How to sell a car in Astana

I have written before about the lengthy and complicated process of buying a car in Astana.  Selling a car is even more complex. 

Even old cars hold their value well in Astana. Selling them is,
however, time-consuming.

Kazakhstan has just brought in new emissions laws and this means that only newer vehicles that meet the emissions codes may be imported into the country.  This has caused massive problems in the diplomatic community as the cars are registered on red plates without import.  Sale to a new owner is then exempted from import again.  The actual impact of the law is somewhat obscure but the practical effect is that no diplomat is able to sell a car of more than 10 years old – even cars approaching that age will be cheap and difficult to sell.

Our car, which we bought from a local, was not registered to us on red plates but on yellow, expat, plates with all import and duties fully paid by a previous owner.  This meant that our car was exempt from the new legislation.  We considered driving the car to Europe and leaving it with a relative so that we have a European side drive car for mainland holidays but I suspect, given the age of the car and the maintenance history, it would have failed any EU emissions tests and cost a lot of money to bring up to standard.

We did advertise the car for sale through expat channels but expatriate purchasers were reluctant to buy such an old car.  This was probably because of the level of uncertainty on the emissions law and its application to expat purchasers and because of the high costs of second hand imports (cars do not generally depreciate their value in Kazakhstan to the same extent as in Europe).  Our only practical option therefore was to sell to a local purchaser.

This actually made the whole process much easier – we were intending to go to the car mart on the ring road and hawk the car there but the colleague we asked to help us asked instead if he could buy the car from us – this was a perfect solution but I suspect the market would also have been fine as long as we had help with translation.  I could have managed the negotiations and garage work but dealing with the bureaucracy of the transfer without assistance would have been a nightmare.

In order to transfer ownership we had to take the car to the office of the road police some distance out of town, this would de-register our yellow plates.  I came along to drive and allow the purchaser and my husband to hop out and deal with paperwork as necessary.

The first two times we went to the police station the office was closed with computer problems but we were lucky on the third time.  I ended up with the usual experience when driving Kazakh men – ‘could I really drive a manual? (Yes did he want me to show him how)’ ‘did my husband mind being driven by me?’ ‘had I really been driving for 20 years at my age?’ ‘is the UK driving test hard, does everyone really learn on a manual – even the women?’.  I struck a blow for feminism by asking if the purchaser would teach his wife to drive, he considered my question for a while and said it might save him on the cost of a taxi when he and his friends went out to have a drink!  It was all fairly good natured, the purchaser is a lovely man and a good colleague during our time in Astana just with very different cultural expectations. 

After sorting out the plates we had to go to the ‘consul’ – I am not quite sure what we did there but it was, apparently, necessary.  None of us knew where this office was and we ended up driving around the right bank in rush hour calling various colleagues for an address – an hour later we finally tracked it down.  We then had to go to a notary and register the actual transfer of the ownership of the car which would enable to purchaser to get a technical check on the car and apply for numberplates.

We kept the car that night as there was no time to get a tech-check and register new plates.  The next day we passed it over to the purchaser so he could sort out his paperwork.  It was very strange to see the car under a different number that afternoon. 

We managed to get the sale sorted out one week before we left.  If I were doing it again I would start the sale process earlier.  There are so many hurdles to jump to re-register ownership, it took us three days to find the police station open and if any of the other offices had been closed it might have caused problems.  It was a bit of a pain being without the car for the final week and having to rely on other transport means but at least we knew it was sorted and done. 

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A photo tour of Astana

Before we came to live here Astana was just a name on a map – a remote capital under the achingly beautiful blue sky in the middle of the endless Central Asian Steppe.  Remote Astana may be but it is also vibrant, modern and beautiful.

As part of the Piri-Piri Lexicon 'show me around your neighbourhood' world tour I am writing about our daily life in Astana.  

Astana  is the second coldest capital in the world – the temperature drops below freezing in November and the city is frozen until March.  Temperatures of between -20 and -32 Celsius are common and it is not unknown for the temperature to drop below -45.  Add the windchill factor from the fierce, ceaseless northern winds and the actual temperature is enough to freeze the car exhaust fumes as the cars drive.

The City freezes in November and remains frozen for five months. 
The cold temperatures mean there is no freeze thaw cycle so the
snow remains clean and beautiful.  The winter skies are often clear and blue. 

Astana is, however a dichotomy, a city of opposites.  While our winters may be brutal we bask in a beautifully warm summer.  Once the temperature warms up the flower beds bloom in a profusion of colours and walks in the park become heady with their scent.  Fountains are all over the place, providing a cooling respite from a walk through the city. 

Beautiful, fragrant flower beds are laid out in tengrist (ancient religious) patterns.

Getting around can be a challenge, particularly in the winter when the temperature drops.  Public Buses are frequent and warm but the wait can be cold.  Most people prefer to hitch-hike with a gypsy cab - a great way to practice Russian and Kazakh skills.  We bit the bullet and bought our own car which makes life much easier.

Any car can become a cab - just stick your hand out and wait for someone
to stop.  Rides cost about $2.

Our children go to British Independent school Haileybury Astana here in Kazakhstan and there are several other international schools including an American School and a Turkish School.  Local schools are found throughout the city and pupils are educated from the age of 7.  The Schools tend to be large, low buildings designed around functionality for the extreme weather.  Local schools will close if the weather gets too bad - this is to make sure that children (who often walk to school) are not out in very cold weather.  The temperature at which children must stay at home varies depending on age. 

Shopping in Astana can be has high end or as low end as you wish - all the prestigious malls have supermarkets and they make for an easy one stop shop, particularly for dry ingredients.  Supermarkets, however high end, are not, however, the best place to find fresh ingredients, particularly vegetables.  When I need to buy fresh produce  I tend to visit one of the covered bazaars in the old (right bank) part of town.  My particular favourite place is Artyum a five floor emporium.  The ground floor has a good selection of stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fruit, pulses and spices.  The shops on the upper floors sell everything from household equipment to sporting goods, coats to lingerie and dogfood to furniture.  

Stall holders in Artyum display their wares.

Produce is always artfully displayed.

Astana is being built before our eyes – go away for a month and construction will have started on a new building. The right bank of the River Ishim comprises the original town but the left bank is the bustling centre of the new metropolis.  Wide boulevards are lined with prestigious apartment complexes and statement architecture. 

New buildings spring up every few months –
the ‘Death Star’ is to be the new National Library.  

The skyline of part of the left bank of Astana – cranes are a constant presence
in the city as something is always being built.  Most buildings are commercial
on the lower floors with apartment accommodation above.

Most of the accommodation is comprised of apartments in large square buildings built around a central courtyard containing playgrounds, sports facilities and small convenience stores (although skyscrapers such as the ones in the background in the photograph above are becoming more popular. Each lobby has a concierge responsible for ensuring services to the apartments are managed and to deal with maintenance and cleaning of the common parts.  A good concierge can be a useful friend and ally - ours pays all our bills for us and keeps our plants when we are on holiday.

Typical apartment buildings as seen from the Baiterek.
School 66, a local high school, is seen in the mid distance.

The playgrounds in the apartment buildings are popular during the summer when children will stay up to play as late as 10 or 11 at night. Most of the parks in the city will have bouncy castles, plagrounds and small electric scooters for hire.  

A typical summer entertainment complex in a park -
electric cars are very popular and can be hired for five
minutes at a time.

Even in the winter intrepid children can be seen climbing and swinging on the equipment or building a small ice slide but the cold is too intense to stay out for very long.  For this reason covered playgrounds are very common and the malls will give over a large amount of space to indoor entertainment complexes.  One mall has a climbing wall and arcade, the Khan Shatyr has an animatronic dinosaur park, a monorail and a log flume not to mention dodgems and many smaller rides.  It also has an indoor beach complete with water slides and a beach volleyball court.  

Astana's indoor beach at the top of the Khan Shatyr
we can relax by the beach even in a -40 blizzard.

The climbing wall is a popular attraction at one of the malls.

Astana is a very young city with a high birth rate - almost
all malls will have a toddler friendly soft play where children
can let off steam over the winter.

If you get bored of using the treadmill in the winter the Khan
Shatyr has an indoor running track along the edge where
willing victims can excercise in full view of the shoppers.
N.B. we have never yet seen anyone brave enough to use it.

The main boulevard on the left bank runs from West to East.  The centre of the boulevard is a pedestrianized garden walkway allowing people to promenade from the Khan Shatyr (a Norman Foster designed gigantic tent containing a shopping centre, amusement park, beach complex and restaurants) all the way down to the Ak Orda – the Kazakh White House.  Along the way  you walk past the new Astana Opera House,  Government ministries in the shape of salt and pepper pots, a concert hall built in the shape of a Dombyra (the national instrument), or a tulip depending on who you talk to and various spectacular skyscrapers.  

Norman Foster’s giant tent the Khan Shatyr (the tent of the King) dominates the
western end of the city.  The tent houses a shopping centre, restaurant court,
supermarket, theme park, cinema and beach with swimming pools and waterslides.  

Pedestrians relax in the gardens leading to the Ak Orda (the Palace of the President). 
The golden pepper pots are government ministries.  

Designed by Manfredo Nicoletti in the shape of a Dombyra or a tulip
the beautiful concert hall on the banks of the river is one of
Astana's many cultural venues.

In the centre of the boulevard pedestrians find themselves at the Baiterek monument.  The structure is an allegory of a Kazakh myth – representing a tree in which a magic bird lays an egg to protect it from a voracious dragon.  The white ‘tree’ is topped by a huge golden egg which contains a viewing platform giving unparalleled 360 degree views of the growing city.  The bar/restaurant serves drinks and snacks and is the perfect place to relax and watch the sun set over Astana and the Steppe beyond.

The Baiterek – the monument in the centre of the left bank. The photograph shows
the Baiterek lit up for the Nauruz (Persian New Year) celebrations.  

The Baiterek is surrounded by tree lined gardens and dominates
the centre of the Left Bank.

From the observation deck it is possible to spot almost all of Astana’s statement buildings. The government complexes are a short walk away, further away towards the airport the sporting complexes stand out on the edge of the city – the football stadium with the roof that can be closed for the winter, the ice palace and the velodrome built in the shape of a bicycle helmet.  Closer in to the centre of the city is the Triumph of Astana a modern (and vast) take on the Moscow Seven Sisters, Mega, the shopping centre shaped like a doughnut, the flying saucer that houses the circus, the sombrero that houses the palace of children and the building shaped like a pot within which there is a restaurant and music hall. 

The ‘flying saucer’ houses the Astana circus – a popular place
for families to go and enjoy their weekends.  More apartment buildings
are seen behind.

From the Baiterek  it is also possible to see over to the other side of the river.  In another large and very beautiful park is another Norman Foster creation,  the Pyramid Palace of Peace and Reconciliation where Kazakhstan hosts a triennial meeting of the leaders of world religions down to the Kazakh Eli national monument and the Academy of Music that everyone calls ‘the Dog Bowl’ because it is, well, shaped exactly like a dog’s bowl. 

Norman Foster’s Pyramid of Peace and Reconciliation dominates the park
across the river from the Ak Orda.  The Pyramid houses an art gallery,
library, café, museum, souvenir shop, conference centre and concert hall.  

This giant ‘dog bowl’ houses the National Music Academy.

I love visiting the Baiterek because it allows me to enjoy the whole city.  When my feet are firmly on the ground, however, I love nothing better than to walk along the river Ishim.  In the summer wide boulevards are the favourite haunts of courting couples, fitness fanatics, skateboarding children, proud parents pushing prams and just about everyone in between.  The river is calm and heavily managed, people fish or swim along the edges while pleasure boats take tours down the centre, there is even a rowing club. 

The wide embankments are the perfect for promenading
the river gives a different perspective on Astana.

In the winter, however, the river freezes solid very early on and is used as another pleasure park.  Ice rinks will be set up at various points and the city builds vertiginous and very fast ice slides down the embankments.  Snow mobiles power up the centre of the river’s course while cross country skiers enjoy their exercise.  Come February there is an ice rally – the sinuous and slippery course testing the skills of even the best drivers.  

The river becomes an ice playground in the winter time.

I hope you have enjoyed the tour of Astana.  If you enjoyed it you can read more entries in the series here.

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Kurban Ait in Astana

We have a  half term holiday this week.  It is a fantastic opportunity for us to recharge our batteries and to spend some time with the children.  The week coincides with the Kurban Ait holiday which is the local name for Eid Al Adah or the Feast of Sacrifice, a major Islamic celebration. 

Kurban Ait commemorates the willingness of Abraham (and the acquiescence of Ishamel) to sacrifice Ishmael at the request of God.  Before the sacrifice could be completed God provided  a lamb in place of Ishmael.    (This differs from the Christian tradition which states that Abraham was called on to sacrifice his younger son, his legal heir, Ishmael’s half brother Isaac).  Eid al Adah (Kurban Bayrami) was also a major celebration in Turkey – most of our friends would travel back to their families to enjoy the long break, everyone was on the move meaning we would stay at home, away from the horribly busy roads and airports. 

The tradition of Eid al Adah calls for people to dress in their best clothes and join in Eid Prayers  in a large congregation.  Families who can afford it will either sacrifice an animal which will be divided between family, neighbours and the poor or will pay into a communal sacrifice.  Here in Astana the city authorities specify the places where slaughter is permitted – they have to meet strict sanitary and epidemiological standards.  From there the mosques co-ordinate the distribution of meat to the needy.  Families spend the holiday together, enjoying special food and exchanging gifts.  Slaughter is not permitted in back yards, gardens or out on the streets but, I suspect out in the villages, as in Turkey, this still goes on.  I did notice a documentary on the television the other day on how to slaughter your sheep (I switched over very quickly).

Kurban Ait is a popular family holiday celebrated by most of our neighbours.  Over the next few days everyone we meet will be carrying bags full of food to prepare for the big celebratory meals.  They are always happy to include us in their celebrations in one way or another, exchanging greetings or asking us to come in for a few minutes.  It is not uncommon for our children to be given sweets or boursak (savoury doughnuts) by neighbours who meet them in the lift or courtyard.  Last year my husband and I had popped down to the building’s little convenience store to pick up a few essentials.  While we were there we got talking to an elderly lady we had not met before.  She had not realised that any foreigners lived in the building and was very interested to find out more about us.  We were talking for some time when she invited us to come up to her house for a meal; she wanted to know where we were from and what we thought about life in Kazakhstan. 

The afternoon became one that I will remember with particular warmth.  We helped her carry her shopping up to her apartment and as soon as we arrived we were sat down with a cup of tea.  She spoke to us in a mix of Russian and Kazakh that taxed our understanding, telling us about her pride in her children and their achievements.  Sadly her children lived in another city so she was on her own a lot although they were coming to get her for the holiday.  She had also, she told us, survived two heart attacks and a stroke.  All the while she was pottering around her kitchen getting a spread of fruit, fish, meat, biscuits and sweets, when the food was ready she gave a blessing before serving the meal.  We were travellers, she said, and on such days, travellers were both blessed and welcome.  We stayed and talked to her for some time, making sure that we ate at least a little of everything on the table, enjoying her company and trying our best to communicate and understand each other.  I truly wish I had been more competent with the language to be able to understand more of the detail of what she was saying and to be able to communicate our enjoyment of our time with her.  Nevertheless it was one of those situations where you realise how much you can communicate when both parties are willing.  When we left she pressed packets of sweets into our hands for our children. 

I have seen her around the building a few times since then and we always wave at each other and say hello and I popped some chocolates over to her for New Year and Nauruz.  Now that Kurban Ait has come around again I will bring something over and offer congratulations.

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Dressing for the Cold

We had our first snow of the winter last week.  This usually happens in the third or fourth week of October so to have it in the first week came as a bit of a shock.  This summer has been a wash out and with last winter having been relatively mild everyone is saying that we should expect a very cold one this year.  That said people give dire warnings of very cold winters every year and they have been absolutely fine but with the snow showing its face I thought it would be about time to check on our winter coats to see if they need any repairs and to make sure that they still fit the children.  At the moment and for the next few weeks we are still wearing our woollen Autumn coats although we will gradually supplement them with warmer and warmer accessories until the switch to full winter gear becomes inevitable.

A шуба or fur coat is the best option in the cold dry climate that we have here in Astana – it is warm and wind-proof.  I tend to wear a long coat most days as it is the most practical option for living in the city – I can wear an ordinary thin dress underneath and still be warm enough for a long walk.   Cosy lined boots  a warm fur hat, scarf and lined gloves keep all extremities warm.  Mink (норка) is the most popular fur – usually dyed black but sometimes left natural and seen in a stunning white tipped with grey and sometimes in brown.  Fox (лиса) and beaver (бобер) are also popular and rabbit (кролик) is often used for scarves, tippets and trimming accessories. 

Fur is practical in the cold

The downside of fur is the expense. Families here can save up for years to buy a coat and it will be handed down as an heirloom and often shared between family members.  You have to be very careful with handbag straps that can wear the fur, make sure that you do not sit on the same patch of the coat for extended periods and pay for cold storage over the summer.  For many expats fur brings ethical problems to the fore.  It is possible to buy ethically farmed fur and some manufacturers claim that the environmental impact of real fur is much less than that of the manufacturing process for faux fur.  Before we came to Kazakhstan I was adamant that I would not wear it but it really is the most practical option for keeping warm. 

Sheepskin: Heavy and very warm a дубленка or sheepskin coat is a popular and a cheaper option than fur but is, if anything, even warmer.  Sheepskin tends to be more durable, (women can wear a shoulder strap handbag) and does not need to be cosseted to the same extent.    The downside is that a full length coat can be extremely heavy indeed and very very hot as soon as you come inside a building.  Sheepskin does not seem to carry the same ethical dilemma for expats.   My husband tends to wear a sheepskin coat, his is short so if he plans to be outside for a long time he needs to wear thermal leggings under his trousers. 

Down and sheepskin keeps the family safe and warm.

Down:  Down coats are extremely popular – much lighter than the other two options but every bit as warm because of the loft of the down.  Down coats are available for as little as £100 or sometimes even less making them one of the most affordable options around.  The downside is that you can look as though you are walking around in a duvet.  Some of the designs are quite fetching, however, and many women's versions come with an elastic belt to help give some shape and definition.  Astana is dry but of course we do get snow sometimes in the winter and down can loose its effectiveness when it is wet.  Down is also very popular with children mostly because it is light, cheap and effective.  Ours wear down coats with a waterproof outer so that the down is protected when they play in the snow.  Salopettes, warm fur lined hats, mittens and snow boots mean that they are covered head to foot and can stay safe outdoors. 

Waterproofs mean that children can play in the snow without getting the down wet. 

I very rarely wear technical outdoor coats because I find it is just not effective.  It also screams ‘I am an expat’ but there are times when it is necessary.  This is usually when we decide to go skating or sledging outdoors.  Then I swallow my pride and morph into the michelin man, wearing salopettes and a winter-weight wind-proof fleece with waterproof jacket, a warm hat and earmuffs.  I usually find that I have to wear a number of layers underneath to stay comfortable and I am considering giving in and purchasing a ‘down duvet’.

Even the dog has her winter clothes - it is too cold for her to enjoy being outside for long and she needs protection for her feet as the ice can burn her pads.  We have thick warm coat that covers her body and chest (most coats don't protect the chest) and some rubber booties that slide over the feet, she doesn't like the sensation of having them put on but once they are on she does not remove them.  They are malleable enough that she can feel where she is putting her feet but they are protected from the worst of the cold. 

Technical clothes are useful for 'playing' outside.
Even the dog has to wear a coat and shoes.  It may look like a thin layer of snow
but it is a recent fall sitting on a whole winter's worth of ice.

Of course  in addition to coats warm accessories are a necessity.  We have just about every different type available from mittens to lined gloves and wrist warmers  to be worn in just about every permutation depending on the severity of the cold and the activity we are planning outside.  My pride and joy is a handmade fuzzy Orenburg scarf bought on a trip to Moscow.  It is incredibly warm and the yarn so strong that I can hold the whole scarf from a single fibre of fuzz.  They are not elegant but I also have my eye on some валенки (traditional felt boots) which are reputed to be very very warm.  

Unless you are coming from somewhere equally cold there is little point in buying winter clothing in your home country.  Astana is set up for the cold weather so the stuff you buy here really works.  Before we came we bought some gadgets called ‘yaktracks’ a pair for my husband and a pair (designed to fit over heeled shoes/boots) for me.  Sold as an essential in the UK we have never used them here, the boots come with more than enough grip.  

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Celebrating Constitution Day in Astana

30 August is Constitution Day, a public holiday here in Kazakhstan.  This is one of the most important of all our holidays here because it celebrates the day, in 1995, when Kazakhstan accepted the new constitution of the Republic.  

The city authorities arrange many different events  around Astana for people to celebrate the day.  This year the events they are taking the form of concerts, art exhibitions and fireworks.  There is also an open public debate/discussion on the constitution the topic being ‘Pride and Honour of Free People are the Main Law’.  The debate sounds quite fascinating and it would be interesting to watch from a sociological point of view but we know that it will be lost on us.  With that in mind we will probably drive up to the Alzhir museum which is holding a special exhibition before returning home and watching the fireworks from our kitchen window.  

We were very lucky to be in Astana for the Constitution Day celebrations in 2011.  2011 marked the 20^th anniversary of the founding of Kazakhstan as an independent nation so the celebrations were truly magnificent and included an infantry and a mechanised parade in-front of the Pyramid and the Kazakh Eli monument for review by the President.

Waiting for the parade to start

We had only been in Kazakhstan for a few weeks and did not speak a word of Russian or Kazakh.  The parade was being held just half an hour's walk from our apartment so we decided to go along to enjoy the atmosphere rather than watch on the television.  We were not able to get into any of the stands to view the infantry parade but did manage to get a spot near the head of the mechanised parade.  We waited for some time and watched the final preparations to the lead vehicles.  After an hour or so the parade started to move, led by the chiefs of the Army, Airforce and Navy (I was surprised to learn that Kazakhstan has a navy but of course they do have a shoreline on the Caspian).  Once they had moved past they were followed by a very long  mechanised procession which included tanks (T-72's I think), APC's rocket launchers, howitzers, mortars and missiles (sadly I am not sufficiently educated in this area and could not identify each individual item with any real degree of accuracy) before watching a very impressive aerial display. 

The parade processes past the yet to be completed mosque.
Note how, despite the crowd, no-one steps on the beautiful flower display.

While the display was magnificent perhaps the most lasting impression we had was of the warmth of the crowd, their genuine pride in their country and their willingness to share it both with each-other and with foreigners.  We also noticed that, despite people crowding around to get the very best view not a single person pushed or jostled another and nobody stepped on the beautiful displays in the flower beds.  It was one of the most joyful introductions I have ever had to life in another country. 

The event culminated in a 20 minute aerial display

It was quite something to watch the MiGs fly over the Astana skyline

The logistics and cost involved must have been staggering, but how often does a country turn 20 years old!  We felt very lucky that we were here at just the right time to see it, certainly not something we would have predicted had anyone asked us in 1991.

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How to Drive in Astana

A lot of people ask about the driving in Astana so, following on from my recent posts on public transport and buying a car in Astana I thought I would write a little about driving.

Driving in Astana can be divided between driving in the old town, on the Right Bank, and driving in the new centre on the Left Bank.  The main roads are broad and well maintained throughout the city but there is significantly more traffic on the Right Bank, particularly during the evening rush hour.  Driving is on the right, European style, and many signs such as the orange diamond are familiar and mean broadly the same thing.

Some countries have very strange rules, or none at all.  In the UK drivers are only required to switch on their headlights when visibility is low which can be very disconcerting, I even knew someone who disabled the automatic on switch for his Volvo headlights.  In Maracaibo (Venezuela) you are not allowed to turn left at junctions so a a driver’s eye map of the city consists of indirect routes calling for three right turns just to get around the corner.  When we were living in Nigeria the rules of the road did not exist, I recall coming up to a roundabout and seeing people driving  clockwise and widdershins simultaneously while some people just gave up and drove across the middle.  Compared to this driving in Astana is very intuitive, some rules are different, however, and it pays to ask a local or a long term expat to talk you through the rules of the road before you drive.  The highway code is available to buy but, unless you read Russian or Kazakh it will take a long time to digest. 

Right and left turns are allowed at junctions but it is not possible to turn left across the road unless there is a gap in the central dividing line.  You have to watch out for this though because in some places the lines can be worn away during the winter and you can end up making an illegal turn by accident.  It pays not to turn left unless you know for a fact it is legal. U turns are legal at most junctions and at gaps in the central line.  This can leave you stumped when a car will slam on the breaks and thrown a U turn in front of your car and drivers turning right at a junction must give priority to cars throwing a U turn. 

Cars pass on both the right and the left.  Undertaking is not allowed or practiced in any country I have driven in (we had a driver in Nigeria) and for the first few forays in the car my nerves jangled every time someone passed on the inside, I have learned to accept it now although I cannot bring myself to undertake a car in front.  Drivers here use the horn both loudly and regularly, woe betide someone who does not move off as soon as the traffic lights change, many drivers also use them in place of indicators to signal lane changes.  Lanes can be a fluid concept, particularly at traffic lights.

The roads are heavily policed and at certain times junctions can be put under police control.  I have asked many people why this is but no-one can say, it does slow the traffic down and perhaps this is the reason.  The road  (Жол) police  carry a fluorescent baton and they have an array of gestures to tell drivers when to go, where to go and when to stop, it must take nerves of steel to stand in the middle of the junction (there are no plinths or roundabouts to protect them).  Fines for infractions are heavy – if you are stopped ask for the paper detailing the fine to be handed over.  This can then be taken to a police station for payment.  Speeds in the city are low – 60kph on most roads and 40kph in front of school buildings.  Speed trap cameras are all over the city, particularly, for some reason, the bridges.

All drivers must carry the car papers including technical certification, car licence and insurance details at all times together with an international drivers licence.  Once you learn these basic rules driving is actually both easy and pleasant here in the summer.

Things change in the winter.  There is no requirement to change to winter tyres (either stud or sticky) but they are a worthwhile investment.  We drove all last winter on our summer tyres and there were a few times that we felt the lack. The city runs a fantastic and constant road clearing operation 24 hours a day during the winter.  As a result at least one or two lanes in the main roads are usually clear and safe.  Ice and surface snow is pushed to the right hand lane from where it is collected and put in landfill.  The more minor or less used roads can become dangerous,however so it is worth being conversant with ice driving skills.  Even the main roads can get a covering of black ice (Гололёд) in places so drivers are advised to engine break where possible and anticipate traffic light changes so there is no need to break suddenly.  It is not uncommon to see a large number of low speed crashes at junctions during the winter. 

Other winter driving delights include condensed exhaust fumes that create a nasty fog from the car in front and the odd blizzard that reduces visibility to practically nothing and road speeds to a crawl.  Parked cars should have the wipers lifted when parked because they will freeze to the screen.  If you don’t lift them the chances are you will forget to wait for the car to warm before using them and rip your wiper off.  The transitional seasons create the most dangerous driving conditions because when the temperatures come close to freezing point we get liquid water on the roads that refreezes at night making them slick, dirty and dangerous.

The winter is hard on cars.  Temperatures get very low so most people have  good engine insulation and a remote starter installed.  This means that you can turn your car on to heat from the comfort of your home.  In the depths of winter the engine on an un-garaged car should be turned over and left to run for at least five  minutes every two hours (day and night) and this is much more pleasant with a remote start.  Our remote start does not work at the moment, luckily it is garaged at night but when we go out in the winter to a restaurant or friend's house one of us has to suit up and sit in the car, it is a cold and unpleasant job.  Don’t even try to drive until the car has warmed properly, it is bad for the car, dangerous and the hydraulics get very mushy and the car unresponsive.  Surprisingly plug in chargers, so common throughout Canada, do not seem to be popular here, the only place I have seen them is in the visitors car park of the US Embassy.   Many people also like to use the remote start in the summer to get the air-conditioning to reduce the internal temperature of the car so it has a year round benefit.  It can be a little disconcerting, however, to see cars start themselves as you walk along the street. 

Driving outside of the city is very different.  While Astana is fairly orderly I understand from friends that Almaty has a very different, somewhat aggressive driving culture.  Some of the motorways, most notably the road from Astana to Borovoye are modern three lane highways in fantastic condition with rest stops and petrol stations at reasonable distances.  The road to Karaganda is an older one lane highway with a lot of truck traffic and in need of extension.  Once you leave the highways behind the roads can be in very poor condition, often unmetalled or with large potholes.  Last year, following a visit to Malinovka, my sister and I returned to Astana over the steppe roads.  The journey  out took us 45 minutes by motorway, on the way back we drove much slower, with speeds reduced to 20kmph at times.  It would not be a comfortable road to drive on in winter.

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How to buy a car in Astana

Following on from my recent post on using public transport in Astana I thought it might be useful to write about our experience of buying a car in Astana.

Unlike the expatriates that come to Astana with the large international companies we do not benefit from  a car and driver.  We decided very early on in our time here that we needed to rent or buy a vehicle to make travel in the city as safe as possible for the children.  Rental costs are prohibitive long term so we decided to buy.  This was easier said than done, we spent our first weekend in Astana (in August) at a car mart but did not actually manage to buy a car until June the following year.

The car mart is on the city ring road and a kind friend took us out to take a look round.  Leaving the city behind gave us our first view of the steppe, Astana sits on the middle of the plain and as soon as you leave the city limits it stretches flat as far as the eye can see.  A token fee gives entrance to purchasers and vendors alike.  Cars for sale have a price, in Dollars, and basic details in the windscreen.  Prospective purchasers wander up and down the lines looking for a suitable vehicle and enjoying a snack from the many food stalls.  A quick look told us that our budget, calculated on what it would cost to buy a basic 8 year old Japanese 4x4 in the UK, would buy us nothing at all, the cars we were looking at were on sale for $15,000.  We tried to negotiate on the price by picking up on defects but, unlike any other market I have ever been in, there was no movement. 

We found a car that we liked, at the upper end of our budget and 5 years older than we had hoped for.  We asked our friend how we could arrange a test drive only to be told that this was not possible.  Purchasers do not drive the car before they buy it, rather it is taken to a garage (of the purchaser’s choice) and they check for defects.  We decided not to buy that particular car when we found out that the computer port had been disabled and there was no way for the garage to obtain a readout on the engine.

We carried on the search online, http://kolesa.kz/ (wheels) lists second hand cars for sale.  We had a couple of false starts (cars of a different model from the advertisement) before we found a suitable vehicle, a 15 year old Nissan that we bought for the cost of a 4 year old model in the UK.  The car is no match for the beautiful new Lexus/Toyota behemoths that parade around the city but it is comfortable, practical and large enough to protect us in a smash.  The 4x4 means that we can drive it anywhere, even hunting on the steppe should we choose to go.  The prices are high because of the steep import charge.  Diplomatic cars (with distinctive red plates) are cheap because they are not charged the import fee but the ordinary Kazakhs and expats buying local cars are stung by this.  That said cars do not depreciate as rapidly here, they are seen as a long term investment, so we do not expect to loose too much on resale.  

Buying the car proved to be only the first hurdle as we had to get it through the technical check and register it to our name.  Registration plates do not pass with the car as they do in the UK but rather with the individual, as in Switzerland.  I was away when the car was registered so it was put in my husband’s name.  When driving we must carry all the registration and insurance details together with an International Driving Licence.  A few weeks ago we were told that my husband’s informal permission is not enough to allow me to drive the car and I need a separate, notarised authority.  This paperwork is time-consuming to arrange but once it is in place there are no hurdles to driving the car and exploring the nooks and crannies of the city or enjoying a picnic out on the steppe.

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Celebrating May, Men and Victory Days in Kazakhstan

The early days of May are full of special celebrations.  May day was, in Soviet times, a day of workers’ solidarity but today, in Kazakhstan is celebrated as a day of unity amongst nations.  The main square in front of the Pyramid Palace is closed to traffic and filled with yurts showcasing national produce and there are displays of traditional dancing and sports.

Just a few days later, on 7 May, everyone celebrates Fatherland Defender’s Day.  This day was originally instituted as, Red Army Day, a Soviet holiday commemorating the establishment of and the first mass draft into the Red Army in Petrograd and Moscow.  In Russia and many other  CIS countries it is celebrated in February. Since independence Kazakhstan has celebrated the day in May, commemorating the date when the decree forming the Kazakh armed forces was signed;  from this year it is a public holiday.

The day acts as a counterpart to International Women’s Day (8 March) and women make a particular effort to do something nice for the men in their lives - our children’s school held a party for all the male staff complete with games and competitions.  This year there was a military parade which was extensively televised, fireworks and many concerts at various venues across the city.  We visited Astana’s spectacular war memorial - Otan Korgaushylar to see families coming together – young and old, to pay their respects to the military.

Otan Korgaushylar Monument

The monument is spectacular - a central pillar supports a woman holding a bowl to symbolise peace and prosperity.  She is bracketed by two bas reliefs, one on the right shows Kazakh warriors while the one on the left shows soviet soldiers.  We celebrate the Commonwealth 11 November remembrance day at this part of the memorial.  An eternal flame sits at the front of the complex.  While there we were very privileged to have the opportunity to meet with, and talk to, a 90 year old veteran who had fought at Stalingrad as a young man.  It was humbling to talk to this man who had done so much in his youth and seen so much change in the intervening years.

People pay respects at the Otan Korgaushylar monument

Bas relief showing Kazakh warriors

Two days later we celebrate Victory day, 9 May being the day when the German’s surrendered. At the end of World War II or the Great Patriotic War as it is known here.  There are parades in cities around the country, ceremonies at the war memorials and and veterans are honoured at lunches, concerts and visits to key venues.

This spate of holidays combined with lovely spring weather lends a very festive air to the city.  In the lead up to May the city billboards are covered with photographs of veterans of World War II – 291 are registered in Astana, banners go up and the fountains are switched on.  The day has a very different feel to Remembrance Day in the UK but serves the same purpose.

Banners around the city celebrate the day of great victory.

People show their appreciation in many ways - one car sported this sticker '

Added to Amanda Mulligan's monthly Expat Life Blog Link up - a great way to read interesting blogs about expat life from a multitude of different perspectives.

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The Khan Shatyr - Astana's Giant Tent

The very cold winter temperatures mean that large indoor spaces are a vitally important part of life here in Astana and as such we have a number of very large shopping centers. 

We have 5 large malls within walking distance of our house.  Each of them come complete with a supermarket, a food court, café’s, a cinema and a range of clothes, shoe and toy shops.  Most also have indoor play areas for children and one even has a climbing wall.

Khan Shatyr

The Khan Shatyr is the most recently built of all the malls and possibly the most iconic.  It is at the western end of Nurzhol boulevard.  Designed by Norman Foster, it opened in 2010.  A large tent, designed as a modern interpretation of a yurt, it stands at 150m high and covers a ground area of 100,000 sq meters. Various websites boast that it is the largest tensile structure in the world.  I am not quite sure as I thought that honour went to the London Milennium Dome.  In any even the Khan Shatyr is huge, impressive and much more beautiful than the London counterpart.

Khan Shatyr - future model

The Khan Shatyr is the center of what will be a large complex including office space and residential buildings.  The first thing you see when you enter the building is a large model showing the mall and its surrounding buildings.  Only two of the towers have been completed so far and they are connected to the shopping center by a covered walkway.  We did look into whether or not to rent a flat in one of these buildings, thinking that it would be very convenient to be able to walk, undercover, to the supermarket in the winter.  The flats looked spectacular but were rather small and expensive for the space. I am not too keen on the supermarket in the Khan Shatyr in any event.

Long drop fairground ride

As you walk into the immense open space at the center of the mall you come face to face with a large long drop style fairground ride   This open space plays regular host to events such as fashion shows or 'Miss Khan Shatyr' competitions.  There are more fairground rides, games machines and soft play areas on the upper levels including a log flume and a monorail.  It is somewhat reminiscent of Brighton Palace pier.  Children love to ride around the perimeter of the mall, looking at the people enjoying their weekend and waving to all and sundry.

Busy soft play under the tent.

Monorail in the Khan Shatyr

Aside from wandering around and enjoying the cutting edge architecture the real reason to come to the Khan Shatyr is the sky beach.  The top floor is dedicated to a spa and swimming pool complex.  The swimming pools are surrounded by sand flown in from the Maldives.  Here you can enjoy flume rides, swim, play volleyball or just relax with a smoothie from the bar even when the temperatures have dropped to -50 degrees outside but sadly it is an expensive place to visit.  Discount websites such as chocolife.me sometimes have vouchers on sale for cut price entry but without these you are looking at a cost of about 8,000 tenge (nearly £40) per person so we usually only ever go when friends or family come to Astana.  There is a gym attached to the spa with a running track around the perimeter of the tent.  It certainly looks spectacular but I have never seen anyone brave enough to run around under the beady eye of people enjoying their burgers or fairground rides.

Swim on the beach - even when it is freezing

Enjoy the beach in the middle of the steppe. 

Running track - for the very brave and figure unconscious

The walls of each floor are covered in artificial plants giving a welcome splash of green in the middle of winter.  This is the place to come if you want to pick up imported clothes from stores such as Gap, Zara, Massimo Dutti etc but I tend to find that the other malls have better supermarkets and food courts.  The parking is also somewhat chaotic and it is expensive (500 tenge/£2) to park underground.   I actually enjoy seeing the Khan Shatyr from the outside far more than spending time inside.  It is a spectacular addition to Astana's beautiful and rather unconventional skyline and looks it's best at sundown when the sunset bathes it in orange.

Spectacular sunsets - even when snapped from a telephone

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Posted as part of the Show Your World series hosted by Girl Gone London