Our saving grace was our faith in God, and just knowing we were exactly where he wanted us to be at this very moment.
Realizing and accepting our vulnerability, coupled with knowing AIP didn't have a glowing reputation of late, we planned on keeping a very low profile and quiet demeanor while in country no matter what.
After Christopher said goodnight, Chris and I took quick showers as it was now 3am Almaty time and the driver is due back by 6am. Our flight to Ust Kamenogorsk departs at 7:20am.
Oh the calming effects of a much needed shower, I am last to hop in. As the warmth of the water meets flesh, a catharsis of emotional cleansing takes place promoting anticipation of a new day. I remain pensive and prayerful as I allow myself to unwind. I emerge from the shower renewed and refreshed. A peacefulness takes place as I witness my husband and child in restful sleep. In preparation of an early departure, I make sure everything is repacked and ready to go in a moments notice. I then drift to sleep.
Like clock work Chris is up before dawn, dressed, teeth brushed hair combed and ready to go. So we hurry up and wait. We wonder if our driver will return. Almost to the moment we verbalize our doubt, right on schedule the driver arrives 5:45am.
The Apt in morning light
Again we are helped with our baggage down 6 flights of stairs. Its as if we never arrived to begin with. In at 2:30am out by 5:45am. Never saw or spoke to a soul.
Once in the parking lot, and as the sun is rising we can now see Kazakhstan and the beauty of her snow covered mountains. The apartment building is like no other we have ever seen, never having been out of the USA. To our eyes the building looks pre war and run down. Having arrived in the dead of night, our first impressions became our last as we departed for the airport.
Before entering the car, the driver handed me a package the size of a CD wrapped and sealed with packing tape. His instruction in broken English " you take to Ust". I vaguely remember Bulgan telling us last night we would be given documents to carry to Ust Kamenogorsk. This package did not however, look like documents. Chris and I immediately made eye contact, and the nonverbal communication was clear. Red flags waving. Knowing the driver didn't speak or understand English that well, as we were getting into the car I said to Chris (the Laurel and Hardy line) "this is another fine mess you got us into". I was able to communicate we would fix the mess after we got to the airport. Again eye contact acknowledged Chris understood the message. Until then I held the package on my lap and devised a plan while looking at Kazakhstan for the first time in daylight. Obviously Chris and I were on the same page with not wanting to carry a sealed package onto an airplane in a foreign country. So my immediate thought was to wait to refuse the package until we were at the airport, out of the car with baggage in hand. This airport could take us home if need be but, we had to get there first.
Quietly we rode for 30 minutes. Idol chit chat about the landscape and what we could remember seeing last night took place between us. Our assumptions were correct, the driver spoke only Russian so attempts at communication with him failed.
Upon arrival at the airport as I exited the car, I conveniently left the package on the console in hopes I could innocently forget "the package". After all the luggage was out of the car and we said our thank you's, we were preparing to walk towards the entrance to the airport when the driver called out and began walking towards us waving "the package" saying "to Ust to Ust". Damn! I guess we have to revert to plan B, which I know will be difficult because of the language barrier.
So with my best Russian accent I say NYET (no). Then I motion with my hands NYET (no) see into package NYET (No) "to Ust". Somehow he understood and communicated he would park the car, make a phone call and be back. He wanted us to wait. In these few tense moments alone, together we discussed plan B. Being we were at the airport already we were pretty safe. So when the driver returned our plan was no public loud discussions, we weren't taking a sealed package period. He would either open it and reveal its contents or it was not going with us. Everyone understood so if a confrontation was evident we would just walk away and into the airport.
The driver returned with "the package". Only now it was opened and inside was 2000.00$ in brand new 100.00 bills. The documents we were to carry was American dollars. The same dollars we carried to Almaty only less of them. What a relief. Our journey now would definitely continue onto Ust Kamenogorsk where our daughter would be waiting.
Upon seeing our relief and acceptance of "the opened package" the driver also looked relieved. He helped us into the airport, and though the security check point. Upon x-raying our baggage the guard wanted to see something inside the luggage so we opened the luggage and had to explain why we had tools and screening material inside. Because we didn't speak Russian, and they didn't speak English, frustration and a physical observation of the tools and screening material pushed us through. We gave our driver a tip for his efforts and again said our good bye's. We boarded the plane bound for Ust Kamenogorsk...
