Here's the latest update on the Mercedes-Benz Paris to Bejing Rally
001 just got the call from Mercedes-Benz to cover the final leg in person from Lanzhou to Bejing, so he will be on route for Lanzou on 11/12...Stay tuned for some awesome coverage!!!
Kostanai-Astana
Long-distance drive Paris-Beijing 2006 / Day 15
Vast expanses and the new Kazakhstan
The E-Class convoy reaches the Kazakh capital, Astana
Fifteenth stage covers a good 435 miles to Astana
Weather: clear and sunny, maximum temperature 15 degrees Celsius
New daily record with average consumption of 47.9 mpg (5.9 l/100 km)
Astana – While the topical satire "Borat" is putting the emerging nation of Kazakhstan on the map, the contestants in the E-Class Experience today had an opportunity to witness the country's anomalies and the hospitality of its inhabitants at first hand. After traversing the vast expanses of the Kazakh Steppes, the E-Class cars finally reached the new boomtown of Astana, which succeeded Alma-Ata as the country's capital in 1998.
The day was dawning with a brilliant sunrise as the teams departed for Astana which, with temperature differences of as much as 80 degrees Celsius, is regarded as the world's second coldest metropolis. With temperatures around freezing in Kostanai and midday values of about 15 degrees Celsius en route, driving conditions for the E-Class teams were good. The roads, on the other hand, varied greatly, ranging from excellent to downright hazardous. In view of the numerous pot-holes, a lapse in the drivers' concentration could have proved costly.
Thanks to skilled use of the gears and full exploitation of the car's roll behaviour, the Poland team improved the stage consumption record from 47.0 mpg (6.0 l/100 km) to 47.9 mpg (5.9 l/100 km) on the very flat route. In fact, they beat their own previous record, posted on the stage between Riga and Tallinn.
While taking care not to burn excessive fuel, the crew revelled in the carefree experience of driving in Kazakhstan. Golden fields, houses painted every shade from turquoise to sky blue, black soil and a beautiful, burning autumnal sky provided the backdrop for their many personal encounters on the roadside. These included several Kazakh weddings (yesterday was Saturday), but also cattle, sheep, goats and horses accompanied by cowboys, which nonchalantly wandered across the road even as an ambulance approached at speed with its blue lights flashing.
Joe Fellner summarised his impression of Kazakhstan's vastness as follows: "At Easter you can already see who's coming for Christmas." Rolf Deinzer, on board car No. 6, concluded, "I really enjoyed the great sense of freedom. I hadn't anticipated such feelings among all this beauty." Alongside him, enjoying the ride in the "world class" car, Michael von Zitzewitz, was able to confirm what he had been told beforehand – the flatness, the sun, the sheer space . The chairman of the Frankfurt Convention Centre, which is represented in 130 countries, had asked the managing director in Moscow, a Kazakh, what to expect.
The destination, Astana, stands in stark contrast to the immense Steppes. With a population of half a million people, the capital formed in 1998 embodies the new Kazakhstan. Ten years ago still a typical small town, the capital of this mineral-rich country is now characterised by strong economic growth and is regarded as a two-paced city, embracing both the lethargy of the Steppes and the turbo-charged speed of its construction boom.
According to plans drafted by the Japanese urban architect, Kisho Kurokawa, Astana is to become a fully developed eco-city by 2030. One of the current prestige projects is an enormous peace pyramid designed by the celebrated architect, Sir Norman Foster. Already fêted as a "modern wonder of the world" before its envisaged completion by the end of this year, the glass structure is to serve as a global meeting place for people of different religions. Its size will put both London's St. Paul's Cathedral and the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul in the shade.
The day wound down at a reception high above the illuminated streets of Astana on the 22nd floor of the Club Parisienne, where the project leader, Florian Urbitsch of DaimlerChrysler greeted the deputy governor and deputy mayor, Amanshaev Ermek Amirhanovich, who gave a welcoming address. Amirhanovich expressly thanked Dr. Galia Shunusaliyeva, the local representative of German business in Kazakhstan, whose active support and personal intervention facilitated the visit. On Sunday the contestants are heading for Balhash, where host families are already looking forward to their encounter with the E-Class convoy and its crews.
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