a driver heading to Pavlodar. His car has broken down so he’s calling his wife (who is expecting by the way).

632 km. This lady named her cafe after her son Nadir too.

Fried patties.

She started her busines, just like many other Kazakh cafe owners, with opening a stall. Now she has a cafe and is very proud of what they serve here – homemade food only.

698 km.

764 km. Renat is a shepherd and he works all year round for 20,000 tenges a month plus food and cigarettes.

His only connection with the civilization is a radio.

778 km.

Ablai is a part-time student. He’s going to become a lawyer. He works up with his dad. They will offer you to take a photo with a camel or purchase their gloves or socks.

825 km.

868 km. Uali is a certified electrician who now owns a cafe.

984 km.

Alexey of Bishkek is a hauler and he likes his job and says that his longest business trip lasted for three months.

1,000 km. A police officer is checking this hauler’s documents.

Karaganda.

1,036 km. At a gas station.

1,045 km.

Vladimir and Sergey are haulers too. They’ve left their trucks to go to the city to take a shower and have some rest.

Sergey, “Hope my wife will see me on the Internet. The last time I was at home was on September, 15th”.

1,069 km. “Natasha! Hello!”

1,067 km. Smack Cafe.

1,064. This retiree grows potatoes for sale because his pension is not enough to provide for himself and his family.

1,095 km. Evgenia is waiting for her bus.

1,126 km. “Peace will Win the Battle with War!”

1,207 km.

1,220 km. These workers are going to plant trees.

1,220 km. Astana.

Location: Kazakhstan

via voxpopuli.kz