New rules from the north
4 July 2010
From 1 July Kazakhstan and Russia and Belarus have the Customs Union, a big union with one tariff. For you it means: a thing that cost one price on 30 June costs another on 1 July, and the Kazakh border officers have a new book with a new colour of cover and a lot of letters.
At the Khorgos side they wanted a paper for every box of covers. A paper for the cover! The woman with the stamp said it is "technical regulation". I said what is technical about a bear with a phone. She did not smile.
Result: 14 hours in the line, 80 dollars extra for "consultation". Do not ask what consultation is.
The Kazakh side, 7 a.m., line number 3. I have the number on my hand.