> Mestia is one of those still slightly hidden, hard to reach places in the Republic of Georgia, located high up in the mountains in the region of Svaneti. To get there, I had to take an overnight train from Tbilisi to Zugdidi, followed by a three hour marshrutka (mini-bus) ride up winding mountain roads. […]
Nestled Away in Mestia: The Nest Hostel Svaneti Read More »
When traveling, first impressions mean a lot – especially when it comes to hostels. Over the last eight and a half months, the hostels I have enjoyed the most also tended to be the ones that started things off on the right foot. The Old Town Hostel Tbilisi was actually the third hostel I visited
Tbilisi’s Old Town Hostel: First Impressions Are Everything Read More »
“What the hell have I gotten myself into?” I stared out of the dusty back window of the black clunker that had carried me less than a mile from the Turkey-Georgia border to a gas station in the middle of nowhere. The large Turkish man (we’ll call him Berk) who had been at
From Turkey to Tbilisi: The Not-Quite-By-The-Book Way Read More »
“The movement, migration or scattering of a people away from an established or ancestral homeland; people settled far from their ancestral homelands.” This is one of the definitions of the word “diaspora” – a word which I was not very familiar before arriving in Armenia in early March to volunteer with the Armenian Volunteer Corps
Birthright Armenia: More Than Just a Volunteer Experience Read More »
I wandered aimlessly around the main square in Trabzon, checking and re-checking my guidebook map, trying desperately to get my bearings. It was 6:00 a.m. and I was fresh off an overnight bus, feeling not-so-fresh and searching for my hotel to at least drop off my bags. Suddenly, a welcome sight jumped out at me.
Sometimes You Just Need McDonald’s Read More »
Based on statistics I made up myself, 99% of first-time visitors to Italy head to the big three of Rome, Florence and Venice. Not surprisingly, when I first visited Italy, I took the same route. But really, if you love wine, history and art – not to mention amazing food – Umbria is worth a
Undiscovered Umbria Read More »
I am supposed to be in Turkmenistan right now. Instead I am in Turkey. According to my original itinerary – or at least the itinerary that existed on August 30, 2011 when I hopped on a flight to Helsinki – I should be marking my eight months of traveling while camping somewhere in
8 Months Down, How Many More to Go? Read More »
I recently read a post on Traveldudes called Hostels 101 – What Makes Hostels Tick, What to Do and What Not to Do. As I scanned through the post, much of it seemed unfamiliar to me, despite the fact that I have been staying in hostels for much of the last eight months – 18
Hostelling in the Former Soviet Union Read More »
Tears welled in my eyes as I walked across the bridge leading to Georgia, an exit stamp from Armenia fresh in my passport. For the first time in over seven months on the road, I felt truly sad to leave a place. It is hard to describe my time in Armenia because, in the
Life Lessons in Armenia Read More »
I originally planned to start my Central Asia travels by taking the ferry from Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan or by flying to Almaty, Kazakhstan. Tajikistan would be my last stop before heading back to the United States. However, after my Black Sea ferry nightmare, I quickly scrapped the idea of crossing the Caspian Sea by boat.
Help! How Should I Get to Tajikistan? Read More »
