Author archive
25 August 2013
Above: Since my first visit over twenty years ago, Turkish bus services have been at the leading edge of modernity and comfort. It was an uneventful day with just a bus ride back to Istanbul. It was an even nicer bus today but the signature lemon-scented cologne given out periodically was missing! It only took […]
24 August 2013
Around the Old Town Safranbolu is a well preserved Ottoman town and is also famous for saffron which is grown in the nearby area. I spent the day walking around town and finally going up to the viewpoint. It is quite touristy amongst domestic tourists and also Koreans, Taiwanese and Chinese. I suppose there are […]
23 August 2013
Today, I make my way to the old Ottoman town of Safranbolu. I had allowed myself 11 days in Turkey this trip. But with irresistible fares to Sarajevo as a sidetrip, I’m down to a just a week in Turkey, split into two lots. It doesn’t leave me much time to travel around Turkey. As […]
22 August 2013
Thoughts on leaving the Caucasus I’m leaving today for Istanbul by Pegasus Airlines, on a cheap ticket bought many months ago. For a change, I’m flying into the new second airport on the Asian side rather than the original Ataturk airport on the European side. Now that I’ve had a taste of both Georgia and […]
21 August 2013
Having done all the sights of Batumi too quickly yesterday, I caught up on my regular admin (to make sure things are all in order at home) and some reading/planning. It wasn’t entirely relaxing as it was very hot and humid without airconditioning. At 1900, I visited the chacha (grape vodka) fountain where there was […]
20 August 2013
I took a taxi to Dudube metro station for GEL4 (about NZD3) this morning. It seemed crazy that it cost only GEL4 when the taxi to my nearest metro station was GEL3 and I’d then need the hassles of using the metro. Even better, the taxi dropped me at the correct part of Dudube station […]
19 August 2013
Many people come to Georgia for the hiking in Svaneti and Kazbegi. I’m not going to kid myself that I’d enjoy that for more than an afternoon. And it is stinking hot; those snowy peaks in the ads won’t be seen for a few months I reckon. I also didn’t have much time for that, […]
18 August 2013
While the hostel was full last night, it cleared out suddenly. I had my 4-bed dorm to myself last night. That’s great except that the out-of-town tours haven’t reached a quorum. I had written off the idea of going to the rock monasteries at Davit Gareja by public transport as it involves chartering a taxi […]
17 August 2013
The Envoy Hostel is adjacent to the old city which made it really handy for walking around. I took in the synagogue and various churches from the outside; the requirements here for entering churches differ from that in Armenia. Here, men are required to wear long trousers. Women are required to cover their head and […]
16 August 2013
Taking the easy option To go to Tbilisi in Georgia, I could have taken public transport. A minivan would take around 6h. But the hostel had a door-to-door service (to their hostel in Tbilisi) which included several sights along the way. This seemed a time-economical way; I’d save a day doing that. We left about […]