Stage 17 etap 3 - September 14 2026
Although we boarded Zarifa at about 03.30 yesterday we only left the Baku dock at 07.30. After about 25 hours sailing we finally docked in Kazakhstan this morning. There were some customs and passport checks on board and much later the German cycling family and I were invited to visit the Captain on the Bridge. Then we had another long bureaucratic adventure and by mid afternoon were cycling slowly on sandy tracks across the desert to get to Aktau. At some point I lost the family (!) and eventually arrived in the dark
Leaving Silk Way Hotel Aktau
Arrived late last night and this morning just cycling to leave my bike for the winter. This is then the end of Stage 17
KAZAKHSTAN - leaving the ship
A lot more ‘processing’ to get through on this side too!