by Phin Lee Yi Tian
With no clue of what to expect about Kazakhstan, the entire squad prepared for the worst after hearing all stories from seniors who had braved the 30 hour trip to Taraz in 2008. Acting like ‘doomsday preppers’, the team lugged a huge stash of canned Tuna, cereals and muesli bars. What’s more, individuals packed in their own comfort food to go along. Just to name a few outstanding ones: pork floss, ‘Ikan bilis’, fresh chilli padi, canned curry chicken, etc. Life as it is, is packed with warm surprises.
To our astonishment and pure joy, we were welcomed warmly by the Almaty Resort, which would be our home in Kazakhstan for the next seven days. I should inform you that the resort overlooks the hilly mountains, sea of green trees, the air is fresh and crisp and when night falls you have a blanket of stars. Adding on, the facilities include an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, playground with trampoline, gym, free Wi-Fi at the lobby and Internet access in the rooms with Lan-cables. Every meal comes with dishes of appetizers, usually salads with cucumber, tomato, beetroot, peppers, and an extensive amount of the herb, dill (no complaints really, cause it promotes healing of skin and prevent infections). Need I say more about how awesome Kazakhstan has been treating us?
