The storm rages on....

The storm turns into a full on blizard as wead head back to Kulasari. I was actaully covering the distance faster the day before on the bike as we sit on about 17km an hr max.

We pass the oil field which is now a nicer shade of white indeady of black oilly goodness. The road is ashphelt but puntuated by lada sized potholes and long streches where the ashphelt has gone altogether. As the snowget thick the poor lada begins to struggle in some of the more muddy sections. I am sitting in the with the front cog of my bike threatening to severe my jugular if we stop in anykind of hurry. I havent got my seat belt on as the bag fromt the trailer is preventing me from moving anywhere at all.

We come to a rather soft section and the Lada is not liking it much at all.The front wheels are stuck pretty hard in the mud. Then the engine stalls and the guy in the passenger seat gets out to try and restart the car. I look at the fuel gauge which is flashing empty. I am beggining to wonder if maybe the tent was a better option than freezing to death in a car in the middle of nowhere. The engine restarts and its time to push. First one person, then two and then three of us are trying to get the car moving. The snow is being driven into my face by the wind and i am now covered in mud thanks to the spinning wheels. Eventaully she moves once more and we are off, only to have to repeat the process three or so more times. We all breath a collective sign of relif when we are back on the main road.

I am taken to the drivers house and fed. Having not had breakfast i am very greatful. I am invited to take a nap which i do. The train i am told leaves at 230 am.Later the driver returns and we move to his house to wait for the train. As happens when its cold and snowing in Kazakstan, a bottle of Vodka apears. Not fancing a drunken train trip i politly decline thier offer.

By 1 oclock the driver who was going to take me to the train staion has passed out. The rest of the crowd that had gathered are not looking in much better shape. Thankfully they call me a taxi and we pile in to head to the station.

The station is in total darkness. I feel like its back in the war and there may be an incoming airraid. On some signal, im not sure what everyone moves to the platform which is likewise in total darkness except for the light of the approching train. The train over shoots the platform and so everyoe then has to run to catch up. There is a caotic scramble as a seething mass of people tries to capture some of the few remaining bunks on the train. I lock the bike and throw my bag on a bed...