31 Jul Did I mention it was hot?
July 30
If I could photograph this searing heat, it would look like flames. It burns your eyeballs just to open them, and the hot wind blows without break. Parching and endless is this stretch of desert between Aralsk and Kyzlorda.
We saw three horses, two standing and one down. Sure that the third was dead, Stefano went to investigate. Thankfully, the third stood up, indignant that his dirt nap had been interrupted. How on earth they live out here is staggering. Hottest place on earth. Has to be.
We attempted to take a look around Baikonur, the space launch center owned by Russia and subcontracted out to various space agencies like our own NASA. A more desolate and depressing place you would struggle to find.
We forged on, trying to reach Kyzlorda for a hotel and much needed hot showers after many nights of wild camping, in the oppressive heat, and the close quarters of the bus.
Didn’t make it to the Nomad Palace in Kyzlorda until 2:30 am. Exhausted. Chased by drunk locals, carloads of them.