March 2017 archive

Holy Hill (Destination: Stepantsminda, Georgia)

It was hard to get up early after a late night last night, but we had breakfast and departed Tbilisi. We were driving north towards the Russia (Chechnya) border. First, we stopped at Ananuri monetary, which was on the shores of a large reservoir. There were so many dogs hanging out there and chasing around …

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Third Time is a Charm (Destination: Tbilisi, Georgia)

I found myself in Tbilisi three times due to changes in plans.  I LOVE this city and want to go back some day. Mon, Nov 18, 2013 It was around freezing in the morning as there was a little bit of frost on the tent. I’m happy to say I’ve survived all the bush camps …

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Wicked Wine Tasting (Destination: Gremi & Telavi, Georgia)

We departed Signaghi at 10 am and drove a bit until we arrived at Gremi. Gremi was a town built in the 1500’s by a local king. There was a church and fortress at the top of a hill. Eventually the Persians attacked this town and destroyed much of it as well as tortured and …

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Georgian Snickers (Destination: Signaghi, Georgia)

Today’s drive was short – only about 3 hours, much of it up a winding hill with nice views of the fortress on the top of the hill, the valley, and the snow-capped mountains in the far distance. Our destination was the town of Signaghi at the top of the hill. It was surrounded by …

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Fall Colors (Destination: Lagodekhi, Georgia)

It took a couple hours of driving to the Azerbaijan/Georgia border. The Azeri official recognized the Odyssey Overland group since another group had just passed this border a couple weeks ago. He asked if the group was going to Armenia. Azerbaijan and Armenia hasn’t been on good terms since 1919 and there are some disputed …

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Staying Sexi (Destination: Sheki, Azerbaijan)

Wed, Nov 13, 2013 On the drive to Sheki, we stopped on a hill for our most exciting lunch – hot dogs with fried onions and yellow mustard!  No cucumbers! These were some emergency rations that had been taken on the ferry in case it took more than a day to cross (crossings can take …

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Mud Volcanoes Azerbaijan (Gobustan)

If you’re looking for a unique place to visit, the Mud Volcanoes Azerbaijan in Gobustan were my highlight of Azerbaijan. Getting to the Mud Volcanoes Azerbaijan You will need a tour or private care to get the the Mud Volcanoes, which are located southwest of Baku. The Mud Volcanoes of Azerbaijan As we departed Baku, …

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Haiku in Baku (Destination: Baku, Azerbaijan)

Mon, Nov 11, 2013 We arrived in Baku around 5pm (4pm after the time difference) and it took about 2 hours to get off the boat and thru immigration and customs. We were in Azerbaijan! We had a short drive from the port to our hotel in the middle of town. This was culture shock! …

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Turkmenbashi to Baku Ferry – Crossing the Caspian Sea

There is not a Turkmenbashi to Baku Ferry every day. We waited a little over 24 hours until it was time to board. We were on the boat named “Professor Gul” by about 9:30 and after being assigned a cabin, I quickly killed Rich in the “Murder on the Caspian” game. Per the guides, we …

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Turkmenbashi Turkmenistan (Hurry Up and Wait)

Today would be one of the longest driving days of the trip – 600 Kms from Ashgabat to Turkmenbashi Turkmenistan port. This morning at breakfast, I met some folks from a Road Scholars (formerly Elderhostel) tour. They were going to 5 of the ‘stans in only 16 days. They were fascinated to hear about our …

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