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I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

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Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#141

Post by dakics »

donretag wrote: post #137
asymmetric wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would love to read about your experience on the Mongol Rally!

The Mongol Rally is on my bucket list, but there is no way I could ever find like minded people to do it with.

Follow their FB page, there are many people who are looking for a partner, or additional team member to share costs.

In fact, if you need to spend a month in a car, it might be better with a person you don't know (friend, relative...). There will be too much information you don't need to know. :)

Another #protip: the ultimate "get out of jail" card is the red MAN UTD t-shirt.

It's the better universal value than cigarettes, pens or crisp $20 notes. If we had few of those (fakes, obviously) we would've seriously cut our mechanic bills and few other expenses along the way.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#142

Post by cm2187 »

mc32 wrote: post #9
steven777400 wrote: post #3

Great read. I've never been in a situation where a bribe might have helped and so it's good to get some idea of "how bribes work" for possible future reference. I have noticed that it seems valuable to project being "poorer" rather than "richer" when traveling. Naively it might seem like throwing money around would grease all sorts of wheels but the opposite has been my experience (although probably I just don't have…

John MacAfee has a great guide. Context is important. You need to know the situation, you have to be situationally aware. You can't just start showing money (maybe alcohol or other "currency" depending on their penchants are more apt). You have to know a bit about the locals. See http://www.whoismcafee.com/the-travel-guide/

Thanks. This guide is absolutely hilarious!

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#143

Post by cr1895 »

jlg23 wrote: post #79

Great read, but I don't buy it. I've not been to Kazakhstan but traveled Africa and South America extensively. I've been to war zones. A lot of things don't add up: * A cop takes a bribe, is surprised the tourist is in some computer and then returns the bribe? I've never ever encountered a cop who takes bribes but does not know how the system works. They are not this stupid. This, by the way, is the best way to avoid…

>I've not been to Kazakhstan but traveled Africa and South America extensively.

I don't follow why the steppes of Central Asia should be culturally similar to Africa and South America (each massively diverse in their own right).

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#144

Post by deepinthewoods »

Mithaldu wrote: post #34
otl1248 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, absurd that people are glossing over the fact that he outed (with photos for chrissakes) a rape victim.

She asked him to take photos (unless he's lying). While not stated, there's a good chance he asked her if he could post them online.

> and asked me to take lots of pictures of her for my memory

For his memory. Clearly it wasn't a "tell my story!" Kind of moment. Even if it was, she'd been raped the day before then tried to flee the country with no money, got arrested and thrown in prison. She was clearly in a very vulnerable state and the writer was the first friendly face she'd seen. He admits he didn't contact her before posting her face all over the internet. The pictures have been taken down now btw.

Edit: OP says she asked him to tell her story. I still think he should have asked her at a time when, you know, she wasn't at the lowest point in her life.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#145

Post by jmnicolas »

exabrial wrote: post #128

I don't know even what to make of this... The preamble suggests that Kazakhstan justice was superior to American justice, but after reading the whole story I'm like... dude, grow a sense of self-responsibility. It's not like your visa expiring was a surprise... you knew exactly when it was going to happen, and YOU CHOSE to violate it without giving yourself any wiggle room. Then you willingly participated in a corrup…

> dude, grow a sense of self-responsibility

dude relax and try to travel more. You sound like you could use some vacations.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#146

Post by deepinthewoods »

vkou wrote: post #49
drpp wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A) This was a pretty unusual experience for me. And I think it is unusual for the readers. B) I can see your point. She did ask me to take photos and to tell her story. I have not been in touch with her in a while. I will deliberate for a bit and consider taking down her photos. There is no profit motive. I am not paid for this story.

Did you change the names of the officials involved in this story?

Op hasn't answered any of the comments asking this. I'd like to know if he even bothered changing the name and location of the rape victim.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#147

Post by eklavya »

sreeni_ananth wrote: post #118
zensavona wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> spent most of his time down there booty bumping bath salts source? Having lived in Cambodia (nowhere near as dangerous as Belize, but probably just as corrupt), being implicated with a crime you didn't commit isn't the most far fetched thing.

India is exactly the same, for its much hyped democracy, it is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Recently there is a trend for implicating husbands and relatives in criminal cases just because the wife didn't get along. All interested parties including lawyers, judges, police get involved for financial gain.

No, it's not exactly the same. The "much hyped" democracy works. Frauds are everywhere, no surprises there.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#148

Post by eklavya »

tn13 wrote: post #52
_delirium wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But don't flush any ex-soviet train toilets when you're stopped at a train station. Not just ex-Soviet trains, British ones too. Newer and renovated trains have sewage tanks, but older trains flush directly onto the tracks (and often therefore have a sign in the toilet asking you not to flush when stopped at a station). According to the BBC, as of 2015 this applied to about 10% of the trains in service: http://www.…

Almost all modern Indian trains are like this too. But I dont think you will get into trouble for shitting on a station.

Open defecation is such a big problem. There is a big government programme just for this. I hope it succeeds and rids us of this shame.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#150

Post by pantalaimon »

zensavona wrote: post #68
wavefunction wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sasha was a responsible scientist with a stable life. McAfee is someone who kept a minor girlfriend, fled Belize after being implicated in the murder of his neighbor and spent most of his time down there booty bumping bath salts. For some perspective.

> spent most of his time down there booty bumping bath salts source? Having lived in Cambodia (nowhere near as dangerous as Belize, but probably just as corrupt), being implicated with a crime you didn't commit isn't the most far fetched thing.

Well MDPV mostly, and he is somewhat professional about it

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/541627-Hello-and-an-MDPV...

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