Today is April 4, and we’re leaving Almaty — the former capital of Kazakhstan — heading back home to Russia.
As usual, we chose the train. No rush, no airports, just two full days ahead of us crossing the endless Kazakh steppes.
The Art of Moving Everything at Once
Getting to the train was already a challenge.
We somehow dragged:
4 large suitcases
2 smaller ones
3 backpacks
and 2 extra bags
At some point, it stops being luggage and starts feeling like a full-scale relocation.
I didn’t even try to shoot the railway station with my camera. It’s currently under renovation, looks a bit rough, and honestly — I had neither the time nor the free hands for it 🙂
Still, I managed to grab a few shots on my phone.
A Station in Transition
The station itself isn’t anything special in terms of architecture. Right now, it feels a bit tired, even gloomy.
But maybe after the renovation, it’ll come back to life with a completely different energy.
Apples, Tracks and привычная жизнь
Along the railway tracks, as always, people were selling fruit.
And of course — apples.
Almaty is famous for them. From what I remember, the name of the city itself is connected to apples. Somehow it feels right — simple, grounded, real.
Nearby, police were slowly walking along the platform, keeping an eye on things, checking people here and there. Nothing unusual — just part of the atmosphere.
Writing From the Train
Right now, I’m already lying in my train compartment, writing this post.
Internet will only appear occasionally — somewhere at larger stations — and when it does, this text and the photos will finally make their way online and get permanently stored on the Hive blockchain.
214 Days
This journey is coming to an end.
Out of curiosity, I counted how long I’ve been away from home:
212 days… plus 2 more days on the train.
That makes 214 days in total.
Feels strange to even say that number.
Staying Connected (Somehow)
The internet will be rare and unpredictable over the next couple of days, so for the first time, I’ve set up automatic voting for a few people.
Not ideal — but better than disappearing completely.
Thanks for reading.
Thank you for your likes, your comments, and your time. It never goes unnoticed.
I write my texts myself, correct mistakes and translate via ChatGPT (which is not a violation on Hive)! All photos were taken by me personally - I am a beginner photographer, so I ask professionals not to judge strictly.
Thank you for sharing these moments with me! Until new stories and new holidays! ✌️.
Camera 📷: Sony Alpha 7 IV full-frame
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 70-200mm F: 2.8 GM OSS II
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 24–70mm f/2.8 GM II
Processed 🛠: Lightroom
