Our Round-the-World adventure

[ITTOG]

Jordan looks stunning and I am sure a bit surreal.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[tacototheworld]

Greece - Part 1

Temple to the Goddess Athena (one of many) next to Delphi

Greece was a fantastic place to land and re-group after a year and a half in Africa and the Middle East. We felt a huge sense of comfort in the European familiarity and how easy everything was for us. For the first time in ages we didn’t feel like we stuck out for miles, walking around with a big imagined TOURIST sign floating above our heads. We could (somewhat) blend in to the crowds, we understood the food, the customs, the rules. The similarity of the culture to our own backgrounds was a temporary reprieve.

But aside from being a great place for us to feel a sense of ease and relaxation, Greece is just straight up a terrific place to travel. We loved the beaches, the mountains, the food (some of the best in the world!) and, of course, the iconic cultural and historical sites and engaging people.

Our route driving through Greece with a flight to and from Crete and a few island ferries along the way

At first, we were without the truck, waiting for it to arrive on a ship from Israel, so we booked into a hotel in Athens for a few nights then flew over to Crete to explore the island (like a regular tourist not an overland traveler, it was a little disconcerting for us).

View over Athens - immense and dense, with almost no public parks or open space for miles and miles.

Athens felt like a thriving city, alive with art and history, even outside of the old town areas and the Acropolis. During our time in Greece we learned to appreciate and admire the incorporation of art and whimsy into everyday life that seemed to come so easy to the Greek people - probably due to centuries of practice.

Old Greek Orthodox church surrounded by modern shops


We are convinced that we visited Greece at the very best time - March and April. We enjoyed cool mornings, sunny afternoons and a lack of crowds. As a caveat, we were not laying out on the beach or diving into the ocean to swim, but then that is not usually our favorite pastime anyway.

It was such a major site, we booked a tour with a guide (Constantine, with the hat and the pointing finger) who was terrific and gave a lot of interesting context

We would put the Acropolis up there with the very best archeological sites we have visited in the world, along with Petra in Jordan, Ephesus in Turkey and Great Zimbabwe. We were so inspired by the sense of history that we could not stop snapping pictures.

Photo op in front of the Parthenon


After three days exploring, and resting it up in Athens, we flew to Crete. Still without the truck, we rented a small car to get around the island.

Clay wine urns on display at Palace of Minos at Knossos, outside Heraklion


Luckily for us, the beautiful island of Crete was not really about archeological sites, but about gorgeous coastline, stunning harbor towns, and craggy (still snowy!) mountains and gorges.

Venetian Harbor in Chania, yes that's snow in the background

We continued our history lessons on Crete - more of the European and Ottoman power plays through time. Crete came under control of Venice in the early 13th century and continued under their ownership until it became their last overseas possession in the 17th century. In 1669 the Venetian Kingdom finally fell to the Ottomans and Crete became part of the Ottoman Empire.

Wandering the enchanting side streets of Chania

After being charmed by the architecture in Chania, we continued to the west to the remote coastal area of Elafonissi - beautiful deserted beaches perfect for a spring walk.

Beach at Elafonissi


Traveling with a rental car and staying in hotels was very different for us. It had been a long time since we had to deal with hauling luggage in and out of hotels and we missed endless supplies of cold water and snacks from our fridge. But on the upside, we were able to stretch out in big climate controlled rooms every night and explore the local cuisine in restaurants more than we normally would. Since we were early in the season, hotels were a reasonable $40 USD a night for mid range accommodations. Budget meals were easy to find at $5-9 a person. It also helped that hotels commonly served a huge and filling breakfast which jump started our daily calorie count at no additional cost.

Our favorite Greek fast food - gyros (falafal for Dawn, beef for Andy, with Dawn’s wine cheaper than Andy’s Pepsi)

We had intended to hike the famous Samaria Gorge but unfortunately it was not open yet due to weather. No worries, instead we drove south and hiked Imbros Gorge - a lovely day hike.

Enjoying being back in nature

Heading into the narrowest section


Crete was a surprise to us with the variety of experiences it provided - we had not expected the vast expanses of mountains alongside the captivating villages.

The island provided a lovely blend of remote hiking and culinary and artistic sites. We loved wandering the old towns and walking the beaches in equal parts.

Old town Rehimno

Of course a visit to Crete requires visiting some ancient religious sites - the Cretans staunchly held onto their Greek Orthodox roots despite being occupied by both the Venetians (Catholic) and Ottomans (Muslim).

Arkadi Monastery

We found our exploring rhythm, mixing it up with coastal harbor towns and interior cultural sites and remote roads. But as Google took us on some navigational adventures (love those “short cuts”) we definitely missed our capable 4x4 a few times.

Ancient City of Lato - built in the 3rd and 4th centuries BC

The huge benefit of visiting in April, we were often on our own to explore ancient sites which always adds to the mystery.

Visiting these ancient sites we could always understand why people settled where they did - usually with a magnificent, defensible view

Mountain road - most of the roads in Crete were easily driveable with any vehicle. Although not wide or straight

Dawn requested a side trip to Matala Beach - site where notable 60’s artists (Joni Mitchell!) lived and created music in their hippy years.

Caves at Matala Beach - former home to 60’s musicians

Our time in Crete was up and it was time to be re-united with our home on wheels. A short flight took us back from Heraklion to Athens, then a taxi ride to the port of Lavrio dropped us off feeling a little anxious and lost.

 

[tacototheworld]

Greece - part 2

The truck!! (We still don’t have a catchy name for it like most overlanders do)

Fully rested after our ten days of hotels and restaurants we set off on what felt like, to us, our “real” exploration of Greece - overlander style. Our first stop was the Peloponnese Peninsula.

In general, maybe because it was still early in the season, we found Greece to be an easy place to overland. Wild camping was readily available in most areas. An easy going “live and let live” culture meant that people did not mind us overnighting in remote places. We used the iOverlander app to find places to sleep and avoided being in sight of any houses or roads when possible.

Ruins of Ancient Olympia - birthplace of the Olympics

For our Audible books selection in Greece, as we drove we listened to Greek mythology and hero stories. It was amazing how the stories connected the dots with the places we were visiting. (We listened to Stephen Fry’s Mythos and then Heroes, very comprehensive). Listening to the labors of Hercules and then visiting the site where he supposedly started the Olympics definitely brought it all home.

Got ourselves into trouble - its always at the beach! Maxtrax to the rescue (again)

Settled in for the night on the hard packed sand

The next place on our itinerary (Andy’s very organized spreadsheet which Dawn loves to mess with) was the enchanting village of Monemvasia. A castle town built on the side of a cliff so that it was hidden from the mainland, it was one of our favorite towns to visit in Greece.

One of the most aesthetically charming places we visited in Greece

Pedestrian streets of Monemvasia

Our next stop on the Peloponnese Peninsula was an equally magical place, the Byzantine ruins at Mystras - a well deserved World Heritage Unesco site.

Ruins of Mystras - center of Byzantine culture in the 14th and 15th centuries

Some of the buildings partially restored

Ancient church fresco

Famous lion gate

Vast ruins across the hillside - at its peak the military stronghold for the Greeks had a population of 30,000

We felt like we couldn’t visit Greece without experiencing some idyllic island life. Andy did some careful research and chose four for us: Hydra, Mykonos, Naxos and Tinos. We wanted to visit one iconic tourist one (and chose Mykonos over Santorini, just slightly less upscale which felt like a better fit for us) plus some smaller lesser known ones.
First up was Hydra, which appealed to us as it was vehicle free (although it did mean ditching the truck again). Luckily there was plenty of free, safe parking at the dock.

Walking the hills and enjoying the views on Hydra

Classic boxy white architecture we found across the Greek islands

Hydra was our favorite of the islands we visited. It had tourism infrastructure but was not crowded. It was easy to walk on trails away from the center. With no cars, pedestrian life was easy, although the hills were steep! It was beautiful and serene, people were welcoming but there was no pressure to engage in tourist activities.

Locals use donkeys for transport

We spent a night in Hydra then returned to the mainland where our truck was safely waiting for us.

 

[tacototheworld]

Greece - part 3

Our next island visit was Mykonos. For us the name evoked celebrity, glamor, and luxury. Luckily it was also a place we could take our truck by ferry. But we quickly found out it was not really a place for self-camping. Highly developed, there was very little open space with roads. Steep empty mountainsides were inaccessible. Coast lines were covered in freshly painted white hotels, homes, pensions and resorts. But the island was stunning with its white and blue architecture and we were glad to have gone - even briefly.

Main harbor at Mykonos Town

Iconic blue and white architecture with grey stone walkways - all freshly painted for the season

Greek independence day parade on Mykonos - March 25 -celebration of the successful revolution against the Ottoman empire


The third island we visited was an overnight trip from Mykonos to Naxos. To save on expenses, we left the truck and took the passenger ferry. Although ferry schedules were fairly easy to navigate and book online, they were not cheap. All together for our four island visits (one with the truck) we spent over $600 in ferry tickets.

Main port in Naxos

Walking to the Portara - giant marble arch still standing from an old temple to Apollo

Beautiful beach of Naxos with the classis white Greek island architecture

Church of Panagia Megalochari in Chora, Tinos, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it is the most popular pilgrimage site in Greece

Colorful side streets of Tinos - not all white and blue!


We started our central Greece explorations at ancient Delphi - commonly referred to in the Greek myths were were listening to as the site of the famous oracle.

Temple at ancient Delphi

Our next stop was Iti National Park with its beautiful rugged mountain vistas and rivers. Local villages had created various art installations along scenic hiking trails - you never knew what you were going to find on the next hilltop.

Admiring the stone architecture of Makrinitsa

Hiking along the coast - Pelion Peninsula

Our last stop in central Greece was a highlight for us - the monasteries of Meteora. The monks built with the intention of avoiding capture by centuries of hostile invaders and occupiers. Initially only accessed by secret tunnels or scaling cliffs, the monasteries now have secure steps, walking paths and rudimentary cable cars used to supply the monks still on site.

Monasteries of Meteora - built atop rock pinnacles.

It was one of those places that we could just not stop taking photos, in awe of the monks who conceived of and built in these locations

Mount Olympus - also featured in much of the Greek mythology we were listening to. But we did not have any encounters with Zeus or any of his 11 mischievous cohort of gods.

Time for new tires (again!) Last time was Slovenia, now in Thessaloniki

Not much tread left in these BF Goodrich KO2s. They served us well, lasting 52,000 miles. Unfortunately we had to switch to Yokahama Geolander AT as the BFGs weren’t available. So far we like them

Walking the waterfront promenade in Thessaloniki

And that is a wrap for Greece! Next stop Turkey. Thank you for reading and any questions or comments are welcome. Safe travels out there.

 

[tacototheworld]

Western Turkey - Part 1

We were so excited to visit Turkey for the first time and Istanbul was a city we had always wanted to explore. But our plans did not pan out as we hoped. Information was somewhat difficult to come by and we got over confident about our ability to navigate borders and customs. Our plan was to leave the truck for two months in Turkey and return home to see family and friends, then return to resume our travels.

Through various on line travel forums we thought we learned that you could easily receive an extension on the standard 3 month temporary import limit for private vehicles. The procedure was to go to customs with a letter stating that the vehicle had been parked and not used and then an extension was granted. Assuming all would be fine we continued with our travel plans to visit western Turkey, then store the truck and return to visit central and eastern Turkey.

The campground where we stored the truck knew about the letter requirements and kindly provided one for us. Unfortunately the key missing piece of information for us was that in actuality, no extensions are granted in any circumstances without a residency permit. Which we lacked. Our big mistake was not fact checking all of this until we actually returned to Turkey after being in the US for two months. As soon as we arrived, we headed to customs at the airport to explain that we needed an extension. The officer kindly looked up our vehicle in their system and then shook his head and said that actually we had to get the truck out of Turkey in a week or else we could be facing huge fees and impounding. But somehow we still did not quite believe it so we drove on our merry way and visited another customs office where others had received extensions. Same story, no residency permit, no extension (we did later hear that the rules had changed on us sometime in the past year or so). The upshot of all of this was that once we returned from the US we had to drive all the way across Turkey in three days to get the truck safely into Georgia. Sadly our central and eastern Turkey itinerary went by the wayside. Hopefully we can return someday. (We had big plans for our first hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia). Although we drove all the way across Turkey, we really only explored the western side so we renamed the blog accordingly.

The historical sites we were able to visit were fascinating and we learned a lot about the complexities of the Ottoman and Roman empires battling it out in the region. Istanbul lived up to its reputation as a mesmerizing city full of life and culture with visible signs of its transition from Byzantium to Constantinople to Istanbul. The architecture was extraordinary and the streets lively, fun and easy to navigate (at least on foot).

As soon as we crossed the border into Turkey we felt the atmospheric shift back to a Muslim dominated culture. Although much more westernized than the countries we visited on the Arabian peninsula, in Turkey we once again enjoyed hearing the call to prayer and seeing the beautiful domes of mosques and their minarets on the horizons.

Our first historic stop in Turkey was the Gallipoli Peninsula, visiting the battle sites and graveyards related to the famous Turkish victory in WWI. It was eerie, sad and chilling to look out over the sea of graves and try to contemplate the loss of life. We visited the local museum which led us through a series of exhibits and video clips detailing the Turkish victory over the Allied troops. Over 130,000 men lost their lives in the Gallipoli campaign.

Trenches are still visible

After a sobering day we made our way to a bluff top wild camping site. Finding camping spots in Turkey was easy using both Park4Night and iOverlander. In general, we use the Park4Night app in Europe and iOverlander in Africa and the Americas, but Turkey was a mixed country with both of the apps having a lot of detailed information. We will be interested to see which one of the apps is more populated in Asia.

Next began our tour of some fascinating ancient Greek and Roman sites in Turkey. Our first stop was the city of Troy, which honestly, despite its name figuring hugely in our audible books of Greek mythology, was a disappointing site for us. Much of it was little more than chaotic rubble. We know we were not too enthralled as we didn’t seem to take any pictures - never a good sign. But then Pergamon and Ephesus definitely made up for it with their extraordinary beauty.

Ephesus was a Turkey highlight for us - we were still pre-season in April so were happy to find the site empty of crowds. We showed up early and hired a private guide to make the city come alive for us - and he definitely did.

Ephesus was an ancient port and at one point one of the most important Greek cities - a trading center for the Mediterranean region and then later part of the Roman Empire. The historic wealth was apparent in the carvings and ornate design of the buildings.

The trench in front of the communal toilet area is for cleaning the scrub brushes. Need we say more?

Our time with the truck was coming to an end again. As we looked at logistics, we realized we could leave it in Izmir at a campground ($3 per day parking) and fly to Istanbul ($50 flight) for much cheaper than we could try to park the truck long term in Istanbul. Our Izmir campground hosts were helpful and kind and we trusted that the truck would be safe in their hands. Leaving the truck in Izmir also meant that it would be easy to continue our planned route (or so we thought). We also don’t like driving the truck in big cities or trying to find parking so not bringing it to Istanbul felt brilliant all around - it was definitely the right choice.

 

[tacototheworld]

Turkey - Part 2

In addition to being excited about visiting iconic Istanbul, we were thrilled that Dawn’s cousin Helen, one of our favorite travel partners, was joining us for the week. She had a past history of doing business in Istanbul so was cued up for both a trip down memory lane and being our unofficial tour guide. We hopped on the plane and made our way to our Airbnb.

The next week was a feast for the senses. Beautiful art, architecture and food everywhere. The city is fast paced but felt safe. We watched our wallets as you do in any big city in the world, but never had any issues.

As we have done in so many big cities in the world, we started our time with a free walking tour, grounding us in the history of the city. The site of the old Roman hippodrome, now Sultanahmet Public Square, is a spacious walking area lined with history and mosques. Ever conscious of our travel budget, we chose the attractions we paid for partly on interest and partly on the length of the line. Most of the mosques were free to enter (with the exception of the famous Hagia Sophia) so we took the time to visit and take in their grandeur and symmetry.

Can you guess that we're in the spice market?

All sorts of Baklava!

We braved the crowds and bought tickets to Topkapi Palace - home to the sultans of the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years. The vast complex showcased art and architecture over the centuries - giving great insight into what life was like for the sultans, their families and even the associated harems.

Because we learned so much on our first free walking tour, we signed up for a second one and took the ferry over to tour Fener Balat, an old multicultural neighborhood known for Greek, Armenian, Jewish and Turkish people living side by side.

Our time in Istanbul was coming to an end and Dawn was feeling like there was just one outstanding experience that we had overlooked so far - the hamam or iconic “Turkish Bath.” Helen was game, having been before and willing to show Dawn the ropes and Andy was a big fat “no.”

Finally our time was up and we had to (very sadly) say goodbye to Helen to fly back to the US.

Our time at home with family and friends filled our souls with love and joy. During this time of traveling in the truck, we never see our children enough so being able to gather, relax and work on projects together (more on that later) so it was just what we needed.

The two months flew by and before we knew it we were back on a plane, back in Izmir and booting up truck life again. Of course we returned with an extra duffel full of truck parts for future maintenance. It was surprisingly easy to slide into our past routines, despite having had the luxury of living in a real house for two months. Once we had resupplied with food, water, and gas we were on our way.

Still blissfully unaware that we REALLY did have to leave Turkey in five days, we stopped off to visit Priene, founded in the 4th century BC by the Romans.

Then having visited our second customs office and been told we really did have to leave, we calculated that we could make it to Georgia in three really long driving days with one last stop - the calcite terraces at Pamukkale. A geologic beauty and site of centuries of warm sulfuric baths. (We just put our feet in.)

Well we are fully on our way now, ready to tackle the Silk Road and plot some new adventures. Thank you for reading, hopefully some interesting blogs to come!

 

[tacototheworld]

Armenia - Part 1

Parked at the top of Selim Pass

Armenia was a surprise to us. We knew shockingly little about this small embattled nation, but from the moment we entered from Georgia through the deep, lush Debed river canyon, we started to fall in love.

The country has vast landscapes of forest, river canyons, agricultural valleys and mountain passes. It is dotted with ancient churches and monasteries, which is appropriate as they were the first official seat of Christianity in 301 AD.

There is also a deep sadness to the country which has not recovered from losing 1.5 million people to genocide in the early 1900’s. Repeatedly invaded and oppressed, Armenia’s history is a story of repression by the nearby Ottoman, Russian and Persian empires. In 1639, the Ottoman Turks and Persians fought over the region and divided Armenia between them. In 1828 the Russian Empire took over the Persian half of the country. Conflicts with the Ottoman Turks and the Russian Empire over control of the region continued into the 20th century. During WW1 the Ottoman Turks systematically killed and displaced 1.5 million Armenians.

Despite their tragic history, the Armenian people exhibit strength, resilience and a deep national pride. They have retained their unique language and faith throughout the centuries. There is a passionate ownership of the diaspora which is widely dispersed due to people escaping during the genocide - as one man told us, “there are more Armenians living outside of Armenia these days than in it.”

Our over 900 km route through Armenia

Christianity plays a deep role in the national history and culture. We were told with national pride that Armenia was the first state to officially adopt Christianity. So we began our learning by visiting some of the oldest and most beautiful sites of worship in Armenia.

Haghpat Monastery, medieval monastery founded in the 10th century

Khachkar - unique Armenian art of carving intricate crosses in stone

Inside of Haghpat Monastery

The hills of Armenia are dotted with religious sites, but these first two monasteries, Haghpat and Sanahin stayed with us as two of the most beautiful, both for their location up remote winding mountain roads and their simple beauty which has withstood the test of time.

Sanahin Monastery

With all the wide open space, Armenia was a country where it was super easy to wild camp. We rarely saw other overlanders or local campers and the sites were spectacular.

Winding up our first dirt road to spend the night

And, of course, a beautiful church down below

Andy made friends with the stray dog that adopted us for the night. Luckily this one did not eat Dawn’s bedraggled, jackal chewed camp shoes.

Saghmosavan Monastery, wedding in progress and guests being photographed but we snuck Andy into the background

Perched on the edge of stunning Kasagh Gorge

Hovhannavank Monastery, also gorge side, also hosting a wedding, Andy didn’t photo bomb anyone this time

We appreciated the unique architectural style of the Armenian monasteries and churches, with their cylindrical towers and conical rooves, but now it was time for something different.

We made our way to the capital of Armenia, Yerevan. We had booked an Airbnb with the intention of doing laundry and securing visas for our travels eastward.

View from our Yerevan Airbnb - we were on the outskirts of the city, looking down into the adjacent neighborhood

We found that once we walked into the neighborhood that our instincts would have called “sketchy,” it was actually full of cozy homes and cafes, with lots of intriguing art.

Yerevan, like much of Armenia was a study in contrasts. Old world styles and architecture blended with hip cafes and bars. It is the only place in the world that Dawn has been asked after she ordered a latte “would you like that with plant based or cow milk?” (Keeping in mind that she has spent a LOT of time in California and Oregon.) Broken down Soviet era Ladas shared the streets with fancy Mercedes and street murals shared space with classical art.

Beautiful building front in Yerevan

Republic Square government buildings, young people and families hanging out by the fountains

Opera House

No big city visit is complete without a visit to a real mechanic - Andy took the new brake rotors we carted back from the US (20 lbs each in our luggage) and had our old ones replaced. Really important on all these steep mountain roads. He also replaced the transmission, transaxle, and front and rear differential oils. Huge shout out to our kind Airbnb host, Lilit who took us to her personal mechanic.

Privileged to watch an artist carve a khachkar on a side street

 

[Rockyroad5023]

Turkey - Part 2

In addition to being excited about visiting iconic Istanbul, we were thrilled that Dawn’s cousin Helen, one of our favorite travel partners, was joining us for the week. She had a past history of doing business in Istanbul so was cued up for both a trip down memory lane and being our unofficial tour guide. We hopped on the plane and made our way to our Airbnb.

The next week was a feast for the senses. Beautiful art, architecture and food everywhere. The city is fast paced but felt safe. We watched our wallets as you do in any big city in the world, but never had any issues.

As we have done in so many big cities in the world, we started our time with a free walking tour, grounding us in the history of the city. The site of the old Roman hippodrome, now Sultanahmet Public Square, is a spacious walking area lined with history and mosques. Ever conscious of our travel budget, we chose the attractions we paid for partly on interest and partly on the length of the line. Most of the mosques were free to enter (with the exception of the famous Hagia Sophia) so we took the time to visit and take in their grandeur and symmetry.

Can you guess that we're in the spice market?

All sorts of Baklava!

We braved the crowds and bought tickets to Topkapi Palace - home to the sultans of the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years. The vast complex showcased art and architecture over the centuries - giving great insight into what life was like for the sultans, their families and even the associated harems.

Because we learned so much on our first free walking tour, we signed up for a second one and took the ferry over to tour Fener Balat, an old multicultural neighborhood known for Greek, Armenian, Jewish and Turkish people living side by side.

Our time in Istanbul was coming to an end and Dawn was feeling like there was just one outstanding experience that we had overlooked so far - the hamam or iconic “Turkish Bath.” Helen was game, having been before and willing to show Dawn the ropes and Andy was a big fat “no.”

Finally our time was up and we had to (very sadly) say goodbye to Helen to fly back to the US.

Our time at home with family and friends filled our souls with love and joy. During this time of traveling in the truck, we never see our children enough so being able to gather, relax and work on projects together (more on that later) so it was just what we needed.

The two months flew by and before we knew it we were back on a plane, back in Izmir and booting up truck life again. Of course we returned with an extra duffel full of truck parts for future maintenance. It was surprisingly easy to slide into our past routines, despite having had the luxury of living in a real house for two months. Once we had resupplied with food, water, and gas we were on our way.

Still blissfully unaware that we REALLY did have to leave Turkey in five days, we stopped off to visit Priene, founded in the 4th century BC by the Romans.

Then having visited our second customs office and been told we really did have to leave, we calculated that we could make it to Georgia in three really long driving days with one last stop - the calcite terraces at Pamukkale. A geologic beauty and site of centuries of warm sulfuric baths. (We just put our feet in.)

Well we are fully on our way now, ready to tackle the Silk Road and plot some new adventures. Thank you for reading, hopefully some interesting blogs to come!

Thank you for sharing your travels and adventures. This is a trip that i am dreaming and aspiring for. I hope that I'll be able to do this as well someday. Safe travels and please keep posting.

 

[tacototheworld]

Thank you for sharing your travels and adventures. This is a trip that i am dreaming and aspiring for. I hope that I'll be able to do this as well someday. Safe travels and please keep posting.

Thanks for the nice compliments. You can do it the hardest part is actually committing yourself to go

 

[tacototheworld]

Armenia - Part 2

National Museum of Armenian History - a great place to spend a hot afternoon, we learned a lot.

Building mural in Yerevan. We do not know the meaning but know there is tension in the country about where to obtain needed military support in the future. Neighboring Azerbaijan had recently invaded and pushed Armenians out of a disputed area of the country. Younger people we spoke to hoped to align with the EU, a guide we talked with thought there was a greater chance for support with aligning with Russia. We sensed tension, fear and hope in the country.

Armenian Genocide Memorial

Memorializing the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians

And the more classic public art

Armenian artist Ervand Kochar - “The Disaster of War”

We found Yerevan to be an easy city to explore on foot, with taxis readily available if we wanted to go farther. We spent a lot of time wandering the city, but one of our main missions there was visas. We had heard that the embassies in Yerevan were easier to work with and quicker in providing visas than those in nearby Tbilisi, Georgia.

We cannot compare to other embassies, but we found the staff at the Chinese and Russian embassies to be professional, courteous and we were able to get each of our visas within two days (with an expedited cost). These were two major visas for us and each one involved multiple visits and leaving our passports for a couple of days so it was a huge relief to secure them.

As an aside, it had not been our original intention to drive through Russia and when the idea was originally floated to us by fellow overlanders we immediately reacted with strong “no’s.” Our personal beliefs aside, we are US citizens traveling in a US plated truck and what we represent to other governments is complicated. In the end we were faced with either, 1) driving through Iran and western Pakistan, or 2) placing our truck on a flatbed to ship it into Azerbaijan (land borders are closed for driving in), fly into the country then pick it up and take the intermittent ferry across the Caspian sea, or finally 3) secure a transit visa to cross a small section of Russia in 3 days. In the end we chose the latter as what we perceived to be the least risky for us. It was not a decision we felt good about, and we definitely harbored some sense of moral slippage, but our choices were limited and we really did not want to give up and go home.

So visas secured in our passports, we left Yerevan to see more of Armenia.

Exploring the deserted Smbataberd Castle

There is nothing like exploring history with no one else around

It is very rare to see women in shorts in these parts so Dawn continues her tradition of hot weather hiking in a dress. Although since we never saw anyone except for two shepherds, it probably didn’t matter

Admiring the view at Selim Pass - parked by a Caravanserai from 1332

Caravanserai - old Silk Road trading post and rest stop

The last area we visited in Armenia was the most touristed - but still intriguing in its history.

Craggy cliffs on the way to Geghard Monastery

Our last monastery! Geghard Monastery was a little different, carved into the rock face

A unique stand alone building which connects to chambers carved back into the cliffs

Chambers carved out of the solid rock face

Wild camp along the way

Garni Temple - harkening back to the Greco-Roman days

Our last stop in this region was the intricate and fascinating Symphony of Stones with its hanging basalt column along the river - one of the most unique rock formations we have seen (it reminded us a little of a vertical version of Giant’s Causeway in Ireland.)

Walking along the Symphony of Stones

Complete with Lada

And that was a wrap for Armenia. We appreciated the people who took the time to explain both their history and current fears, we hope for peace for you. Now we are back to Georgia for more mountains then on our way on the Silk Road.

 

[tacototheworld]

Georgia - part 1

Mountain camp, Stepantsminda

Georgia was a fascinating and easy place to travel. You could feel the unique blend of historic influences from past occupations by the Persian, Turkish and Russian empires alongside European culture. The country had stunning dramatic mountains in the north, the charming and cosmopolitan capital of Tblisi, and a lush wine region in the south (Dawn was happy). The hiking and wild camping was spectacular, and the cultural sites intriguing, many stemming from early Christianity. The people are independent, maybe a little bit gruff, but once you got under their outer skin, a delight to talk to.

Our nearly 2000 km route through Georgia

We entered Georgia after a slightly stressful rush across Turkey - long driving days without much of a break because we had to get the truck out before it ran out of time and could possibly get impounded. All this to say, we were happy to enter Georgia and crash in a seaside hotel in Batumi.

Beautiful old facades in Batumi

The Georgian language was a complete mystery to us - we have never seen anything like it. Google Translate was not at its best here.

After our relaxing hotel night it was time to camp again, we worked our way up the coast to a paid campground (our first in a very long time!). We had lots of company with Russian tourists beating the heat.

Adding our Georgia sticker to our chaotic sticker wall - 78th country in the truck! But who is counting . . .

Our first foray into the Georgian mountains was heading north into the Svaneti region anchored by the village of Mestia. The roads were rough but doable - we stuck to the often broken and potholed pavement rather than venturing onto the rugged 4x4 routes.

Driving along the beautiful river gorge on the way to the Svaneti region

Taking in the snow capped mountains

Shudgra Waterfall - biggest in Georgia, maybe not as big as some of the Icelandic ones, but idyllic and private

Chaladi Glacier - worth the hike!

One thing we quickly learned about driving in Georgia is that domestic animals completely owned the roads. Cows, horses, sheep and pigs used the roads alongside traffic. Respect for vehicles was non existent.

Cows glaring balefully at us as we dared to want to cross their bridge

Don't even think of trying to disturb the napping pig

Having successfully navigated the farm animal obstacle course with no casualties, we came down from the mountains for our first major cultural site visit in Georgia - and probably our favorite-Vardzia, a cave monastery and city carved out of the cliffs in the 12th century. The site was also built during the reign of Georgia’s famous King Tamar - one of the most powerful monarchs in the country and also a woman (the word “king” in Georgian is not gender based) She governed over the most extensive territory that Georgia ever held, uniting principalities and developing a national identity based in Christianity.

Parked across from the cave complex at Vardzia

Homes, places of worship, food storage, libraries and wine cellars all carved into the cliffs

Entering our fifth year on the road, we still try to maintain some basic level of fitness, mostly through walking. If we are not heading to a hiking or walking destination, We scan our daily route looking for trails or walking paths. These random stops have created some enduring memories along the way - opportunistic encounters with villagers or cultural activities along local walking paths. On this day we stopped by Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park since Dawn saw some trails on the Gaia app we use for finding hikes. We ended up on a two hour jaunt through gorgeous forest and found out it was actually the first national park in the Caucuses and one of the largest in Europe - we barely scratched the surface on our drive by hike.

Our final stop that day was the base of the road up Albano Pass - an iconic Georgia scenic drive. The day we had planned to drive to the top dawned rainy and cloudy - not a good omen.

Road to Albano pass - mostly single track gravel

Where it is paved the road is literally dropping off the cliffside

Well, the fact that we have no picture at the top should tell you something . . . We arrived at the top of the mountains socked in by blowing clouds, barely able to see the edge of the parking space. We had planned to head down the other side to Omalo to hike but in the end we were cold, tired and not feeling like the weather was going to cooperate so turned back. Some days are like that. Even in Georgia.

Fresh marking on the hood map as we enter year five

Impossible to imagine we have been living together in a truck camper for over four years. We often say to each other that neither of us could imagine doing it with anyone else. Not every day is unicorns and roses but we are still thriving.

The weather continued to challenge our hiking plans so we decided to take a wine country break. Georgians are proud to claim being “the birthplace of wine” based on evidence from archeological sites (verified by scientists from the US). We later found out that the Armenians beg to differ. But either way the culture of wine making in Georgia is ancient, culturally ingrained and unique.

It was on our way to the vineyards that we encountered blinker-gate and Andy’s first legitimate ticket in years. Police were hiding along a stretch of highway which made a logical turn, although you could have gone straight. We were issued a $15 ticket because he did not use his turn signal and watched as others were similarly pulled over - which at least made us feel like they weren’t targeting tourists. We were told we would have to go to a bank and pay before we left the country. Luckily we did, as at the border it came up connected to our license plate and they wanted to see our receipt of payment. It was interesting to us that in the course of the routine traffic stop in the middle of the day they had Andy blow into a breathalyzer (which he had never done before.) It was enough of a caution for him to drink lemonade at the winery - not a hardship for him since he is not a fan. Dawn happily drank his share.

Touring the history of wine at Shumi Winery - ancient clay pot - Georgians bury them in the ground for the fermentation process


Still finding ways to entertain ourselves that didn’t involve trekking in a rainstorm, next we stopped by the enchanting old town of Sighnaghi, perched on a hill in Kakheti.

Hill top view of idyllic Sighnaghi

 

[tacototheworld]

Georgia - part 2


We stopped at one more cliff monastery - Davit Gareja. Arriving early allowed us to wander on our own, high fiving each other as we left the parking lot as tour buses started rolling in.

Davit Gareja ancient rock monastery, carved into the cliffs

Then time for city life! As we usually do in cities, we booked into a hotel in Tbilisi so that we could easily explore on foot. (There are times we actually miss those ginormous urban campgrounds common at the end of metro lines in big cities in Europe - they definitely make it easy even if they are not the most aesthetic places.)

Tbilisi matched the country of Georgia in its intriguing blend of history and cultures. The city center held contemporary malls, regal 18th century government and museum buildings, old wooden courtyards filled with families living on topsy turvy balconies, family run bakeries and gourmet cuisine. Every corner held whimsical art surprises and graffiti depicted the country’s recent internal conflict over whether to look to the EU or Russia for fiscal and military support. Young people we talked to were clear that they were ready to align with the EU. But there was also fear with Russian tanks mustering at the border and very recent armed conflict in the north with a separatist state wanting to leave Georgia and become aligned with Russia. Similar to Armenia, it was a country on the brink of change. But the city of Tbilisi felt vibrant, dynamic, and filled with hope.

We also loved the food in Georgia and had some of the best of it in Tbilisi! The bread was extraordinary - so many varieties filled with everything from beans to meat to cheese. Meat dumplings called khinkali quickly became a favorite as did their flavorful eats and stews.

Tbilisi may not have the glamor and flashiness of Paris or Prague, but it has a simple understated charm and an equal depth of history when you take the time to explore and understand its past.

Amazing chicken - flavored with grapes

Classic inner courtyard with wooden balconies and washing lines

Fresh bread, its what's for dinner

Beautifully carved ornamental wood everywhere in the old courtyards

Visiting the rug shop - yes, we did buy one, a contemporary Georgian one made in a nearby village

Wine ice cream - only in Georgia

Tbilisi Opera House, founded in 1851

Mural painted on a private residence in old town Tbilisi

We left Tbilisi freshly showered, laundry done and truck re-supplied with food, gas and water.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Mtskheta


Truso Valley ended up being a favorite spot for us. It was one of those magical places to camp where the stunning scenery, the quiet and even the drive in all made for a fantastic exeprience.
Initially, we were not sure what the road into the valley would be like so we parked in the hiking parking lot and set off on foot to explore.

Walking along the river with stunning hills - so green! So far the road is easy and local taxis are roaring by us.

So we decided the camping had to be better in the valley than the hiking parking lot so went back for the truck

One of our favorite camps - no one around after sunset. Beautiful views in Truso Valley

Grocery shopping in Georgia was easy, markets were huge and well stocked (even if reading labels and figuring out ingredients was sometimes challenging). Our current mini crisis - we were out of 3 of our favorite 12 spices. Garlic, onion and red pepper flakes go in pretty much everything we make.

Random art in the mountains

Our final stop in Georgia was the Kazbegi region, anchored by the town of Stepantsminda with its iconic mountain vistas.

Even with the scaffolding the backdrop to this ancient Gergeti Trinity Church is stunning

Found our spot to camp!

View from camp - it really does not get any better

And a final stop in Georgia - Dawn found one last single baker shop for her last loaf of Georgian bread (she still misses that bread)

Filling up at a free water source - preparing to cross into Russia the next morning (more on that decision in our Armenia blog)

Last camp in Georgia - we had been heading for a site closer to the border but it had been shut down due to border control so opted for a trailhead parking area complete with graffiti. Still mountain views though! It was also laundry night.

That’s a wrap for Georgia! It lived up to it’s reputation of having gorgeous mountains and a fascinating culture. Next we continue our route east, a little nervous about crossing into Russia and transiting as quickly as possible (only 2 nights). Driving in an American plated vehicle, we are not sure what to expect but are continuing on a wing and a prayer. Thank you for reading and following along with us.

 

[tacototheworld]

Kazakhstan

Driving the Silk Roads had been a lifetime dream of ours. There is a mystique that surrounds the idea of retracing the ancient steps of these early explorers, merchants and warriors. The names of Marco Polo and Genghis Khan evoked exotic images of camel trains loaded with silk and spices making their way across the desert.

Our 3 week, 3600 km route thru Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

The trip was well worth the wait. Each country we visited had its own personality and culture, but there were also many similarities shared by the countries often lazily referred to as “the Stans.” People were uniformly welcoming, curious and hospitable. Food and resources were easy to find on this first part of the route and the general lack of people in vast landscapes made wild camping easy. We paid for water once, but found clean free sources the rest of the month. We never paid for camping. Similar to the Arabian Peninsula, our expenses plummeted, down to an average of $60 per day for the two of us, as our main expense, gas, was generally cheap and food was less expensive than most other places we have traveled.

Our first country, Kazakhstan, was in many ways what we expected of the area- initially lots of hot dry steppes. But as we made our way north, we were surprised by the transition to lush fields, forested national parks with lakes and rivers and eventually, mountains.

Our first two-humped camel siting! The Bactrian camel - native to the Central Asian steppes.

Our entry involved a (very) long border crossing - something we would get used to. Even when the line seemed short (9-10 cars) - border crossings in the region often took 4-5 hours. Processes were unclear and confusing and, as we were unable to speak local languages, took some deciphering. Usually we felt like we were on some kind of confusing bureaucratic scavenger hunt as we would be handed a slip of paper that required multiple officials in different buildings and offices to stamp. Car searches were relatively thorough and involved drug sensing dogs and often X ray scans.

Grocery shopping took much longer here. The language and alphabet is completely unknown to us. Although some words and pictures were intuitive, we have learned in the past to double check with Google Translate.

Kazakh spice aisle - very confusing for Dawn

As was trying to figure out how to weigh the produce!

Grocery cabinets and fridge full, we made our way into the great empty steppes. Camping was no problem - just drive as far away from the main road as you feel like.

Our first proper night wild camping in the steppe

We had researched in advance and learned that road safety in Kazakhstan was serious business. Police are out and patrolling, equal opportunity fines are applied for any offender who exceeds the speed limit or passes on a solid line. Andy was scrupulous about following the rules and we never had a problem. (Unlike the previous week in Russia where corrupt police attempted to shake us down for $300 for a made up “offense.” In that case, Andy refused to pay, joked around with them and built camaraderie and eventually they let us go). What we had heard about the police in Kazakhstan was true in our experience, they are strict but honest and even handed in applying the rules.

When there wasn't real police there was fake police

And fake farm animals

Our first cultural experience in Kazakhstan was visiting Turkestan. The beautiful architecture was awe inspiring. The Persian inspired tile work, Arabic script and signature blue dye originally imported from Mongolia was magnificent.

Mausoleum of Khawaja Ahmed Yasawi, Turkic poet and Sufi mystic, commissioned in 1389 by Timur.

The back side was equally impressive but never finished

Then we were back on the road, covering some distance. After a few days in the dry steppes, we were ready for some green. We drove through the city of Almaty (modern but lots of traffic!) and made our way out to Ile Alatau National Park.

Visiting the Sunkar Falconry Center to learn more about this ancient regional art, humans working closely with birds of prey to hunt.

After visiting the falcon center (a little gimmicky, but still interesting) we camped inside the national park along the river. There are convenient flat spots along the river, free to camp and cement pads for cooking safely.

We decided to hike in to Lake Almaty - a classic hike in the park. Much of it was along a paved road servicing local communities

It was fall and shepherds were busy bringing livestock down from the mountains to more temperate climates before winter comes

We shared the road

Our next stop was beautiful Turgen Gorge, it felt far removed from the vast steppes and reminded us of our home in Oregon with rolling hills, trees and beautiful rivers. Infrastructure was minimal but we used our Gaia app to find a trail and set off.

Sketchy bridge. We like the fact that in this region a high level of common sense is assumed, people are expected to take responsibility for their own safety whether hiking or driving. (Rarely do you see a flagger or safety cones for road hazards here)

Heading onto a track to find a wild camping spot at the edge of Charyn Canyon. Squeezing through rocks along the way - glad we decided not to go with the F150

Gorgeous! One of the joys of overlanding, finding that unique, remote soul filling spot where you just look around and soak it up

As we got higher in elevation, yurts became more common, typically nomadic shepherds homes.

Our final real stop in Kazakhstan was Kolsai Lakes National Park. It was stunning, but surprisingly crowded. During our time in Kazakhstan most of the tourists we encountered were local or from neighboring countries, people would give us a second look, smile and ask where we were from. We felt like welcomed outsiders.

Kolsai Lake

We started on what we thought was a trail around the lake and quickly left all the people behind. We soon saw why, our two hour hike turned into a four hour expedition. Once we left the boardwalk, the trail disintegrated, taken over by tree fall, requiring clambering up and down steep cliff banks and a few unexpected water crossings.

Hay loads become major road obstacles

That is it for our first Central Asian Stan country - a resounding success for us in terms of increasing our world knowledge and developing our remote travel skills. Thank you for reading and hope you come along on the next leg of our journey with us!

 

[tacototheworld]

Uzbekistan - Part 1

Our 3 week, 3600 km route thru both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan felt like an even greater step back in history. The architecture in the cities was some of the most beautiful we have seen. We were back to desert and loved being able to clamber around old silk road forts on our own, using our imaginations to fill in the gaps.

Unfortunately, Uzbekistan also had some of the worst roads - the kind of crumbling asphalt with unexpected craters coming out of nowhere that made driving feel like a pinball course. This was made worse by seeing, as we entered, miles and miles of new highway newly completed but not yet accessible for vehicles. Definitely driving will be easier in the near future!

It was another slow border crossing (5 hours) despite the fact that there were only a few cars ahead. The most frustrating part about the borders was just waiting outside a gate for the guards to decide to let vehicles in, often for hours with no knowledge of what to expect for the timeline. Sometimes commercial trucks were being prioritized, sometimes it seems that people were either on a break or changing shifts. We learned to be prepared with food, water and kindles loaded with books. But in the end we were easily issued another Temporary Import permit for the truck (this time $2 fee), entry was free for us as US citizens and auto insurance was only $10.

However, there was some additional bureaucracy for Uzbekistan tourists. All tourists are required to be registered by an official accommodation (hotel or hostel) within a few days of arrival. You are also required to have a certain number of “proof of stay” receipts which are entered into a national database and examined upon exiting the country. The rules seemed to be a little vague, we asked repeatedly and the best guidance we got was that you should be registered “about a third” of your days in the country. Luckily, hostels were accustomed to people needing registration and many would complete the paperwork for you for about $5 per person whether or not you actually stayed there.

Beautiful above ground cemeteries dotted the landscape, with intricately designed mausoleums

Our first cultural stop in Uzbekistan was city of Nukus and the Savitsky Museum. Nukus itself was unremarkable, a Soviet built city with broad avenues and practical architecture. But the museum was fascinating, with great value added by our young, local tour guide. Named after a Russian benefactor committed to preserving Uzbekistan art, the museum houses an impressive collection which rotates regularly. The art gives an intriguing insight into the life and historical culture of the country.

Next up was a real Silk road experience - the land of 50 fortresses or Elliq Khala in Khorezm. Built in the 6th to 4th centuries BC, these ancient forts have mostly and remarkably stood the test of time. Some have had some partial renovation, others are slowly eroding into the sand.

Even our stamina could not withstand 50 fortress visits so we spent most of our time at three.

Brick walls and openings at Topraq Kala. Both a defensive fort and a royal residence, the site once housed over 2500 people and is one of the best preserved Kushan Empire (Indo-European people driven west by the Chinese) sites in Central Asia.

Driving up to the smaller fort at Ayaz Qala

First views of Janbasquala, our third and final fort, rising out of the desert

Our fort explorations over, time to hit the road and see some ancient Silk road cities. Of all the countries we went to in the region, the historical cities of Uzbekistan were our favorite. Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand were extraordinary, blending unique and intricate ancient architecture with contemporary conveniences.

Although heavily renovated and somewhat touristy, the city of Khiva charmed us. Walking its streets, we could feel and sense what it must have been like to live there in times gone by. Our only glitch was that Google Maps did its best to navigate us into a non-driving area to get us to the hotel we had booked. Finally we realized we needed to park outside the gates and walk in - which actually positively added to the overall atmosphere of the city.

The city felt like a living museum blending art and architecture

We enjoyed a local performance in the town square, equally transfixed by our fellow local tourists as by the performers themselves

And down the side streets, people living their lives

Khiva was equally beautiful at night

Outside the walls of Khiva

 

[tacototheworld]

Uzbekistan - Part 2

Our next historic city was Bukhara. Feeling the need for another hotel registration, we camped outside a hostel close to the city center.

Our urban camping spot in Bukhara

Visiting the neighborhood baker for breakfast

After the relative quiet of Khiva, Bukhara felt like a bustling metropolis. Tourists and locals filled the streets, gaping in awe at the beautiful old architecture and conducting daily business. Although much of the city was destroyed when Genghis Khan invaded in 1220, remnants of those days remained along with some beautiful newer architecture.

Bolo Hauz Mosque, built in the early 1700's

Mausoleum built over the reputed site of Job's Well - where he struck the ground with his staff and created a well.

A whole room of cheese balls

Mausoleum of Ismail Samani, revered Islamic scholar. The oldest remaining building in Central Asia, it dates back to the 9th century. Not destroyed by Genghis Khan as it was buried under sand when he came through.

Beautiful Modarikhon Madrasah, school built in the 16th century

Central plaza of Old Bukhara city

Kalon Tower - from the 12th century. Competing stories for why Genghis Khan did not destroy it: 1) he looked up to the top and his hat fell off which made him bend to pick it up and he commented that never before had a structure force him to bow to it. 2) he liked throwing his enemies to their death off of it

Our last stop in Uzbekistan was Samarkand, a key Silk road trading center and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia. Not as touristy as Khiva or Bukhara, the old buildings were surrounded by pleasant walking paths, parks and contemporary cafes and shops.

Mausoleum of the ruler Timur, built in the 15th century

The women of Uzbekistan typically wore light weight colorful cotton fabrics and head scarves.

Central Registan square in Samarkand

Hazrat Khizr Mosque, Samarkand

Beautifully carved and painted ceilings

A local lunch of Plov - rice cooked with vegetables and meat, a staple

And samsas, delicious meat filled pastries

And for Dawn, no visit to the region was complete without learning more about making rugs. We visited the Samarkand Bukhara Silk Carpet factory for an excellent tour, demonstration and explanation of the process.

Silk cocoons

Artist hand knotting a silk rug from naturally died silk. It can take several years to complete a rug.

And of course, we had to buy one. We could not afford silk (averaging $15,000!) but found a great wool one.

Throughout Uzbekistan young people enjoyed taking pictures with us

That is it for our first two Central Asian Stan countries - a resounding success for us in terms of increasing our world knowledge and developing our remote travel skills. Thank you for reading and hope you come along on the next leg of our journey with us!