I was having both Georgia and Armenia on my travel list for some time already. At the very end of 2010 and beginning 2011 i had one week free for travelling, which was not enough, but i decided to go and see as much as possible. I was a little bit more interested in Armenia, but because of air tickets pricing i flew to Tbilisi first and from there moved to Armenia overland. At least i could see the capital of Georgia, which was definitely worth doing!
No extra arrangements prior were needed as Georgia doesn't require visas for citizens of EU Member States and Armenia issues visas on border checkpoints. So 4 days prior travel i bought the flight ticket (choosing Turkish Airlines) and on the 29^th of December the trip started...

Countries visited: Georgia, Armenia
Travelperiod: 12/2010 - 1/2011
Costs: 530 Euro

just landed in Tbilisi

early morning Freedom Square

marshurtka's stand near Tbilisi train station

border Georgia - Armenia... walking to Armenia

on the way to Yerevan

Mount Aragats (4090m)

outskirts of city Sevan

Lake Sevan

Sevanavank (Sevan Monastery)

Republic Square in Yerevan

Mayr Tachar (Echmiadzin) Cathedral

main street in Echmiadzin

Sasuntsi David statue and Yerevan train station

Garni Temple

my taxi from Garni to Geghard

Geghard monastery...

...and inside of it

Mount Ararat (5165m) in the far

after 12 hours, the train Yerevan - Tbilisi reached it's destination

view of the old Tbilisi and Narikala Fortress

near Avlabari metro station

Tbilisi seen from Narikala Fortress (Tsminda Sameba Cathedral in the middle)

I took the baggage for the trip with me in the morning, so in the afternoon i could head to the airport directly from my office. Check-in was quick and my bag was just 8kg, so i could take it as a cabin one. In the "free" zone behind passport control, i yet had time to grab a sort of a dinner. At 6PM should have started the boarding, but approximately 15 minutes delay was announced. After boarding for the flight to Istanbul, followed waiting inside the plane for de-icing, so total delay makes 1 hour on take-off and my total time for transfer in Istanbul is only 25 minutes more. Flight went without any problems and took 20 minutes less than expected, so having right 45 minutes for change of the planes.
The plane to Tbilisi was full, most people carrying too much baggage, so a bit of a problem to find place for my bag, but in the end some space found at the opposite side of the aircraft. Departure was nearly on time and shortly after it, i'm falling asleep and waking up only before descent to Tbilisi airport. Georgia is 3 hours ahead of Europe, so it was 4AM when we had landed.
First i waited queue for money exchange (surprisingly quite a good rate at the airport), then for passport control and short before 5AM i was in the arrival hall. The schedule of trains going to downtown was changed, so i have to wait 2 hours for the first one going to the city. I arrived to Tbilisi train station shortly after 8:00 and it was still dark - thanks to the fact, that it's GMT+4 here, while it rather should be +3 only, bought metro card and took 3 stations ride (interesting, that the doors open yet before the train stops completely at the station) to Freedom Square. It was quite chilly, but i decided to made a short walk around the Old Town and Rustaveli and then headed back to the train station - in front of it, the marshrutkas to Yerevan were departing. I found one with depart around 11 o'clock, which was ok. We departed more or less on time (only half full), but moved just to some weird place on the Tbilisi suburbs, where the driver was arranging transport of some boxes, who knows with what. This delayed us roughly an hour and we left Tbilisi only after 12.
The driver started to drive like completely brainless, speeding, overtaking trucks everywhere... In an hour we are at the border. We have to get out, pass eorgian passport control and walk maybe 300 metres to bridge over the river Debed after which the armenian checkpoint was. I have to fill out a one paper form for a visa, which is valid for 21 days and costs 3000 Armenian Dram (roughly 6 Euro). All went pretty smooth, just needed to go to exchange office to get armenian money for the payment. In half an hour we continue the way towards Yerevan. The first few tens of kilometres swings the road along the river, passes mining city of Alaverdi, Vanadzor and short before Spitak we turned towards south and started to climb up steep to the mountains. The driver keeps driving like crazy all the time - hit gas, hit brake style. The road is winding up to a mountain pass - 2390m, on the top lays already a bit of snow. Also a wonderful view towards highest peak in Armenia - Aragats (4090m) opens. The road continues over a flat plateau at around 2000m height. We are making a short stop in a small village, so at least a few minutes to stretch the legs. Still an hour of drive to Yerevan was ahead of us, which went without any problems - the last 40 kilometres on a highway. We arrived to the city around 5 PM and finally parking in front of the impressive Yerevan train station. To be honest, i was happy, that i survived the ride...
With help of one local i found entrance to metro, bought the jeton for 50 Dram (10 Eurocents) and rode 2 stations to the Republic Square. It was already getting dark, so i walked directly to the Envoy hostel, where i had booked the 3 next nights. It was easy to find, the staff at the reception was very kind and helpful. I got a quadroom, but was there alone for the whole stay (actually just a few people stayed in the whole hostel). As Armenia is having national holiday for the next 3 days i was advised to better exchange money and do some shopping the same day, so after a short nap i headed to a nearby grocery store and also changed some Euros into Drams. On the way back i could not resist to buy crepes with meat and cheese from a street stall - was delicious. I was tired, so spent the evening in hostel talking to few other travellers and planning the next day trip to Lake Sevan ans Sevanavank.
In the morning i pushed myself to wake-up early, grabbed breakfast and headed directly to place from where the marshrutkas to Sevan should be departing. Luckily it was just a quarter an hour walk from the Envoy hostel. One marshrutka was already waiting on the spot and was almost full, so i got in and 10 minutes later we departed. The bus first winded through the streets of Yerevan and then started going the approximately 70 kilometres towards northeast to Sevan city, which we reached after a little bit more than one hour long drive. The city itself is not much interesting, but few kilometres out of the city, on the shore of Lake Sevan sits of the most visited monasteries in Armenia - Sevanavank. One can get there with taxi for about 2000 Drams including waiting or walk. I decided for the second mentioned. To get there, one has to first walk down the main street in Sevan, then turn left cross railway track and follow road, which climbs a bit to a village called Tsamakaberd. From there, Lake Sevan and the Sevanavank already can be seen. From the village i took the way going down the hill to the main road running along the lake's shore and followed it for roughly 1 kilometre, where the turn to the monastery was. Another bit less than a kilometre had to be walked and i was standing right below a small hill with the Sevanavank on the top. All business here was closed, except one stall selling some small snacks. Three stray dogs got interested in me and took me a while to flick them away. I walked up to the monastery, seen the inside, enjoyed view over the lake from the highest point of the peninsula. Lake Sevan covers an area of nearly 1000 sq kilometres and looks like a small sea. Sevanavank itself is at height of 1980m, so it was much colder here than in Yerevan.
After perhaps an hour on the spot, i started the walk back to Sevan city, since i was warned, that marshrutkas can stop running after 3PM, because it was New Years Eve. I took the same way and in a bit over 1 hour i was in the city. With help of one local i found the stand of buses to Yerevan, bought the ticket for 600 Dram and after some 20 minutes of waiting we move forward. I'm back in the capital at 3PM, making visit of the Cascade Monument and heading back to hostel. Before dusk i'm going to the Republic Square (Hanrapetutyan Hraparak). Just a few people there, podium for the evening concert and 2011 celebrations being build. Around 10PM a little group gathers in the hostel and we are chatting on travelling etc. Before midnight we head to the Rep. Square, but it's raining. Perhaps also thanks to that, not so many people celebrating there. Midnight passes, we drink some vodka, watch a nice fireworks... Afterwards we yet buy some bottles of wine and vodka and walk back to hostel, where the staff meanwhile prepared some snacks - perfect! We do continue with a little party... getting to bed after half past four in the morning.
Waking up, looking what time it is, half past 11. Getting out and noticing, that it's snowing and is quite foggy. That is anything, but not good for a trip to Khor Virap to see the panorama of Mount Ararat. So changing the plan and deciding to visit Echmiadzin, small city, perhaps 30 kilometres west of Yerevan. Echmiadzin is the most important place for the Armenian Apostolic Church. It was also the capital of Armenia in 2nd and 3rd century AD. The marshrutkas depart from place only 10 minutes walk from Envoy hostel, so should be easy to get there. One is leaving right when i'm getting there, but another one goes in quarter an hour and trip lasts less than 30 minutes. The snowing meanwhile changed into a rain. The marshrutka stops right next to Holy See of Echmiadzin - complex of buildings for the clergy with main cathedral - Mayr Tachar (Mother Church of Armenia) in the middle. The place definitely has a spirit, intensified by the clergymen in black robes walking around. Not far from here are standing another 2 churches, but it's starting to rain heavily again, so i'm going back for a bus to Yerevan. Already some people waiting, but no bus at sight. After another 20 minutes even the Armenians getting impatient and some of them taking a cab. A guy standing next to me asks, if i would also go by taxi, which i would, but we didn't find other 2 people to share the ride. Marshurtka comes, being lucky to push myself in.
Back in Yerevan i'm making a walk to Tsitsemakaberd - Museum of the Armenian Genocide, but it turned out to be too far for a walk. Late in the afternoon i'm heading to the train station to buy train ticket back to Tbilisi for the next day (the train leaves from Yerevan on even dates only). But being sold nothing, because tickets simply not being sold today and i should come the next day after 10 AM. How easy... Yet stopping in a market to buy something to eat and walking direction hostel.
In the morning i packed my backpack, checked-out, but left my bag in the hostel and wanted to go to Khor Virap, which i dropped the day before. Weather looks much better, bit of a sunshine, but it's haze and visibility rather poor - i would not see Ararat from Khor Virap, almost for sure. So taking the prepared plan B, which was drive to the mountains and visiting 2 jewels of Armenia - Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery. There is public transport to Garni, but from there to Geghard one has to charter a taxi. The marshrutkas to Garni running from some eastern suburb of Yerevan, so first was to ride a city bus to some Mercedes showroom and there jump into marshrutka going outside the city. I'm taking the last seat inside, but driver nowhere..., comes in 10 minutes and we depart. Right from Yerevan the road starts to climb up, all covered in fresh snow. Gaining height, few people get-off, few get in and in maybe 1 hour i'm being dropped in Garni village, only 400 metres from the Temple. Walking in the fresh snow to the entrance gate, which turns out to be closed. Sh*t. Looking through the bars, seeing the Temple a bit behind the trees. Somehow not willing to resign to be standing in front of it, walking a bit downhill to the left and making a short steep walk up and climbing over a small wall to the Garni Temple. Wonderful, quiet everywhere, standing alone in front of this 1st century AD structure. Climbing down back and walking to the main street in Garni. An old armenian taxi driver approaches me and offering ride to Geghard Monastery, which is some 10 kilometres up the road. I'm pretending, that not being interested, but i am. Taxi driver explaing, how wonderful the monastery is..., not big, but very nice etc. OK, let's go (2000 Drams round trip including one hour waiting). Getting into a 40 years old Lada and riding up the snow covered road higher into the mountains to Geghard. Along the way, i could see Mount Ararat rising up in the far.
Geghard Monastery is settled on a wonderful place, almost 2000m high in a mountain gorge. Inside the church was nearly a mystical atmosphere, walls made of black stone, light entering only thru small windows and no one else. A monastery at this location apparently existed since 4th century AD, the first cave churches then in 7th century. All went down in 923 with invasion of Arabs. The nowadays standing main church Surp Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) dates back to 1215. If in Armenia, try to get here. After almost an hour i'm walking back to my taxi and we drive to Garni. En route i'm asking for a short stop to make photos of Ararat (5165m). The driver dropped me in Garni on the main road, in another 20 minutes i'm taking marshrutka to Yerevan and enjoying views of the snow covered mountains before we descend into the foggy valey of river Hrazdan. Again have to get off on the eastern suburb and take city bus to the downtown.
It was app. 3PM when i got back to downtown and immediately took subway to Sasuntsi David station, where the train station is, as i still needed to buy ticket for the night train to Tbilisi. There are 4 classes one can take. The least expensive is only seating, followed by platskartnij, which is sort of couchette, but open to the corridor. Second class is kupejnij, which has 4 beds and lockable from inside. The most expensive is SV with only 2 beds. I was taking the kupejnij, which was 9500 Dram (platskartnij was bit less than 6000 Dram). Late in the afternoon i'm back in the hostel, taking my bag, cooking a little dinner, packing everything and at half past seven i'm leaving to catch the train departing at 20:50. At the train station (by the way, interior and cleanliness, which most european train stations would just envy) spending my last drams in a vending machine and heading to the platform. I thought the train would be almost empty, but the opposite was true. At least the kupe class was full by app. 75 %. I'm having a top bunk, which is not what i would prefer. The journey to Tbilisi should last 14 hours, but i'm counting rather with 16, so 1PM next day we should be at destination.
The train starts moving sharp on schedule, shortly after departure the passports and tickets were collected by the conductor. The people in my coupe didn't look like to be willing have some conversation (perhaps better to take platskart class), so i'm reading and sorting the photos in my camera. In the middle of the night we are woken up by armenian border guards, all without any hassle, just have to open my backpack. Interesting in this train was, that any cover (or light on the top wall f.e.), which was possible to open with a screwdriver was sealed by tapes of the customs authorities of Georgia to prevent any smuggling. In half an hour the georgian control starts, passports are collected and later returned back stamped. It was something around 7AM when we moved from the border, which kind of suprised me, since the border is not far from Tbilisi. And indeed although the train was going very slow at 9 AM were at the destination - 4 hours earlier than i expected.
Being hungry, so buying some khachapuri and trying to find the Old Town hostel, which had both good reviews and location i preferred. Taking metro to Freedom Square, from which it should be only some 10 minutes walk. Having a bit problem to find the hostel in the narrow and crooked streets, but in the end being successful. Hostel is full, but for the next 2 nights, they have free. I can leave my baggage there and being told, that in the afternoon i can come back. Taking just the necessary things and heading out. As it's not that late, so i'm deciding to try to get to Gori (some 80km westwards). Taking again metro towards north and getting off at station Didube, next to which is perhaps the main bus station of Tbilisi, with buses leaving to Kazbegi, Gori, Batumi, Mtskheta and other destinations. The place is totally chaotic, but asking one taxi driver gives me right direction to the buses heading to Gori (note, that all buses having written where they go only in georgian). I'm taking a seat in almost full microbus, but it turns out, that paying cash to the driver when getting off, is not the practice here. So i'm being pointed to a nearby window to buy a ticket, or better said to wait in quite a long queue to buy it. Meanwhile the bus leaves full of course. And it looks, i won't get even into the next one. I'm resigning to get to Gori today - would get there too late. So heading to city part called Avlabari and making a walk-up to Tsminda Sameba Cathedral. Newly build, but nice and good view around the city from there.
Then i walked back to Avlabari and further across the Mtkvari river to Narikala Fortress, which is a remainder of former Persian citadel. The houses below it are nicely renovated, nearly all of them with those nice balconies, so typical for Tbilisi. On the way back to hostel founding a place with delicious kebab. When the night falls i'm climbing up to Narikala Fortress again to make some night photos of the city.
The next day morning i'm going againg to Didube station, but change the original plan of visiting Gori, to a trip to Mtskheta, which is only 20km northwest of Tbilisi and which is probably the most important place in Georgian history. It was also ancient capital of Georgia between 3BC and 5AD. On the other bank of the river Aragvi, on top of a hill stands perhaps the holliest of all churches in the country - Jvari Church. I wanted to walk there by foot, but the small bridge over the river north of Mtskheta looks to be non-existend. As backup, i walk to nearby laying Bebris Tsikhe - ruins of Mskheta's castle and enjoying the view towards Caucasus Mountains and back to Mskheta (a partial solar eclipse was just happening at that time). Back in the town i jumped into a crowded microbus to Tbilisi and arrived to Didube bus station again. I made a photo and wanted to view it, but camera instead of a picture shows "Error Card Reading". Turn off, turn on and getting "No File". Seems, like all photos are gone...! The best, what one can do to take the card out of a camera and do nothing with it before possible to connect it to the computer.
The next 3 hours i wandered around Tbilisi and was trying to get again some of the photos lost... (as was not sure what will be possible to recover). In the evening i'm back in hostel, pack everything, do a sort of a dinner, short nap and half past eleven heading to train station. Short after 1AM i'm at the airport, spending my last Lari in the stalls in the departure hall, after 3AM check-in, 5:15 departure. In Istanbul we land at the same time (Turkey is 2 hours behind and that's also lenght of the flight). Heading to "my place" by the gate 205 for some sleep. After 10AM we land in Prague and heading directly back to the office... PS: most photos got recovered using software PhotoRec.