Caravanistan

Bit unpleasant in these parts this week Kyrgyz-Tajik Negotiators Reach Agreement, Reopen Border Crossing After Deadly Clashes

Arrival: Almaty bus station is a fair way out. With luggage take the TRAM into town from the main road, much roomier than squeezing onto a city bus with a backpack. Alas in ALmaty “every car is a taxi” just as a foreigner you'll pay double. Departure: The counters on the 1st floor only sell tckets f...

There are two totally legit backdoors from Turkey into Georgia: 1) 30 km from the Turkish Posof on route E691/D995 to the crossing at 41°35'16,1" N, 42°49'06.6" E thence Vale in Georgia, continue on ს8 10 km to the nearest town Akhaltsikhe. Alas you'll need your own vehicle or taxi (no problem in th...

Maybe a bit off-topic, but the day after I left Azerbaijan (after 9 days on a 30 day eVisa) I received an eMail from Azeri immigration asking me to participate in a survey. This consisted of only four questions how did you like/rate the people's attitude to foreigners / food / hotels / transport plu...

I'd like to update my previous post with a trip report on board the MS Kaunas (which is not much different from the MS Greifswald) : 1) The US$ 20 extra are in fact commission for the agent in Tiflis, which makes her attentiveness more understandable, as this equals 50 Lari for 45 mins work -- this ...

But don't forget to keep plenty of of cash (I'd say 500, couple of large ones and plenty of small 5+10). Good old Yankee Dollars, preferably the new series. There will be the odd tight spot / remote bloody shithole with no bank, likely in a storm/flood/coup d'etat on a Friday afternoon in a Muslim c...

Just to clarify those two rather incoherent previous posts: You are having trouble with the Turks?

This is intended to supplement the information given on Black Sea Ferries DIrections: The agent in Tiblisi is U&G Agency LLC (alas it says “LL Group” on the office and receipt) 12a Alexander Kazbegi Ave. (Map reference: ). 41.725542, 44.762155 Take the Metro to “Medical university” (exit at front en...

October 2015, both places near the Chorsu bazar: * Mirzo B&B, whose owner is a bit of a slimeball no warm water during my stay. * Gulnaras Guesthouse, which I found much friendlier. (Their google map entry is a bit off target) (Both well known an critiqued on relevant booking sites: https://www.host...

Not exactly a timely reply, alas in Oct. 2014 there were three guest houses (al of them literally ”no name² in the immediate vicinity of the mosque/bazar area: Two immediately across the street from the north exit of the park around the mosque. Look for the building wit a sign "7 D cinema" (approx m...