The third and final part of Alicia Walker’s overland journey from Hong Kong to Liverpool.

Now, where was I? Oh yes, the friendly town of Yinning. After 20 days of traversing China by train and camel, my husband Daniel and I are finally ready to leave the country. The remainder of our journey takes us through the hills of Kazakhstan, the stunning sites of Moscow, the harrowing history of Berlin, and finally, home sweet home. 

Day 25, Bus 5: Yinning to Almaty
22 hours, 237km, Sleeper bus
Almaty has a very European feel to it with pedestrianized shopping streets and terrace-fronted restaurants serving Belgian beers and pricey cuisine. We decided to save a few bucks and signed up for an eco-tour to the lakes district in the mountains bordering Kyrgyzstan.
We arrived after an uncomfortable night, but fortunately, we were sent to sleep straight away in a yurt—a circular tent with mattresses and bedding inside. A few hours later, after a hearty dose of meat and rice, we hiked through rugged terrain and past lakes that appeared to be made of pure jade. We were then welcomed back to camp by a hearty stew and informed that it was disco night at the local family’s yurt. Who would have thought?

The next morning, we awoke to sunshine, more blue skies and a slight hangover. The local family offered up a couple of their wild horses so we jumped in the saddle. It was our first wedding anniversary and what better way to spend it than riding wild horses in the mountains of Kazakhstan after a night partying in a yurt?
But there was no time to linger.