I have not traveled very far, yet. Classes and schoolwork take up a lot of my time. So far, I have gone to the zoo and to Kok-Tobe, a mountain in Almaty with a small theme park, restaurants, and other recreational attractions at the top.
I still have not left Almaty, but I am looking forward to a trip to Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, towards the end of the program.
Luckily, I live in a very convenient location in Almaty. So far I've been able to walk to most places, which is generally pleasant because there are a lot of trees and parks throughout the city.
Kok-Tobe was definitely the most interesting place I visited this week. I rode a gondola up to the summit, expecting to find a beautiful view, but not much else. At the top, there were bumper cars, a Ferris wheel, a small zoo and more!
Taking the bus in Almaty is an experience in itself. I rode the bus during rush hour to get to a wedding. It gets more crowded than I expected. Drivers in Almaty follow different rules than in the U.S. Crossing streets requires much more caution for that reason.
