The Backpacking Boomers

To have my stories about our travel adventures published in the Toronto Star has always been a dream of mine. And now that dream has come true again, this time, about our travels in the remote Mangystau Region of Kazakhstan. As always, we hope our travel experiences encourage others to step off the well-trodden paths. https://www.thestar.com/life/travel/this-well-travelled-reader-and-her-husband-wanted-to-find-a-place-with-few-visitors-they-chose-kazakhstan/article_0afbe776-

Ancient Petroglyphs of Tanbaly We’re heading back, way back, to the Bronze, Iron and Medieval Ages; the petroglyphs of Tanbaly, Kazakhstan, are our time machine. Tanbaly, which means painted or marked place in Kazakh, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to 5000 petroglyphs carved into the rock surfaces, 3000 of which are located in Tanbaly, a remote river canyon. Leaving the chaotic traffic of Almaty, it’s a smooth two-and-a-half-hour drive to Tanbaly Canyon with our driver

I squeeze my eyes shut as we crest the hill into nothingness, opening them as we careen back down into the steppe grasslands, scattering herds of sheep in all directions. It’s day one of our two-day off-road adventure through Kazakhstan’s remote and wild terrain of Charyn Canyon National Park, home to the Charyn River. Our skilled driver-guide Damir, who knows this area intimately, gives us a bird’s-eye view of unique landscapes along the canyon’s 154-kilometre length. He has

Ah, train travel: that relaxing, languid way to see a country, one that we particularly enjoy. Well, usually. But we’re not so sure this time. The sixteen-hour overnight journey from Almaty, Kazakhstan, to the capital city, Astana, presents a challenge. We have the top bunks in a four-berth cabin, turning our journey into more of an adventure than we had anticipated. Almaty Train Station. It’s dinner time when we board, too early to settle in for the night. We enjoy sandwiche

We meander slowly through Almaty’s Green Bazaar, Kazakhstan’s oldest, enveloped by its vibrant sights, sounds, and smells. As foodies, we can spend a lot of time in markets. But it’s not only the food that enthralls us — markets are a dynamic world of discovery, a window into the history, culture, and daily lives of a people. Coriander, black cumin, black pepper, sesame seeds and parsley are popular. Kazakhs are heavy tea drinkers. Row after row of meat stalls — chicken, goat