Oh hey, hi guys, me again, so what’s new?

Last entry saw us pondering life from some rather comfortable camp chairs up in the mountains out of Telavi. This run of camping was followed by a delightful wine fuelled evening at a beautiful home stay in Telavi. Clothes and bodies were once again cleaned and livers were once again punished with the local hooch. We did in fact contact the office at early o’clock to let them know what a great time we were having. I feel sure they appreciated that!

Home cooked meal at the Telavi homestay

Jim and the ladies having a laugh

Odyssey Overland family members

Richard and the ladies...  it's a hair thing

So refreshed and resupplied and with a spanking new 35m water hose, Jim and I finally flipped at the one brought with from the UK, we set off.

We stopped for yet more culture at the 17^th Century citadel of Gremi, sacked by the Shah a long, long time ago. From here it was a short drive to a steamy bush camp as we readied ourselves for the Azerbaijan border.

Calypso at Gremi

Bushcamp enroute to Azerbaijan

Time to relax and take it all in before hitting the Azeri border

Not too much to report there. Took a few hours and we were in. A rather bouncy but otherwise pleasant drive saw us arrive at the town of Sheki, or Saki or Sexi depending on which map you have. Here we stayed at a classic Caravanseri, a hotel from the past....it has been very well redone and once again is offering weary travellers a safe haven on their travels. Another good night ensued and Jim was seen preparing the ladies for sale in return for some camels!

Caravansarai hotel, lovely

Jim getting ready to trade some damsels for camels

From Sheki our transit through Azerbaijan continued with lovely sunny weather and a slightly worse for the wear road. Last night saw us camp at our best bushcamp spot so far, a place discovered by Pete, Odyssey owner, and what a great place it is. A wide open plain with spurting mud volcanoes...whose crust is not as thick as it looks, just ask Jim.

Awesome wild camp

Mud volcano wild camp

Oops, Jim sinks into the mud!

Then this morning it was early up and into Baku, the thriving oil fuelled town on the shores of the Caspian and our launch spot over to the “stans”. We deposited the group at the hotel and then went to the port to sort a boat. I will not bore you with the details but the only way to describe the port is absolute chaos, trucks, cars and people everywhere and no order at all. Throw in some trains and animals and there you have it. 5 hours of negotiating and we are in possession of a waybill for the truck and tickets for us. We are going cabin class this time so will see what they are like. Timing is a flexible idea and nowhere is that truer than here...we are all due to meet at 2.30am tomorrow morning, I KNOW!, then the boat comes in, theoretically, at 4am then we get on and go.....sounds as good a plan as we are going to get!

Thus in all likely hood this will be my last mail for fair few days as we are in Turkmenistan and then northern Uzbek where connection can be iffy. And on that note I will leave you with one of my favourite quotations and one I am relying on today....”Be realistic, plan for a miracle” Hasta la pasta, CJ and the travelling Calypsoites

CJ leading from the top... or something...

From the boot

Grub's up

Jim and Rich using the bumper vice, brilliant

Papa Bear, keeping us on the straight and narrow

Pop a shot, old style entertainment

Stevie and this other bloke

The writing is on the truck

High above Mestia

Travelling light...

Georgia, a traveller’s delight

If I am not much mistaken we left each other just as us Calypsoites were in Tbilisi with little resolution over the Azerbaijan visas. There have been a few developments since then. We waited until 6pm on the 23^rd, wow time flies...yeah think it was the 23^rd...anyway finally, thanks to some great work by Jim and the Azer agent in Baku, the Embassy said that we would get the visas but had to come back on Wednesday the 25th.  Happy to report that Azer visas obtained, well done Jim, brilliant.

The show must go on as they say and so with larger issues still to be resolved we continued on the day to day itinerary.

Do we have the opportunity to explore is something I have been asked a few times...to which the answer is yes. So it was a few days ago as we headed towards the monastery complex of Davit Gareja. Well let me tell you, the scenery was totally different to anything we have experienced so far, lush open pastures dotted with flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, cowboys and pack animals...not to mention some very tough looking wolf-dogs as protection. There were also loads of birds of prey and snakes, a very natural environment. The monastery complex was fantastic, and well worth the detour. It is a working monastery/church complex. The grounds were very tranquil and you could not have got a more pleasurable setting. From here we headed ever eastward as we nipped into a renovated hill top town for some lunch and a little wine tasting. The elastic 5 mins came in and we got here a little late in the afternoon and so then got to camp, next to yet another monastery, just how many are there in this country, a tad late. However we are a capable bunch and well drilled in the fine art of bush camping and so in no time the camp was up, supper had and all settling down when bosh!......the heavens opened. I guess if you want green grass you must expect the rain. We took this as a sign to turn in. Tired and wet we all retreated to our tents where we were rocked to sleep by the thunder and lightning. A late start and nothing to do was the plan for the following day so we got up, dried ourselves off and just lounged around in the forest as we recharge our batteries.

Inside Davit Gareja monastery

At home at bushcamp...  what life is all about

Cards and camp life

The rain came, and then the sun, time to dry out

Three wise men

Time to stand and stare

A few days are left here before heading to Azerbaijan and the “ferry” across the Caspian to Central Asia...bring it on!

I will sign off soon and sort the photos...again a collection of shots appropriate to this blog and a few from the trip up till now allowing you to get the flavour of the trip.

Beautiful old Georgian town

Happy ballooners

Group chill session

The boys

Ok look, what do you think of the blog? I am trying to sort photos and write stuff of interest but if you want any info just let us know via the comments section. Speaking of which look to the right side of the blog and there is “current location” link. Click on this and Jim’s GPS spot will show you where we are and where we have recently been. I know Mum and Dad are reading it...Hi Mum, Hi Dad, trust all good at home, all good here. You would not believe it, I am enjoying the culture. Maybe all that education was not wasted, thanks.
Now if you will permit me I would like to jot down a poem that I feel rather appropriate here as we relax, weary but happy travellers on the road of life. We have already seen and experienced so much on this, our personal Odyssey, and yet know we have so much more to see.

The poem is called Leisure by W. H. Davies.
What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the bough, And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass, Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight, Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to wait till her mouth can Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.

Speak soon, CJ and The Calypsoites out

PS: Now in Telavi at a delightful home stay. Truck and us washed and dry. SO a nice relaxed day ahead of us before setting off for Azer. Next blog, might be from Baku if time or maybe Turkmenistan if permitted so might be few days to the next update so bear with us. Laters CJ really out this time.

What a good looking bunch!

Down from the cold, with a cold

Hi there. So the trip down from Kazbegi: We set off after a sumptuous breakfast and climbed up and over the pass. There is always snow up there and so the Soviets had built long tunnels through the mountains but we were informed by the police that a truck had broken down in one, so it was a drive through the snow and around. Our main fellow road users, despite the hail and cold, were shepherds and their flocks on their way to pastures new up in the highlands. These roving bands of men and animals were to be a feature of the day.

A sea of sheep

Other road users

Wool central

Within a few hours we had descended and the weather had both brightened and warmed as we stopped at the delightful Ananuri fort. Not only free but also really cool to scramble around. It was here that we also came across these fantastic cotton trees. They bloom every May so we were really lucky to see it as they popped and exploded.

Beauty and function

Looks like a brochure cover!

Georgian cotton bud tree

Through the portal

From here we stopped off at one of Georgia’s most important Cathedrals as we headed into Tbilisi. A short drive along the river and we arrived ready for a shower at our hotel. A top evening was then had by one and all in one or two of the old town bars. Another Georgian success story. This country really has delivered. Huge mountains, great scenery, friendly people and history to boot, brilliant.

History and home

Living history

Old town, downtown Tbilisi

Sacred travel

Sights and sun, a delight

Statues and churches, what Georgia does well

I will once more sign off and go and enjoy yet another shower I think...the head still a little fuzzy from last night. Jim is outside giving Calypso a little TLC and we are all off to the Azer embassy tomorrow to try and get these visas. Laters, CJ

What the driver saw, a cab with a view!

This entry is really best explained by the photos but I will also pen a few words, padding if you will. Settle down with few nibblies and a good cup of tea and enjoy.

Tea time

Now I know life is about the journey and not the destination but there does come a time when the destination is also of some importance. So it was for us Calypsoites as we bumped and crawled our way up from the Black coast along what will one day be a road to the stunningly located mountain village of Mestia. 12 laborious hours of toil with the gain of a mere 100 km, just where were we going!?

Calypso, built for the job!

Some passed the time by celebrating a birthday. The party kicked off by meeting a group of local men at lunch. Armed with wine and vodka they passed the time that was for the rest of us made acceptable, ok bearable, by the knowledge of a home stay awaiting us. It did not let us down, warm and with great food, it was just what the doctor ordered. Mestia was lovely, a chance for laundry and walks as well as a guided tour round one of the siege towers which are typical of the region.

Birthday on the truck

Mestia, siege towers and mountains

Now stay with me on this one, yes the road was terrible but it did have its good side. Namely some great trucks...I will not bore you with all the details that, for some of us work, but just look at the photo of this beefy Graz...come on that is pretty cool....

Big rubber in Mestia

Ahh, not a road for the faint-hearted

Oops, roadworks on the road to Mestia

Other road users

Road users, Mestia

OK CJ get back on track, so where were we...oh yes the road from Mestia. It was an early up and off. Making slightly better time we dropped back down and made our way to the oldest palace in Georgia, Senaki fort, where we bush camped for the night. Along the way we had dropped Jim and our local guide off as they were headed into Tbilisi with Azerbaijan visas on their minds. The sun was out and we had a police guard all night...so a good sleep was had by all.

Senaki fort, bush camp view

From the camp it was a gloriously sunny day’s drive which started with a police escort and ended with one too. We stopped and shopped in one of the oldest cities in the world, Kutaisi as we made our way to a riverside bush camp next to the caravanseri rock hewn city of Uplistsickhe. A great BBQ feast was prepared and I realised that nothing has really changed. Here we were, a group of people travelling the globe as they did in times gone by. The only difference being that our beast of burden does not have four legs but rather 4 tyres!

Colin BBQ'ing up a storm

From our camp we headed in to Gori, the birth place of J Stalin. His statue has gone but there is a good, if slightly biased museum charting his life, as well as his train carriage and the house where is parents rented a room for the first four years of his life.

From here we had more mountains on the menu. Our destination being a bush camp and chance for some walks up at the mountain village of Kazbegi and the highest church cum monastery in Georgia. Kazbegi is located along the military highway that links Georgia and Russia. It is a lovely location but a tad chilly it must be said, check out the photos of the pass, 2400m, that we went over to get here! We are however well seasoned overlanders and this did not stop the Red party that was organised by the Calypso party committee. It was a blast, although I must now try and get the red nail polish off my toes, or should I just leave it on?

Awesome views enroute to Kazbegi

Brrr...  the pass to Kazbegi

Four seasons in one day...  this is the best one, summer!

The red party

Just chilling

Kazbegi bush camp (complete with mountain dog)

Kazbegi bush camp

Jen

Jim, always well turned out!

Ladies that lunch, in Kazbegi

You still with me...cool. So what are our thoughts of Georgia? Well the friendly people are all over and so are animals! Pigs, cows, sheep and humans, not to mention dogs all live in harmony. The roads are for all, there are no fences.

Again check the photos out. As to history and scenery Georgia boasts both, and in spades. Great snow capped mountains, churches and old cities. Put all this together and you have a traveller’s paradise...which by the sounds of things is rather good for us as operation Azer visas is not going so well. Jim is down there doing his best but paperwork has its own rules. The battle continues and so as we chill, quite literally, we await the outcome. I guess in the grand scheme of things it does not really matter. Our more immediate concern is keeping the cows out of the kitchen!

Brilliant, expect the unexpected and never forget where you are

Zoe cooking up a storm

Great quote from one of the group, Sally, when talking about the drives we do: “We are overlanders and have a lot of land to over.”

Ok will send this entry off now, but expect another one soon. We have just arrived in Tbilisi after four bush camps so there is a lot of personal admin ie washing going on! This entry ends as if we are still up there in the mountains and the next will bring us all down via some forts and other great sites to Tbilisi...oh and we have met up with Jim again...right, laters, CJ out.

Laundry day

Another day so must be another country...

Oh hey hi out there in blog-land....us again here on Calypso.   Rather like buses none come for ages and then two come at once, and so it appears with the blogs.    Am taking advantage of the great internet connection here in Batumi, once an important oil port and fast turning into a rather nice Black sea resort.
  
So what to report, well the discovery of a new campsite at Sumela with hot shower, fresh trout and loads of camp space...not to mention internet was a real brucey bonus.    However we were all keen to move on and the possibility of new experiences helped us get up to a rather misty early morning for the drive to Georgia which as you can see we made today.   We got through the border with considerable ease, as did Calypso.  

First impressions of Georgia are very favourable...every border guard and official welcomed us with big smiles.   We met our agent and a long-time friend of mine and Jim's Zaza and in no time he had directed us to our hotel for the night, tops.    In no time we were nested up and the guys were off to explore the city.   The hotel deserves a quick mention as we have been camp and bush camping the last week hence our joy at the discovery of hot showers, internet, a bar, breakfast included, money changer and shops just round the corner...could it get any better...I do not think so and judging by the laughter coming from the bar neither do the guys.

Even the sun is showing its face, a very welcome change from the rather cloudy/misty last few days....life, it really is the journey not the destination that is the point of it all...and so if you will permit me I will jot down few verses of poetry that I feel rather apt for us travellers and lovers of life.   The first is called First Fig by Edna St. Vincent Millay and is as good an instruction to live by as any I know.......

My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends -
It gives a lovely light!

Then for the traveller in you there are a few lines from Alfred Lord Tennyson's Ulysses.......
....I cannot rest from travel;
I will drink life to the lees..
...much I have seen and known..I am a part of all I have met.

And so it is with us, we live life as if each day were our last and take with us a part of all that we see/experience, growing by the day as we better understand the world and its peoples...whilst it must be said, having a great time...education and fun....wow!

Right I will go and pop some photos up, again from the trip up to now, giving you a flavour for who we are and what we are doing....I will end however with a Russian word which means expedition and describes exactly what we do, it is pronounced "pahod".....very apt I feel as we head tomorrow for the remote mountain top village of Mestia, complete with siege towers and a delightful home stay....we are "expedition" and all that it stands for....CJ out

Susan & Ben looking out over Goreme, Cappadocia

Having a break travelling from Prague to Budapest

Denis mountain climbing in Turda Gorge, Romania

Calypso exercise group at campsite in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Aoife at karaoke, Istanbul

Budapest

Castelul Peles

CJ at work

Crew at work

Emily, Zoe and Susan in Goreme

Andi & Rich, newlyweds in Budapest

Quadbiking in Goreme

The money shot

That's where we're heading!