Kazakhstan has to be one of the worst countries we have visited - the roads are rubbish, really rubbish. The people we have met have allways been really helpfull most often than not, and that makes getting around a whole lot easier. Aktobe and Alma-ata where beautiful cities but everywhere there's a hole in the ground - they fill it full of rubbish, normal household refuse and this spoiles the countries. We got the same ferry as Ewan and Charlie and when the ferry touches at the other side your at the border gates waiting to get into the country. We then have a 2 hour wait while every man and his dog has a look at the bikes and ask us where we are from and where are we going !! , and of course filling out customs declarations. Kazakhstan is soooo big we lost 2 days just because of the roads, and had to camp for 2 nights. Even we where wishing we where back in Russia and on good roads. Kazakhstan has been a low point for us but , HEY!!! we're back in Russia. We rode to georgievka only to find that they didn't have a gastinitza (hotel), so we had to go to the next city which was Semipalatinsk which made our total milage for the day 602miles. Exhausting and extreme concentration needed at all times because of the total disregard of any sort of traffic law. We arrived at Semy at 12 midnight and found a hotel, not particullarly nice , 1 star at the very most. Allthough not totally happy, we made do because we where just so tired. After a lie in, we made our way up to Barnaul which is just mad !!!. The Russian women are stunningly beautiful ( you would love it Ozzmiester ). As we drove into the city, 2 young lads on a scooter pulled up an we asked them about a hotel, to which they motioned with their hands for us to follow- which we did and here we are in Barnaul and we have most of the bike bar trying to get us some tyres. We have been here now for 4 days and we don't have a definate on the tyres. Hopefully when we see Denis,Alex,Sanya and Sasha they will have good news for us, we'll have to wait and see!!!. This trip so far has given us the best of times and the worst of times. We are still loving it though. Hope to see you ladies in Assen for the moto GP. We will update at the first chance we get but computers are getting like rocking horse s**t. Mark and Paul