I reattached the brake discs and pedals and turned the handlebars the correct way round at Almaty airport before cycling into the city. You need a ticket to put in the pay machines with barriers at the airport exit which is a bit difficult when you arrived by plane. It was probably never considered that someone would arrive bringing their own transport. There were lots of cameras at the exit barriers so they seemed fairly keen on knowing who was going in and out. However, no one complained when I bypassed this problem by bumping up onto the kerb. Compared to India, the climate was pleasantly warm. It felt much more like being back in familiar territory. Almaty has trolley buses. These run almost silently so it is especially important to check over your shoulder before moving out into the road as they creep up unnoticed. Although there are Tram tracks in the road, the short tram system closed down a few years ago. The road to Bishkek follows the bottom of the mountains with pleasantly rolling countryside. I was rather lucky with the weather. As I was getting to about the distance I was planning to stop around halfway between Almaty and Biskek, I could see a band of very black storm clouds rolling in. Shortly after I came to a large and clearly popular roadside restaurant. I looked at the building and thought this looks too big to be just a restaurant so went in, but there was no sign of any reception desk or anything that might suggest accommodation. Back outside a tourist minibus had just disgorged its passengers. I guessed the driver probably spoke English and he said yes they did accommodation. Inside no one spoke a word of English but a quick gesture and they understood. The room was great, warm shower and sit-on toilet. The timing was most fortunate as the temperature dropped a few degrees, the heavens opened with thunder and lightning thrown in as I carried my bags inside. The food was also great and most plentiful.
The following morning I continued along the road to Biskek which turns south where the mountains dip down and it is necessary to go up and over the bump. When I got to the start of the climb, nature had taken its course and the previous afternoons excess food needed to escape. I thought I was going to have to resort to the cat hole trowel, but then there was a building set back from the road and a Coca Cola sign on the side. It turns out to be a little factory and the old workers canteen is open as Café. The toilet situation was a bit unusual. You go into a big open room and lined up along one wall are sit-down toilets, all completely open. The climb was not extreme and it was great rolling along in brilliant sunshine on a still day without the extreme heat of India.