The country of Georgia has been making waves in the travel industry lately, ever since its inclusion on the Lonely Planet ‘Best Places to Travel‘ list for 2018. A small nation nestled between Russia and Iran to the north and south, and the Black and Caspian seas to the east and west, it is a …
Europe
Exploring Vardzia Like a Local
When my Georgian friend, Nino, was recommending things for me to do, see, and devour in Georgia, exploring the ancient cave city of Vardzia (ვარძია) was at the top of her list. Primarily constructed in the 12th century and the seat of power of the legendary King (Queen!) Tamar, Vardzia was abandoned during the Ottoman …
Hiking to Udziro Lake
My time in Georgia is drawing to an end. Three months, you might think, is sufficient time to spend in such a small country, but you’d be wrong. There are so many hikes I won’t have the time to do, so many places I won’t have the time to visit. All that means, though, is …
Trekking from Shatili to Omalo
Half of my initial attraction to Georgia grew from the pictures of mountains I saw — the regions of Kazbegi, Svaneti, and Tusheti. When I booked my ticket here from Korea, my ambition was to hike for months, exploring all the back-country hiking routes I could find and chronicling the experience. But life has a …
GoEuro App Review
Planning travel is one of my favorite aspects of a trip. As odd as it sounds, I love the process of sifting through information to figure out where I want to visit and in what order, then using the power of the Internet to find the best deals and most efficient transport between those points …
Climbing Mount Aragats
There’s too much snow. It’ll be too cold. The weather won’t be good this week. You’ll shoot your eye out… The reasons why I shouldn’t have gone to Kari Lake and Mount Aragats were many. All of the above (save one, can you guess which?) were offered up, and I was so close to scrapping …
Eating All the Things at the Tolma Festival in Dvin
There are few things which can make me so excited I get teary-eyed. Coming upon an epic view while hiking is one. Crushing a huge sale back in the day was another. But food? Food can get me just about every time. So when I saw a meetup on Couchsurfing to go to the Tolma …
Eating All the Things at the Tolma Festival in DvinRead More
Exploring Tatev with One Way Tour
The south of Armenia is an elongated peninsula of territory sandwiched between Iran, Azerbaijan, and the disputed territory of Artsakh, formerly known as Nagorno-Karabakh. The area is one of the most mountainous in the country, with elevations ranging from 380 to 3,904 meters above sea level. It also contains one of the most iconic sights …
Trekking to the Hidden Monasteries of Garni
Sometimes you don’t plan on visiting a destination. Sometimes you get struck by a flash of inspiration, and your feet wander of their own accord. That’s what happened this week when I trekked through the mountains outside of Yerevan, exploring the hidden monasteries of Garni. Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast …
Tbilisi City Guide
Tbilisi has been my home for the past 2 months, and I’ve enjoyed exploring it and (mostly) eating as much delicious food as possible. It’s a great city for foodies, history buffs, music connoisseurs, and winos alike — all things which made this city a fun one to call home. I’ve put together most of …