My last night in Armenia was alongside a small fish farm on a very sunny afternoon but after sunset a dramatic thunderstorm developed with remarkable lightning and claps of thunder that literally shook the van. I was grateful for the shelter of the van and a few trees but gradually things abated and the following morning I was away as the sun appeared once more for the border crossing at Guguti which was speedy and trouble free on a quiet morning. I took out two weeks additional insurance for Georgia for about £15 and stopped on a warm morning to look round the Dmanisi monastery complex just along the valley. In the nearby town of the same name I stopped to see if I could get my Silknet SIM reactivated and topped up but the only phone shop was closed so I carried on to Bolnisi where a small shack did the necessary and I stopped for a lunch of grilled pork and chips.
The enthusiastic driving of Tbilisi required attention and concentration but I was soon pulling up behind the magnificent cathedral in a parking area popular with overlanders. These ranged from a few large MAN 4x4 trucks to a Subaru saloon with a tarpaulin stretched over the boot lid bearing Californian plates. The other trucks were either Dutch or German with most people waiting for visas from the various embassies in the city for onward travel through Russia to the Stans.
I walked down to get an overview of the city and spotted a cyclist I had seen a couple times earlier in the day, Sophia was from Bilbao and had set off last July with the intention of reaching Japan in two year's time, she had endured last night's storm in a tent - impressive...
I crossed the river and watched as the trip boats struggled upstream against the waters swollen by the heavy rain which added to the meltwater from the Caucasus ranges to the north and then enjoyed walking round the old town and checked out the small launderette before returning past the Presidential Palace that looks out over the city. I chatted to some of the various other travellers before settling down for a quiet night.
Next morning I stuffed my laundry in to a rucksack and returned to the launderette enjoying coffee and cake in a rather lovely cafe before taking the clean and dry laundry back to the van and spending the afternoon doing some onward planning.
I spent Tuesday on a rather frustrating and unproductive search for a place to fill my gas cylinders which included getting jammed up in chaotically gridlocked traffic around a major hospital. I stopped at a large Carrefour, the first recognisable supermarket chain in months, and was in awe of the range of produce sold and then sat at a large church looking across to the airport and tracked Mandy's progress via Milan and across the Black Sea. Heading out to the airport on the dual carriageway an old beemer with no lights screamed past me and then suddenly his front bumper was skittering across both lanes requiring evasive action. He screeched to a halt in the fast lane and began reversing at speed to retrieve his loss but fortunately I was past him and soon turning off to the modest sized airport. Parking at 5 GEL was reasonable enough and apparently overnighting is allowed but as the Cathedral park up was so near and convenient for the city that's where we were headed. Mandy emerged through the arrivals door and as always I was touched by the joyful reunions awaiting the incoming passengers.
With a three hour time difference to absorb we parked up and went to the small cafe near the Cathedral entrance for a beer before retiring. The following morning we walked down to Rike Park, obtained the metro travel card and then took the cable car up to the Mother Of Georgia statue before in hot sun walking back down to town and enjoying a light lunch in a decent deli and then exploring the old town once more before returning to the park up.
Next morning we walked down to the centre again, just missed the Clock Tower striking so just had to have coffee and cake to while away another hour. It amuses me how many tourists gather for such a simple sight (we of course being guilty as charged) and then walked past the statue of St George slaying a dragon before reaching the 120 year old funicular that required another travel card which could also be loaded for the rides up at Mtatsminda Amusement Park.
Here we first tried the huge Ferris wheel for a remarkable view over the city and then dared a ride on the roller coaster, a first for both of us. The sled gradually ascended a steep incline and then plunged in to a loop the loop and finished with a corkscrew section that left us laughing our heads off. The log plume was equally exhilarating and we finished off with the cable car back to the valley floor and walked down the main Rustaveli street passing the Art Museum and Parliamentary buildings where the police were closing roads in anticipation of a political protest. Back at the van we showered and changed before a meal at the bar where some lovely staff served us an excellent meal at very reasonable prices.
Our need for gas meant a quick run back to Gori, stopping en route at the Svetitskhoveli walled monastery in Mtskheta, one of Georgia's most celebrated religious sites that is thought to contain Christ's robe under a large stone altar. A return visit to the impressive cave village of Uplistsikhe was well worthwhile and at the central parking in Gori we nipped across to get 3 cylinders filled before walking in to town for a good meal at the Black Stars restaurant where a likeable Ukrainian toddler wanted to show me his plastic military toy set which of course was very thought provoking.
The following morning as hoped the last gas cylinder had expired so we called at our guy again with all four refills coming to under a tenner. In yet another sign of Georgian decency and honesty he was reluctant to take a tip and we dropped the cylinders back at the van before heading in to town as I needed a haircut. Mandy had a quick look round the outside of the Stalin Museum meanwhile and then we got some fruit and veg before heading off.
I had planned for us to stay out in the wilds so we headed towards Borjomi and then turned up towards Bakuriani which to our surprise turned out to be a vast partially finished but mostly unoccupied ski resort that held no appeal. We tried other options in the immediate area to no avail so returned to Borjomi and found a peaceful spot in a loop of old road beneath the ruins of Cixe castle. An exciting suspension bridge took us over to beautiful meadows in a natural basin with cows grazing around the ruins of a small church.
Next morning the herdsman stopped to say hello and have a nosey at the van before we moved on stopping first at the extensive fort complex of Rabati in Akhaltsikhe. As I exited a confusing roundabout layout I spotted police lights in my wing mirror, a common enough sight as they always drive round with them illuminated, but a command from the tannoy is an indication to stop. The guy was friendly enough, asked for my passport and driving licence and then my insurance, all of which his colleague checked against a laptop database and declared in order. He then asked me to open a sealed plastic packet containing a sterile tube for his breathalyser, another test passed without issue after which we were on our way.
The Rabati fort was superb with extensive walls, turrets and towers, beautiful gardens, fountains and other features and a majestic bronze domed mosque that was a sign that the town had seen many nationalities and religions live peacefully side by side for generations. I had taken the the opportunity with the police officer to confirm that our intended border crossing is open - the friends in Kazakhstan have a 2000 km detour thanks to a closed border point with Uzbekistan.
We stopped at Khertvisi castle which dominates the confluence of two rivers and contains a small but very moving chapel and bought fresh asparagus from the tiny stall near the entrance. We then carried on up the valley to find a quiet picnic area outside Akhalkalaki and settled in on a cool evening enlivened by a sighting of a yellow coloured fox. The following morning dawned bright and sunny so we climbed nearby Tavshanka hill at just 6,000' for views across to the mountains lying along the Turkish and Armenia borders. Out at Ninotsminda we failed to find the extensive ruined monastery, it turns out there are two Ninotsmindas so it actually lay three hours away on the east side of Tbilisi, a fortunately rare error in my research! In a back street we were amused to see an old lorry back, now on Georgian plates, still signwritten for Lewis's Pies way back in Swansea!!
We stopped at the excellent water point in the town once more, noticing a new railway line and freight marshalling facility being constructed on the line in from Turkey, and then again at Khertvisi for more asparagus before following the Kura gorge to the remarkable Vardzia Cave Village. A short climb up to a gravel parking area and view point looked like the perfect place to park up and we talked with the young Dutch couple already there who are heading to Armenia via Tbilisi. As we are leaving the Caucasus they were very grateful for my old Rough Guide, the more recent tourist information leaflets and my Viva SIM.
We walked down to the ticket office for Vardzia and spent three hours engrossed in the amazing labyrinth of cave homes, store rooms, wine cellars, temples and meeting rooms that were part of the 600 or so hewn out spaces. In the beautiful church that had been created we were able to take a tunnel through to a spring deep inside mountain and then another that led to a series of lofty balconies. Other steps, tunnels and ledges led us to the far end of the settlement a couple of layers below the private quarters of a handful of monks who still live in the complex and toll the bells daily. Back at the church we were able to enter the main nave with its remarkable 12th century frescoes before finally leaving by a series of steep staircases and narrow tunnels that had once been a secret escape route. It was a quite incredible place and later from our lofty perch across the valley we watched as the whole cliff face was illuminated after sunset.
After a very quiet night we decided to get the bikes off for a ride further up the valley although we delayed our departure by an hour or two to let a shower pass. I had a flat rear but fortunately the sealant had held around the rim so a quick blast from the compressor and all was well although my saddle clamp is not right so needs regular readjusting. However we enjoyed the ride up to the remote village of Mirashkhani taking shelter in a small chapel during a heavier shower and spotting a French 4x4 truck parked up down by the river. The Dutch couple had travelled with an English family in a similar truck for a while and said it was interesting to see how often they had to compromise on getting to places due to their height, weight and width and even with the low fuel prices over here 7mpg must hurt.
We took the side road up to the delightful nunnery at Upper Vardzia and then sped along to the Vardzia Panorama restaurant that was fortunately very warm as we arrived rather wet. However beer, wine and an excellent meal for £25 saw us reinvigorated for the last short sharp climb back to the van where as always we appreciated the comforts of the Eber and a hot shower.
Tomorrow we will head over to Turkey via Akhalkalaki stopping en route to soap wash the bikes and van and jet wash the latter as the last few weeks have left it with a patina of credibility but it's always good to present well at borders. We'll fill up with fuel at about 62p a litre which should get rid of the last Georgian lari and fortunately I still have a month left on my Turkish vehicle insurance so that will be one less administrative hurdle. The Dutch couple had taken four hours to get in to Georgia, much of that due to the paperwork for their cat...
I hope my Turkish Vodafone SIM can be reactivated but as we will be in the country for a month getting a new one wouldn't matter and from Greece onwards I'll be using the O2 European roaming allowances.
My seven weeks in Georgia and Armenia have exceeded expectations and provided a wealth of memories, so many remarkable sights and experiences and such heart warming interactions with locals, fellow travellers and people from countries as far flung as Belarus, Iran, China, the USA and India as well as from across Europe.
The ongoing conflicts around the world seem at odds with the way normal people engage and interact and following my friends travels through Russia and Kazakhstan has inspired me to return this way one day, and then today we meet a Swiss couple just returning from time in Iran....
Watch this space and
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