A Kazakhstan Farmer at Sunset
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A visit from our Kazak Cowboy at sunset
We had set up camp in the middle of a field somewhere as the sun was setting during the Kazakhstan leg of the Mongol Rally. After pulling off the highway, we followed some tracks to the top of a hill where we started to pitch our tents. In the distance we saw a horse and rider running in the fields.
He disappeared, but a while later we saw him atop a ridge behind us. He stood there awhile contemplating and examining us from a distance. In a few minutes he started his approach.
With dog following behind, he came upon our camp and waved hello. He was a young man with kind eyes. We couldn’t communicate, but he was content to watch us prepare our accommodation for the night.
Rick took notice of something that he was carrying and made the mistake of showing interest. As with the custom of so many cultures, when a person shows interest in something, it is in their nature to offer it up as a gift. He could not refuse and accepted.
I made sure to give him something in return and gave him a Track24 Solo golf shirt. They had given us a few in London and they have come in handy as bartering options. He gladly accepted.
I noticed him smoking and wanted to give him something of value so I also gave him a pack of wooden matches that we had bought in Russia. These he seemed very happy to accept.
As we became more comfortable, he told us his name, Beket.
Beket was curious and surprised to see us but happy to watch. With a headless jackrabbit hanging off of his saddle, we asked him (in the language of mime) how he caught it. He pointed to his dog and we thought to ourselves, that’s one tough dog.
As usual, Dave made fast friends with him and took his photograph. We got his address and will send him a copy of the picture and pray that it makes it there. We gave him our card with hopes that one day he will have email, but for now we will both always have the memory of that moment in time when we met in the middle of the field in Northern Kazakhstan.
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45 Responses to A Kazakhstan Farmer at Sunset
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Beautiful shot! What a nice story – thank you for sharing your encounter with Beket.
Fantastic photo & a brilliant story.
Hope you’re enjoying the rally.
Entered for 2012, really enjoying following this year’s rally & cannot wait for July 2012!
Have fun.
What a neat story. That’s really what it’s all about. And Dave, this is one your most beautiful shots ever!
This is what it is all about! I am really enjoying following you guys around Asia!
Wonderful, it’s these stories that make for the best travel memories.
Quite a story!
Great photo and wonderful story.
Wow, I really love your photography skills. Wonder whether you edit any of the photos using graphic tools or are they straight from the camera?
i visited kazakhstan last year on business, this is really a good country and hope to visit them again early next year on personal trip:)
Simon
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This is a beautiful shot.
What a great story and memory to take. I hope he will receive the photograph, he will love it!!
Thanks Pete. We hope he gets the photograph as well. As soon as we get home we’re sending it. We had hoped to send it from within Kazakhstan but we had a hard time finding anything there and we moved through really fast because we had Visa deadlines with Russia and Mongolia. . Fingers crossed.
Oh, I love that story! Weirdly, my dad has spent a lot of time in Kazakhstan. It’s so beautiful!
That is strange that your dad has spent a lot of time here. Has he come for work? It is such a rapidly developing country. Wait until you see the photos from Astana, it is out of this world and so modern. Quite the contrast from the rest of the country.
Could be Montana, couldn’t it? Very curious about Kazakhstan. Met some women from there who were visiting Tucson and read and reviewed a terrific book about it at A Traveler’s Library. The book is Apples Are From Kazakhstan.
That is what Sherry was saying a lot, it totally reminded her of the midwest. I will check out the book, thanks for the recommendation.
One word needed : Fantastic.
Cheers, Thanks Natalie.
You should have asked him if you could have some rabbit.
Great photo!
Hey Raymond, we were totally tempted to. We had a pot of rice boiling for our rice, he could have popped it right in!
Wow – great shot, Dave! Most might be tempted to use a low flash setting on the subject, but I like the low light mysterious silhouette. Did you burn the edges a little bit in the post-processing?… it’s possible the intensity of the set sun created the natural vignette look – pretty cool.
Hi Don, Dave didn’t bring his flash on this trip as we were very short on space and some things didn’t make the cut, so he couldn’t be tempted:-) It was such a quick moment to capture the shot that he never would have had the time to dig it out anyway.
BTW – my nephew was adopted from Kazakhstan… how varied is the landscape there?… looks like you were in a high desert area.
Hi Don. That is amazing that your Nephew is from Kazakhstan. The people we met there were so kind and welcoming. The landscape is varied. We spent most of our time in the Desert area, but there are mountains as well. It was beautiful and we definitely want to go back and explore more.
Gorgeous photo! What a great travel memory too.
Thanks Christy. Yes, it is a great travel memory for sure.
Gosh what an amazing story! How incredible that you guys were not able to talk but still able to communicate
Love that the farmer found you, and that he was kind! Thanks for sharing his photo.
Cheers
Lisa
Amazing shot! When I first looked at it, I didn’t notice the rabbit but it’s quite shocking to see it and even more interesting, that it’s just another day for this cowboy. Hope you’re having the time of your lives!
It’s true, he’s just getting dinner for the night. Kazakhstan was truly amazing and I look forward to coming back to take our time and explore the country.
What a great story. So much life and stillness in this picture. Beautiful.
Thanks so much, Cheers
Great story, this really is the best of travelling. Must have made you feel so happy. And good present ideas
Hi Nadia, it really was a special moment. This is what travel is all about isn’t it.
Nice shot. A story of hard life of farmer. Thanks a lot.
Isn’t that the truth. Farming is a difficult job and for him we think very solitary. he is out in the fields with his cows, dog and horse all day.
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Echoing everyone else–great photo.
Thanks NLM, we appreciate the echo:)
So beautiful, and a really nice story! I love moments like that!
This is a great picture, I love it. It really makes me feel like I’m there. My favorite part is the dog in the background – he looks like he’s alert for his next prey!