Planes, Trains & Automobiles

How to get to Arkalyk, Kazakhstan

6:00 AM leave on plane from St. Louis
Travel time = 2.2 hours

11 hour layover in NYC
(1.5 hour subway to Times Square – 1.5 hours back)

NYC to London
6.4 hours by Plane

Layover London
7.7 hours

London to Almaty
8.55 hours by Plane

Layover Almaty (Rent a hotel room, sleep, shower)
6 hours (30 min car ride to and from hotel)

Almaty to Astana
2.5 hours by Plane

Layover in train station – Astana
3.25 hours

Train to Arkalyk
13 hours – (25 stops along the way – really, no joke)

Car to apartment where we will stay
5 minutes

Total distance traveled: estimated 7000 miles
Total elapsed time: ~ 60 hours (ignoring time zone changes = Fri am to Sun pm)
Average speed traveled: 116 mph
Drivers/facilitators: Sasha, Eugene, Nikolai, Victoria, Habiba & Brother ~ 6
Baggage: 2 carry on bags ~ 25 lbs each, 2 luggage bags – 48 lbs each, 1 luggage bag for gifts 48 lbs, purse = 6 pcs, total weight of stuff carried ~ 210 lbs
Most important items for trip: Large jar peanut butter, books
Most important unavailable item: Diet Coke for Sherri
Interesting notes from the trip
· In 48 hours we went from Times Square NYC, one of the most crowded, central places in the world to Arkalyk KZ, one of the most remote places in the world.
· Plane from NY to London was about 3 years old, Train from Astana to Arkalyk was about 50 years old and smelled like it. Train's bathroom was cleaned 50 years ago!
· Shortest distance to Arkalyk from St. Louis is over the North Pole.