The fog settled, thick and suffocating, as the marshrutka crested the ridge and dropped down towards Sighnaghi (სიღნაღი). What had been a lovely spring day turned gloomy; it was a matter of minutes before the town materialized out of the mist. I signaled the driver to let me out and set off down the steep …
Europe
How to Get to Davit Gareja from Tbilisi
One of the perks of living in a country as small as Georgia is the relatively short amount of time in which you can access nearly any part of the country. Tbilisi is a great base from which you can do a number of awesome day trips. Visiting Gergeti Trinity Church at Kazbegi is one. Exploring …
Day-trip to Gergeti Trinity Church
My memories of travel are a series of snapshots, vignettes of particularly potent experiences in each destination. A chance encounter, an adventure gone awry, or a spectacular meal cooked to perfection. Oftentimes, those vignettes are tied to the catalyst which led me to be interested in visiting that place to begin with. Descending over Ulaanbaatar …
The Cave City of Uplistsikhe
I have lived in cities for so long that it’s only when I leave that I realize how much I feel smothered by them. Drab worlds of concrete and steel, the press of bodies rushing to and fro, the sharp tang of exhaust fumes and rot choking my lungs… You almost get used to it. …
Five Things to Do in Mtskheta
While Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia and has been so for centuries, there was a time when the title belonged to another city. From the 3rd century B.C. to the 5th century A.D., the ancient kingdom of Kartli (or Iberia, as it was known in the West) occupied this territory with Mtskheta as its …
Tbilisi Hack Free Tour REVIEW
I love exploring cities on my own. Arriving in a new place, getting a map or guidebook, picking a direction to wander, and just… meandering through the city is one of my favorite things to do. But as fun as it can be to explore a destination by yourself, sometimes having an insider’s perspective can …
First Impression of Tbilisi
The cabbie gesticulated wildly at me as I approached. “No more bus! Eight o’clock!” as he pushed another tourist and me to get into his car. We were the only ones standing at the bus stop outside Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport, and it was so early the sun hadn’t even risen. I’d been at the …
Five Attractions in Svalbard You Shouldn’t Miss
Norway has long been on my list of dream destinations for a whole host of reasons — not least among them my distant family still living there. So when Agness and Cez came to me about writing a guest post recommending attractions in Svalbard, I was excited to see what they’d come up with. Read …
Living on the Edge
This year, I’m going to be featuring some guest writers on my blog, other travel writers whose work has inspired me. Each person will be writing a post about the following question: What’s an experience you’ve had on the road which has changed your life?” The goal is to gather some intriguing tales involving the …
Meatballs in Stockholm
It was barely past 3:00 p.m. and the sun was setting. That’s the thought that kept coming to mind as I walked to my hostel from the bus station. Wandering through Stockholm’s maze of canals, each twist and bend seemed to offer a new view of the Scandinavian city at dusk.