A new adventure begins

I woke before the alarm which I had set for 0530 and was out by 0600. The A21 bus to the airport came along swiftly and I got to Hong Kong International Airport around 0700 disembarking at Terminal 1.

I had tried doing a mobile check-in but realised that I could select and reselect my seat until close-off. So I decided that I’d finalise the mobile check-in at the airport. The flight seemed to get fuller and fuller each time I checked so I settled for the first row in Economy which was an exit row.

Unfortunately a mobile boarding pass wasn’t available for my first flight to Almaty but was available for the next day connection to Tashkent. That meant I had to walk to Terminal 2 (which is kinda like a mall next door with check-in desks) to get my boarding pass.  As I was travelling with only cabin bag (for two months), I had thought I wouldn’t need to be at Terminal 2 for the check-in desks.

I was quizzed at check-in about my travel plans as my next flight showing on the system was beyond the validity of my Uzbek visa. I explained that it was from Dushanbe which was another country and I’d be leaving Uzbekistan before my visa expiry. That all went OK and I got my boarding passes.

Immigration and security was a breeze today at Terminal 2 and I was in the lounge pretty quickly. I wasn’t hungry but ate something anyway. The flight boarded on time from a nearby gate.

It was an older 757 which had been redecorated very classily with coloured lights, a good midhaul business class and new seat covers and tables for economy. It was nearly full. It was very noisy in front of the wing by the big emergency exits.

The airline seems to do everything nicely. From hot towels in Economy, lots of content for their wireless entertainment, and very well presented meals. Eg. the bread roll and hot meal both had underplates (something that is now done away with on other carriers).

The flight went reasonably quickly taking only about 6h flying time (plus some ground time) instead of the 7h scheduled time. We descended to a view of majestic snowy mountain ranges on the left and desert on the right and arrived into Almaty about 25 mins ahead of schedule.

A new adventure begins now! Apart from a few days in Xinjiang, Central Asia is completely new ground for me. Queue for immigration was short as I was seated in front. It took seconds when I got to the desk. And as I had no luggage, I put my pack through the scanner and I was landside.

My pickup service was nowhere to be seen. This was the USD1 Stopover deal from Air Astana which included return transfer, hotel and buffet breakfast. I waited a little and went to the ATM before waiting some more. I was out very early after all. I re-read the sign at the meeting point and wondered if it meant I should go to the office upstairs. I did that anyway. The lady at the office made a few phone calls and shortly after, a young lady with a sign turned up to get me. I was transferred to my accommodation at Kazzhol Hotel which was very pleasant.

I couldn’t help thinking why the other passengers hadn’t done the same. This American woman on a Kiwi passport was connecting to Tashkent arriving there tonight after 2200. And that requires a flight from Almaty to Astana then to Tashkent. And I remember seeing it and it costs more.

A headache was setting on, perhaps from the heat and noise inflight and maybe not eating properly. I downed a Picnic bar and wandered into town, roaming Arbat Street (Zhybek Zholy) pedestrian mall which was lined with nice shops.  On a quick nightstop, it doesn’t look like a happening city but it’s pleasant enough.

It was too early to eat around 1700 and I killed as much time as possible before eating at 1800. The weather was starting to turn cooler and windy but it was still beardoble on the walk home.

With the 2h time difference from Hong Kong, and another hour difference with Tashkent tomorrow, it was important for me not to sleep too early (tempting as it may be considering the early wake-up this morning).