Help me cycle from London to Kazakhstan!

Hi! My name's Amanzhol (Amman-jol), and I am currently cycling 10,000km from London to Kazakhstan!

Why Kazakhstan? I am half-English and half-Kazakh, and have not revisited the country since I was a child. I want to reconnect with my family and discover my cultural heritage there, so this journey is personally very important to me.

Why go by bicycle? Cycling has long brought me joy, and I hope it will give me the time to contemplate certain questions I have of my identity and self. Self-understanding is something we all crave, and this slow means of travel is the way I have chosen to approach it. Also, I'm not usually one to take the easy

route, and cycling is much more exciting than a flight!

Where are you now? I am in Zagreb, Croatia! So far I have covered 2,300km and climbed more than 20,000m over 4 weeks through France, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia. Crossing the Alps was a definite highlight, but I've been challenged and rewarded at every point along the way.

What's next? Another 3-4 weeks through the Balkans, then Istanbul, where I will cross the continental divide into Asia before traversing Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and eventually Kazakhstan. In total this means another 3 months on the road!

What's the money going to be used for? To feed, shelter, and allow me to just keep riding! I've set the target to safely cover all basic day to day costs (an average of £20 per day for food and the occasional campsite or hostel) for the remaining months of my journey. I am incredibly grateful for all the support I have received up until now, so any financial help I ask for here is certainly not taken for granted, and any amount raised will help me hugely!

Finally, what keeps you going? Naturally, seeing my aunts, uncles and cousins for the first time in 16 years has always been the real motivation. I had also wished to see my dear аже (azhe / grandma), but sadly she passed away a few weeks before my departure. I like to think that she is watching over me, smiling and singing; that gets me through the toughest days on the road. To have got this far is something I am already really proud of, and so I owe it to myself and all those who have helped me to carry on and see this journey through.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If you would like to donate it will be much, much appreciated. Of course, if you can't donate but would still like to help, please do share!

Lastly, if you would like to see how my journey is progressing, feel free to check out my Instagram (@mispronounced_name).