Today, the day got off to a rather unpleasant start: the sky was overcast, there was a noticeable drop in temperature, and the sort of gusty wind that messes up your hair. With things looking like this, paradise didn't seem quite so idyllic, so we decided to pack up camp and head off at around one in the afternoon. Before setting off on our route, we popped into the town of Damsá to look for water, but it was a complete failure: all the public fountains were disabled or turned off. It’s a good thing we’re self-sufficient and still had some reserves left.

We headed south along a decent dual carriageway. After an hour's journey, we made a short stop at a rest area where we came across a statue of a rearing horse, a large and curious beast planted in the middle of nowhere, perfect for Papi Edu to stretch his legs and snap a quick photo before we continued on our way.

We kept rolling until we caught sight of Astana. Entering the capital from the north isn't exactly the most idyllic postcard in the world; truthfully, it looks like quite a run-down, grey area with that distinct architectural stamp of the deep Soviet era. But we weren't here for sightseeing today; today was all about logistics and pampering our fortress on wheels.

Our first stop was the Tez Auto - Mobil 1 Service Center workshop. We needed an oil change, filters, and a general check-up for the Navara after so much bumpy driving. They did a brilliant job and had everything ready in just ninety minutes. While we waited, Papi Edu passed the time in the waiting room chatting with a very interesting man who organises overland trips through Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Since the good man didn't speak a word of English or Spanish (only Russian, Kazakh, and I think Mongolian), the entire conversation was a dance of phones using Google Translate. Despite the technological barriers, he was super nice, gave us his phone number in case we needed any help or advice during our trip, and told us he lives in Almaty. A golden contact!

With our mechanical chores done, we went to an Anvar supermarket to restock the pantry. And here came the real shock of the day: the drive from the supermarket to the place where we were going to sleep left us open-mouthed. We suddenly transitioned into the new part of Astana, and what a change! It's absolutely amazing, hyper-modern, full of futuristic buildings, skyscrapers with impossible designs, and lights that looked like they were plucked straight from a science fiction film. The contrast with the grey northern entrance is brutal.

Finally, we reached the spot Papi Edu had found on Park4Night: a completely free motorhome area in a fairly central park. Upon arrival, it seemed like a great spot: beautiful, surrounded by trees, and to our surprise, we were completely alone! There’s no water here either, but we’re not worried, we’ll fill up somewhere tomorrow.

At the end of the afternoon, we had a bit of life around us; there was some kind of fair next door, and we had a local karaoke soundtrack playing in the background. Luckily, now that night has fallen, everything has gone super quiet. Time to close our eyes and get some rest right in the heart of the capital.