Where am I?

Prior to traveling to unknown paradise that is not on the top 200 vacation destination, I searched the website to find out information about this unknown paradise. Reading articles titled ‘Welcome to Hell, arriving through a modernized Atyrau International Airport, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, former U.S.S.R.’, so really it can’t be that bad, but everything I have read was not looking good.

So I’ll have to see for myself.

Arrived Sunday night (Oct 18), received a good night sleep for a long week ahead. Prior to the end of the week, it hit, the flu, hit us all, 8 out of 9 team members had the flu, some worst then others. The first weekend trapped in the hotel with the flu. So during the second weekend, did a little touring, took some pictures, walked to Asia and back, hit the local shopping mall, well that was about 4 hours of the weekend. We did try to take a drive to see the Caspian Sea, but we were denied a driver for the long drive of 45 miles.

Shopping is very expenses except if you are purchasing vodka and cigarettes…believe it or not, I haven’t bought that much, nothing really to buy, no souvenirs, no postcards, no shot glass, and no souvenirs.

I have noticed that even though everything is extremely expenses the ladies here dress very nice showing off their Chanel, Prada, and other name brand boots. I would have to say, the boots are more expenses then some of the residences I have seen.

So the country is Kazakhstan and the city is Atyrau which is in two continents, Asia and Europe. The hotel is on the Europe side and the office is on the Asia side. So each business day, I’m in one country, one city, and two continents. The Ural River that I cross each day is the border of the two continents.

Most places that I have toured, you can always find a McDonalds, Starbucks, or a Pizza Hut, but not here, the only American restaurant is ‘TGI Fridays’. The food here is ok, they like to put pickles in most dishes, which I find odd, but it’s still good. The KZ people favorite meat is horse, I know right, how can they eat those lovely creatures, but after trying a taste, (Sorry Sis), I can understand why…it’s GOOD.

So I have 4 ½ days left of this unknown paradise and returning home will be the best thing about this place.