Day 258: Tbilisi
Finally, we decided to stay one more day in Tbilisi and to leave for Armenia while waiting for Azerbaijan‘s visa to be active, we take advantage of it to visit the city and to have all the karaoke the city because we do not dress properly according to the bouncers.
Day 259: Tbilisi> Patara Beglari
As of today we will not roll at 4 but at 5! Indeed, Gauthier, met 2 days rather comes this graft to our group to go a long way all together, the time that his visa for Russia arrives.
The road was much cooler than what was known just before, to the point of bringing back the winter business to pedal.
At 5 kilometers from our campsite, we meet a German / Polish couple who travel by bicycle from Australia to Germany, with whom we camped the same evening of course a good campfire before the rain forces us to lie down.
Result of the day: 51 km
Day 260: Patara Beglari> Noyemberian
Upon waking, the weather forecasts the color of the day: rain and cold. In the early morning, we let our couple of travelers escape while we eat breakfast.
We are only 20 kilometers from the border with Armenia but the weather prevents us from moving forward properly and easily. After several searches to try to find an acceptable restaurant (warm and with internet), we had to cross the border (no problem I reassure) to be able to put ourselves in a hotel / restaurant where we are staying I think 2 hours, we can warm up and plan the journey to come.
Because yes, on one side we have a road completely closed because of works, and on the other a road passing near the border with Azerbaijan where it seems that there is a great danger (snipers for example) . But having no choice, we take this road.
For the evening we sleep in a very mediocre hotel, with a common shower without a shower head, no heating and where it is complicated to order something, to be understood and where you “steal” your beer even if you do not the ace is not finished. We had the opportunity to spend the evening with a couple of Germans (definitely they are everywhere!) With whom we all heard, who are currently preparing a trip around the world by bike for the next year !
At the end of the evening, we still do not know what to do the next day.
Result of the day: 48 km
Day 261: Noyemberian> Getahovit
Gently awaken after a number of alcohol glass the day before. It is 10 o’clock, and we decide to leave and try our luck later given the catastrophic hotel we have. A few minutes later, after finding our bikes, I had the “chance” to see that one of my tires was punctured, but not jealous, Gauthier had his right to die too!
It is 1 pm, we can finally leave, but as it was planned! Indeed, a person met the day before offers us one of us to be dropped 60 kilometers away (with his bike and the saddlebags of everyone), to dodge the dangerous part of the country.
Imad offers so that he can spot on the hotels present on the map and we discovered the best place for the evening. So we put down our bicycle and our luggage in the orange Twingo of our new friend (yes, everything is back). Only Gauthier keeps his business with him in order to be autonomous if ever something had to happen.
So, departure at 2 pm, in the rain, cold but especially light for me, Anaïs and Elsa to be able to “easily” pass the next passes present farther. We leave Imad without going, hoping all the same that we do not rush into a trap!
On the road, the weather is really not to our advantage despite our lightness. By the lack of motivation one decides to split into several groups and to meet the hotels. Anaïs and Elsa leave before, while I stay a few minutes with Gauthier in order to play with the dogs present.
I leave alone shortly after, where I face the first pass. Even light, I still struggle because of the fine rain and the cold that does not stop for a second. Once at the top, I left for 8 kilometers of descent, where I am forced to stop since I was starting to die of cold (it reminds me of the beginning of my trip). On my second stop, I am joined by Gauthier, having had no chance for hitchhiking.
We pedal together while hitching at the same time and admiring the beautiful scenery despite the time quite crappy.
Just before the big climb, a semitrailer stopped us for about twenty kilometers to arrive at our first rendezvous point in case of separation. Once our driver left, we found the girls just left the first stop where Imad was not there, surely further, 8 kilometers away!
On the road, I saw that I had still broken, but by big lazy crazy, I just reinflate the tire the time of the journey. Second re-inflation a little further, just before Imad was not far from the hotel where to wait we had everything ready for our coming!
For the evening, being the only ones present in the “hotel” (in truth it is a guest house), we take advantage to watch a movie on the TV in the living room all together by making beds almost bespoke with mattresses and blanket at our disposal.
Result of the day: 56 km
Day 262: Getahovit
Having all a little laze and not the motivation to pedal by a time like this, we decided to stay one day in the same place that seems perfect to us given the comfort we have here.
We take advantage of it to do a laundry and for me to take care of my other blog that you will discover soon once I would have filled it well. It will obviously have a trip, where on top you will discover the places where I went with a precise description, what to do and everything that goes with it as well as my future life in van!
Tomorrow we will resume the road, maybe in the rain, we do not know yet, it will be a surprise!
Before that, I will repair my tire, hoping it will hold up to Yerevan.
