To Noel_Byrne: Hi Noel

[LondonBoy]

Thanks for the critique.

I saw only a few locals visiting the canyon.
Not a single foreign car number plate outside of Astana or Almaty (some Russian, Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Georgian cars in these cities) and very few visitors even there.
A few Brits and Germans mainly for skiing, the odd Japanese and Chinese and little else. In the cities a lot of people speak English. However, I had to use my very basic Russian vocabulary everywhere I went, even to communicate with my driver. It's been amazing and I will return for sure.

Have a great Sunday
Alex