I got up at 4.30 a.m. and since then I am just in the room. I will go for KIMEP University and write later.
Morning was not much interesting. I made a cup of tea for myself. Fortunately there is a T.V. point which I could use for my small electric kettle. Yesterday, I bought two tomatoes, two cucumbers and a bottle of water and in the morning I found out that water had got some fizz in it. I wrote yesterday’s diary. Around 8.30 a.m. I had my breakfast of tomato(one), cucumber(one) and 2-3 Pans with dry lemon. My sugar is quite high 219. This may be due to fatigue of yesterday. After two hrs, it has gone to 221. So it was o.k.
12.30 p.m.: I am sitting in the lawn of KIMEP University. Last month while reading Economist, I saw an ad of KIMEP University, Almaty, Kazakhstan. This was regarding some post of Business and Economics Lecturer. I was immediately interested as it is an International University. After a few days (once I lost that magazine also) wrote the e-mail address given in that mail of HR Deptt., some Dinara. I wrote to Vice Chancellor about myself with a covering letter to Registrar. I had introduced myself with a request to fix up a meeting with the students with whom I can talk. Before leaving I’d received no reply from them. Then I decided to visit the University when I came to Almaty. Today was a free day for me. Green Bazaar which was like Chandani Chowk with less number of shops and is also a tourist place. At the hotel reception, same girl was working who was there yesterday also. She gave me written direction for KIMEP which is near from this place. I had to take Bus No.29. I walked out and then saw covered shops of vegetable and fruit sellers. I walked in and found different types of fruits and vegetables were sold. There was not much variety of vegetables or I had not seen them. I walked to the Bus Stand. Bus No.29 came and waited for passengers. I also got this Bus. On both sides of the road were buildings, flats and shops. I got down at my destination. One stop further then the University stop. Just in front was an interesting old building with wooden done type tibs. I crossed the road and there was a nice park. I found the University building which was on the corner of the crossing. Inside, the receptionist took me to Dr. Dinara’s room. She was the one whom I had sent the mail. She said that since there was no appointment with her but still she can give 5 minutes. I thanked her and told her about the mail. She searched her mail box and since it was addressed to Registrar, she did not even open my mail. Then she talked to Dean of Student Welfare, Mr. Pracha may be of Pakistani U.K. national. He gave time of 2 p.m. Dr. Dinara came out and showed me the way where Dean sits in the next building where medical centre is there. Now it is 1.00 p.m. Just in front was a coffee bar for student. .
In the morning, I met some middle aged tourist from Finland at the hotel reception. They were checking out at that time. One of them was wearing a T-Shirt with Nord Kapp printed on it. I spoke to him and told that I was at Nord Kapp in 1975 and we talked a lot. He invited me to come to Finland again. They were on 7 days holidays here.
I had coffee with bread in the students centre. I went to the office of the Shiraj Parcha, Dean Student Affairs. He was not there. His assistant told me to wait. Then she came to me and said, Mr. Shiraj will meet me in the Canteen. This was a bigger canteen with cheaper food than the students centre. There was different area for the faculty. After sometime, Mr Shiraj came and instantly we started chatting. He invited me for lunch but I preferred to have some Soup. Shiraj was a journalist in U.K. originally from Pakistan. Did not like State Tourism of U.K. and decided to leave and come to Kazakhstan. He has been here for the last 5 years. Basically he is a peace activist. His family is in U.K. This is what he told me of himself. Tomorrow is the University convocation and then summer holidays for students so students won’t be here but if HI Hostels information is sent to him he would put it in his information brochure. We came to his office and he asked his assistant lady to give his e-mail and phone numbers to me. I gave my card to him. He suggested to me to go to Tienshan mountain as it is still time to go. He came with me up to the crossing, showed me where to get Bus NO.6. I thanked him and promised to stay in touch.
There was a big hotel near the Bus Stand. After a few minutes, I got Bus No.6. Lady Conductor charged 50 tengee while I gave 70 Tengee. It was a long journey. It was a posh residential colony. Then slight climb and from here via Tien Shan Hotel another 5 km and we reached the last shop. I had no idea what is all this. Nearby was a big open air stadium with colourful goods inside. May be for ice-hockey in winter. Most of young girls and boys from the Bus got down and started walking up the road. Then I realized that we have to go to the top where cemented structures were there. All other persons jumped into Taxi piling up and down 1000 tengee for one way. I was the last one to leave. A family with small children also was going up.
I climbed 700 flights of the stairs. First I thought it is difficult and then the old mountaineering and trekking skill was awakened and I climbed without any problem. I was disappointed as there were many concrete structures. I could see a small dam to stop mudflow, a stream of water called Almaty river from where the drinking water was coming, concrete road etc. Before the Bus Stand was a ski lift going very high up to the top of the mountain. I remained at the top for 10 minutes only. People were coming in cars. View was not that interesting except that one could see snow clad mountain at a distance. I climbed down first set of stairs and there was a tea shop. I sat there and asked for black tea. A group of young girls and boys were sitting and enjoying. There was a loud music played by the young shop keepers. Suddenly the group got up and started dancing to the tune of Kazakh music. I also joined them for a few minutes. It was for forgetting the fatigue of climb. At 6.00 p.m. I reached down to the Bus Stop. It was still the day time and people were coming. AT 6.30 p.m., the Bus came and everyone rushed and everyone got the seat. I changed my Bus near the KIMEP University and then got down on the other side of Green Bazaar which is a landmark for my hotel. I had to ask couple of times and realized my bearing. I came back to the hotel. It was dinner time. I went to the nearby restaurant on the back of the hotel. It was a Muslim hotel. Three girls completely covered except face were serving with another boy. I asked for ‘Boreich’, horse meat with Pasta and soup. It was not very hot but lukewarm. It was another Kazakh National dish. I came back to the room and off to sleep immediately.
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