#79 KAZAKHSTAN

Central Asia is one of my favorite parts of the world, but it's not without its challenges. Complicated visa requirements, bad transit connections, authoritarian governments, and weird currency conversions are all standard in this part of the world.

Having lived in Kabul for many years, I'd been to neighboring Tajikistan several times and also crossed overland into Uzbekistan, but Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan always seemed to be just out of reach. So finally, for my last R&R from Kabul before leaving at the end of 2017, I decided to fly into Bishkek, travel overland to Almaty, and then fly home via Istanbul.

We travelled overland to the Kazakh border from Kyrgyzstan with a private taxi. The immigration process was as authoritarian and bleak as you'd expect, and the immigration officials were not pleased with my many Afghan visas. Finally, after a longer-than-usual wait, I was on my way to Almaty, the glittery capital filled with war monuments, beautiful trees, luxurious bathhouses, and some really incredible and unique foods - if you ever go to Almaty, make sure to order the qarta!

Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen - Almaty, 2017

Gakku Restaurant, Almaty, 2017

A mix of horse meats, horse sausage, and qarta - a dish of boiled horse rectum, taken from the final few inches of digestive tract before the muscular part of the anus, served without sauce or spices - Gakku Restaurant, Almaty, 2017