Kazakhstan > Looking for a Gamma store

After breakfast, we search in Taldykorgan for extra bolts and nuts. The hotel receptionist pointed us to a place where it should be possible. Three halls stand side by side, each filled with small auto-parts shops. One by one: “njet.” But no one seems to know where we might find what we need. Maybe stall 48, one person suggests. Perhaps 72, says another. This isn’t getting us anywhere. Eventually, we end up in a sort of kitchen store. They don’t have bolts, but they do have small washers. These are useful too. Further along the road, someone understands what we need. Although all the signs are entirely in Russian, we eventually reach a kind of hardware store. Here, they have what we’re looking for. Behind the hotel, we put Brutus on the jack. We remove the guard plate and grind away some remaining bits. Then we can reinstall the protective plate with enough washers in place. We also top up the engine oil under the car, refill the reservoirs, and tighten anything that has loosened from vibration. The motorcyclists also make good use of the day. Wilco has bought a new tent, and Milko has temporarily repaired his exhaust. Hopefully it will hold until the delivery in Semey. Tomorrow, we continue north. It’s 900 kilometers to Semey. In the evening, we walk through Taldykorgan. Taldykorgan is a medium-sized city in Kazakhstan. Around the central square, children play with electric cars and skateboards. The buildings surrounding the square are brightly lit with neon and colored fluorescent lights, making every building look like a restaurant or hotel. Just outside the square, we find a sort of American-style hamburger place—a perfect spot to end the day.

Kazakhstan - Brutus on the horizon