THE CAUCASUS (7/05/2008 - 28/05/2008)

We docked to Baku at night and spent one hour at the
immigration. Around 2 A.M. we found a hotel in the city
centre. Everything is too expensive compared with Iran and
Turkmenistan. We spent some day in Baku before resuming
again. Azerbaijan was the end of the desert! After three
months we could see again trees, rivers and snow!

We spent most of the nights in our tent close to the kafe along
the way. The owners were so friendly and sometime we got
dinner for free!

Although the landscape was up and down and hard by
bicycle we enjoyed cycling there! We went through the
valleys riding alongside the snowed mountains. We got Sheki
and spent three nights in the Karavanserai Hotel, one of the
best reasons to visit the city.

On 17th May we crossed the border and went to Georgia.

Very important for all travelers: at the border hide your
Lonely Planet because in Azerbaijan is forbidden!

There isn't any money changer at the border but fortunately
they can be changed in Tblisi. (Lari into Manat or vice
versa)

On the way to Tblisi we stopped visiting Sighnaghi the most
attractive town in Kakheti. A little piece of Italy in
Georgia!

We got Tblisi and spent some days there. We stayed at Nasi's
Homestay where we met a few travelers. Two Dutch, an
American and two South Africans traveling by bicycle from
Cape Town.
Nasi (the owner) wasn't a bad person but she wanted money
for everything we needed!

We left the city and in a few hours we arrived at the border
with Armenia. We got the Visa on the spot and changed
little money to pay for it.

Amazing landscape with rivers, mountains and a lot of
shepherds riding horses. Their dogs weren't so friendly as
them! Usually they chased us and tried to bite our legs.
Fortunately when we stopped they went away!

We went through Alaverdi, Vanadzor, Dilijan, Lake Sevan
until Yerevan, the Capital city. Usually we spent our nights
in the homestays, the cheapest places where to sleep.

Yerevan is a modern and quiet city, nice for walking around.

Here we are! Tomorrow we are leaving toward Georgia. In a
few days we'll be to Batumi on the shore of the Black Sea.

Till now we rode 18835 km.

Have a nice trip!


Claudio and Patrizia