Balmy Almaty

Monday, Nov 12th
Day 48. Major events of the day: Flight to Almaty, New Apartment, The Ram Store adventure!

Petro weather: 3, feels like -9. Projected high: 20 (It’s *COLD* out there campers!). Thankfully, Almaty will be much warmer.
Almaty weather: 55 and sunny when we arrived, but cooling through the afternoon.
Meanwhile back in Memphis: Overnight low of 58, and heading back to a high of 73 (I’d trade, even if the forecast is for rain most of the day!)

We’re now in Almaty! One BIG step closer to home, but still a few important steps to go. (Updated post)

Just a partial post to let everyone know we have arrived in Almaty. No connectivity in the new apartment, but you can access free wireless in the Ram Store food court (thanks for the heads-up Hilton!). I won’t be on as much for the next week, but at least I won’t run up another $150 connectivity bill! Besides, after paying another $50 for 15 kg in excess baggage (Masha called it “Buying a ticket for your luggage”), the budget is a little slimmer.

Almaty is nice so far. Our new apartment is 5 minutes from the Ram Store and 7 minutes the Kazakhstan Museum of History (we plan to go there tomorrow), as well as the Presidential Palace (Almaty was the capitol before it moved to Astana 10 years ago). It was hazy when we first arrived, so we couldn’t see the mountains, but got a glimpse in the very late afternoon sun when we walked back from the store.

According to Kazakhstan family & marriage law, we are now officially recorded as their parents. However, before they can leave the country and come home, they need a) a passport, b) an exit visa, and c) an entry visa. Passports and exit visas are in work back north, so now we will work on preparatory requirements for the entry visa: Medical checks and application to the US Embassy. Please keep us in your prayers that the passports and exit visas are issued quickly. Since KLM flights leave in the morning and there is no flight on Tuesday, we’ll be “stuck” until next Wednesday if we miss a beat.

Anyway, back to the events of the day. Although the kids slept well again last night (the early to rise and NO nap rule seems to be working), I was up late sorting paperwork and packing. I couldn’t get to my packing since every couple minutes either Kate or David needed some help. I was also “shrinking” things in space bags (great invention!). The doorbell rang right on schedule and we piled into Sasha’s still frozen car (this morning was VERY cold). We started on our way when I decided to do a last nose/bag count. No one had the computer bag, which also contained all of the kids’ new documents. DOH! Fortunately, we were only a few blocks away. That could have been ugly! Back on the road, headed in the right direction at 8:15 it was still dark. It wasn’t until we had nearly reached the airport that we got any real light.

We almost checked in without incident. Unfortunately, the baggage limit is 20 kg/person. According to the scale, we were 15 kg (33 lbs) over. I think the scale was a little sensitive, but hauled out my shrinking wad of Tenge and paid the equivalent of another $50 overage fine. Security was quick and easy, but we had to stand around for a few more minutes in the unheated airport, waiting for the boarding call. We were then led across the very cold, and breezy, tarmac out to the plane. Although I expected to fly on the AN-24 (twin engine turboprop), we were walking out toward a YAK-40 parked about 150 yards from the terminal. Fortunately, our plane was behind the one we could see.

In some ways I am glad Cathe and I had opportunity to fly on the YAK-40 on our way to Petropavlovsk, mostly so we could get that life experience out of the way and not have to repeat it. For anyone ever planning to travel from Almaty to Petropavlovsk, both Cathe and I recommend holding out for the flights with the AN-24. It’s a non-stop flight, and you even get an in-flight meal, which for us was a small tomato and cucumber salad, cheese & crackers, and a selection of cold cuts, all to be topped off with a moon pie! Although it’s called a Choco Pie, it’s the same. It went well with the instant coffee included with lunch.

Arriving in Almaty was a much different experience than arrival in Petropavlovsk. The city has grown out to the airport, with lots of modern buildings and lots of new car dealers. (I only saw one in Petro, with very limited selection). Lots of variety, and lots of cars on the lots. The city was also more European, but had a very American mid-day traffic jam, complete with some gridlock. Fortunately, I had viewed Almaty in Google Earth before so I could get a close-up view. No way I could have judged distances based on our stop and go trek.











The Ram Store was a nice experience. Completely modern mall, complete with an ice skating rink in the center by the food court. The first few months will be quite an experience while the kids want to try everything, with mixed results. They’re having an interesting time with choices, and I’m having an interesting time gauging not only yes and now, but having to meter out a lot of Maybe’s and Later’s. (I have to be specific with how much Later I mean or after what specific event we will do the next thing, eat, snack, etc). Based on all of the positive and supportive comments I am receiving form the “experienced” adoptive families, it’s “normal,” and I had better get used to it, ‘cause that the way things are going to be for a while. After bellies were full, we wandered around the levels and noticed that “Bee Movie” is playing and they’ll soon have their own “Starbuckish” coffee place.




Excitement over, we headed into the supermarket which is part of the store and stocked up on groceries for the next few days and even found real peanut butter! Not as good as Jiff, but much better than the teddy bear stuff we were able to find in Petro (which wasn’t bad, just a lot thicker, and only $5... That and some of the great local bread will take care of many snacks!). Given our pursuit of peanut butter while in Kazakhstan, Masha must think we Americans are obsessed. I explained that it's very "kid friendly" and good for you and offered her a taste, which she turned down. The kids peel apart their sandwiches and devour the peanut butter side first, so I know we're ok in that department.

Too many choices! Finally I had to say, “You want that? You’ll have to carry it back to the apartment!” Talk about drama! You’d think the kids arms were going to fall off by the time we traveled the long, and really uphill, block back to the apartment.

Back to that Kazakh quote about the worst things in life: We’re back to waiting!