Kazakhstan – bloody dodgy!!!

I have experience and confidence in dealing with corrupt officials but my first night in Kazakhstan left me angry and now nervous of the police.

After a long day crossing the border from Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan I left the bike at the hotel and raced to the bank for some local currency, then proceeded to the restaurant along the main street of Shymkent. I was stopped by two boys in army greens and 2 policemen who wanted to check my passport and visa. Passport was in hotel and so they proceed to document everything I had on me – specifically the contents of my wallet. They spoke no English, so after 45min of arguing, shouting and requesting help from locals walking past, I was short of 5,000 Kazak (AUD$60).

The first statement of my belongings had 20,000 Kazak, the second one had 15,000 Kazak and I had a statement from the bank that I withdrew 20,000 kazak from the bank 5 minutes before they pulled me up – they were stupid!!

They would only flash their badges so I could not write the details down so I tried to take a photo of them. I was unsuccessful and we wrestled for 5 min in the street, I then showed I had not taken a photo. They left into the park, I asked for help from locals, no one would stop. I ran back to the hotel and we rang the police to report the robbery. I described the 4 guys to the Captain, they found them and I got my money back.

I don’t care about the money but its the principle – if you can’t trust the police, the whole society falls down. I have discovered I can be pretty fiery, I gave back as good as I got and was not going to be intimidated.