Freedom can only be found in the mountains, as the Georgians say. So, after a couple of days in Tbilisi, getting Alexine fixed and some work done, it was time to head to the mountains again. Everyone tells us Svaneti is amazing, but that’s on the other side of Georgia so we decided to head where all of Tbilisi is heading in the weekends: Kazbegi.
It’s only a two hour drive from Tbilisi. What to see in Kazbegi? Well, there is the Trinity Church, probably the most famous church of Georgia. And that says something as we’re sure there are thousands of churches here.
On the way to the Trinity Church we stopped at the Georgian & Russian friendship monument. Not such a great monument but the views are spectacular. Lots of tourists here go parapenting or horse back riding. We didn’t do any of that but just had a look before we continued our journey.
Maffia monks
At the Trinity Church it was too crowded for our taste so we parked the van and had a walk through the mountains. Best idea ever! The hiking path we took wasn’t really a path, more like a trail made by cows and horses. It brought us all around the mountain and so we had the best view on the trinity church. The church itself isn’t so spectacular, it’s especially the backdrop. The mountains surrounding the church are just breathtaking. Truly astonishing.
We slept the night with a great view on the mountain. Strangely, at night the monks are apparently working as cars drive on and off to the gates of the church.
Earlier on we where told about the dubious activities of the monks in the country. The word ‘maffia’ was even mentioned. We couldn’t really believe it until we were sleeping right next to the monastery and witnessed all the strange nightly activities there. Our suspicion only got strengthened when we saw monks on the news participating in the anti LHBTI riots in Tbilisi last weekend. Monks with double agenda’s perhaps?
Of course we will never know what goes on behind those closed church doors. However, everything that goes through our minds and is written down here is subject for debate. For our own safety we will not elaborate any further on the matter…
So, early in the morning, when most tourists are still sleeping, we walked over to the church and had a look around. Inside and outside not too impressive but again, with the mountains surrounding it, it feels very majestic.
We soon hit the road to drive almost to the border with Russia to have a small but nice hike to a waterfall. Afterwards we drove to Juta, here we wanted to have a hike the next day. A proper hike, which we definitely had.
Hiking the Chaukhi pass
Early in the morning we started the hike. We were thinking of hiking to a lake, only 1.5 hours hike, but as we missed the lake and got closer to the Chaukhi pass we decided that it would be nice to reach the pass. The pass is at 3.200 metres high and the trail to it is amazing!! The mountains surrounding us, the flowers in the field, the little river we hiked alongside. The only downside were the many many insects, but alright, we take it. So we had to climb a lot to reach the pass but as the view got more and more beautiful it wasn’t a bad thing. The higher you get the more mountain tops you see, until you are on top of the pass and it truly feels like you’re on top of the world.
After a while enjoying the view we headed back down. Going down is a lot easier than going up but it’s a lot heavier for the body. So, we didn’t go too quick and not too slow either. We had a nice speed and half way down took a detour as walking the same way back isn’t that much fun right? Good choice! The route was so great, from stones to flower fields, to river crossings and grass lands. All that with views on the magnificent mountainside which reminds us of the Dolomites. On our way back we even found the little lake, which to us felt manmade but we’re not sure. Not the most interesting place, so we were very very happy to have done the long hike.
Back in Juta, after 6 hours of hiking, we jumped into the ice cold river next to the van. So refreshing, so nice. We get more and more used to this lifestyle. Taking a bath wherever you can, however cold it is.
No more rolling for Alexine
We didn’t want to stay in Juta so we continued our road. Not for too long though because Alexine didn’t want to continue. She stopped. Apparently we had to change the spark plugs every 5.000km and we’ve driven almost 15.000km now so yeah, they needed to be changed. Luckily we met a very nice guy at the gasoline station who knew someone who works on old cars. He came in the evening, changed the spark plugs, checked some other things and Alexine was running again.
We learn so much on the road, not only about ourselves or the countries we drive through but also about the van. And up to now we’ve been lucky with the people we met who helped us fix her. On our own it would still be quite difficult.
Living and travelling in a van isn’t all about the best spots to camp, the thumbs up we get or driving the most scenic roads. It’s also about waiting for the engine to cool down, being anxious about a new sound she’s making and visiting garages while holding your breath that they know what they’re doing.
Up to now we have visited a couple of garages. One didn’t know much about an old engine, the other one was specialised in it and now in Georgia we found an old guy who at least worked on a T3 before.
But still, while they are working on the engine, loosening more and more screws, taking more and more things out but still not the one you need fixed. It kind of feels like a surgeon who is working on your heart but he’s specialised in brains. They are educated and know much but just not the right thing.
Fixing van problems in Georgia
We were thinking when we passed the European borders people would know a lot more about oldtimer engines because they probably drive older cars. But like in Georgia, during the USSR time no foreign cars were allowed, thus no old Volkswagen. Luckily there are fan clubs everywhere and not only Volkswagen.
In Georgia we just contacted the Porsche fanclub. Porsche has been a close friend to Volkswagen. Ferdinand in the end stole the beetle design of the Jewish creator Ganz, made some minor changes and tadaaa the Volkswagen Hitler desired was born.
So, finding this fanclub was great. We send a message and the kindest of people replied. Lasha, president of not only the Porsche fanclub of Georgia but also the founder of the classic car fanclub. Oh my oh my were we lucky! He called some friends, one of whom has a T3 himself and had started ‘Vanlife Georgia‘ and the other one a Beetle, amongst other classics. We met and checked out the van before going to a garage. They confirmed what our Dutch rescue hotline (Dominique, Sander and Jaap) already thought; bearings in the alternator.
We changed the alternator in Italy but as written before; they didn’t really know what they were doing. Instead of replacing a broken cable they replaced our alternator. Luckily we still have the old one and so we decided to change it back. Our new made friends Lasha and Giorgi knew exactly the place. It’s that kind of place you would never find yourself.
But then, still, despite the good feeling and translation people are fiddling inside the heart of our van. It’s not the thumbs up that gets us to China but the engine. We can’t sleep at the most idyllic places if the engine isn’t working. So it hurts, seeing other people taking everything out and sometimes they look fabled, not knowing exactly what they are doing, questioning each other. And while not understanding them due to a language barrier it makes it even worse.
But we have faith in human kind and of course in Volkswagen. The reason why we got this far in the first place is because the engine is so strong, these cars are built for driving. Not just in the city, but distances. I’m sure that Pon intended this van to be used like we are using it now. Transporting people, migrating from place to place and maybe also meeting people through the van. Cause to be honest, we wouldn’t have met all these people if it wasn’t for the van.
Bernardus Marinus “Ben” Pon, Sr. (April 27, 1904 – May 15, 1968) was a Dutch businessman. In 1947, Pon’s Automobielhandel (“Pon’s Car Dealership”), became the first dealer outside of Germany to sell vehicles manufactured by Volkswagen. A sketch made by Pon inspired the engineers at Volkswagen to develop the VW Type 2 Transporter.
Branko in Montenegro who installed a new homokineet, got her checked and gave us some valuable tips. Lasha and Giorgi in Georgia who helped us fix the alternator and had us taste the delicious Georgian food and many more people who love the van and give us a beer, cherries or a great location to sleep.
Anyway, whenever we get her fixed we hold our hearts and hope she’ll return as her old self, hope she’ll feel better afterwards not worse. We can never be sure but let’s hope she likes people playing with her engine as I, Milene, like hairdressers playing with my hair 😉
We love first impressions. Whenever we are just 10 minutes in a country we ask each other “and? What do you think?” A person has an impression about someone or something within 3 seconds. And this is sometimes the right one and sometimes the wrong one.
It takes just a quick glance, maybe three seconds, for someone to evaluate you when you meet for the first time. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your appearance, your body language, your demeanor, your mannerisms, and how you are dressed. With every new encounter, you are evaluated and yet another person’s impression of you is formed. These first impressions can be nearly impossible to reverse or undo, and they often set the tone for the relationship that follows.
So we always write down our first impressions and at the end of our trip see whether we were wrong or right. While coming from Turkey, a country I, Milene, know very well it’s always fun to explore a place you have no impressions of yet. Driving from the known into the unknown.
The architecture of Batumi
And wow, is Georgia unknown to us. The first things that we were impressed about were the buildings in Batumi. It’s gonna look like the Las Vegas or Macao of Georgia. Strange buildings everywhere and more coming! Fun for Yuri though who loves architecture. Many people skip Batumi but it’s actually a nice city to have a stroll, relax at the beach and learn about the many cultures that it hosts. A good place to start your travels through Georgia when you come from Turkey.
Gas pipes everywhere
Then there’s the gas pipes you see above the ground everywhere. High cars cannot enter most premises because the gas pipes prevent it. It’s part of the environment. When you drive through a cute village the gas pipes highlight the road.
The crazy Georgian driving
We were less impressed by the driving of the Georgians. They are crazy!! Absolutely crazy! They come from left and right, criss cross their way to their destination. They don’t care if there is actually space or not they just go for it. Also some cars have the steering wheel on the left and some on the right. Mainly because there is no regulation about this in Georgia, at least there wasn’t. Now apparently they are preventing cars with their steering wheel at the right side of the car being imported. Then there’s the cars without a front, back or side. Many accidents happen and when you don’t have money to fix your car or buy a new one you just continue driving without a front or door for example. You don’t want to get hit by a car like this because the sharp edges will hack you into pieces.
We’ve been on the road for 3 months, drove more than 12.000kms and for the first time saw someone being hit by a car. When you should drive 60 km/h a Georgian drives at least 80 but preferably 100, if not faster. Also there are lanes on the roads but we honestly don’t know why. 3 lanes easily become 5 – creative lanes it’s called in Georgia. “When you see free space you create a lane” a bartender tells us. To be honest, driving in Istanbul is peanuts compared to driving in Tbilisi.
The kindness of people
Even though they drive like crazy the people are actually very very kind! Strangers giving us cherries, inviting us for diner, giving us a beer. People helping us to fix the van, giving us local insider tips and give us stickers for the car for free. It’s not about getting things for free it’s about not asking for anything and receiving the world! So hospitable so kind.
Foodies in the making
On Instagram you might already have seen that we are truly foodies in the making. In Turkey we tried every possible delight and we are still not done! Need to go back again and again. But now in Georgia it’s getting even worse, or more delicious.
Ok, so thank god Ayran can also be found in Georgia cause we were definitely not done drinking that. But then…
I thought we finally could lose some weight again. Little did we know that Georgians love to put calories in everything! They have the most delicious bread with cheese, inside and outside!!! And when a new friend took us out for a food experience our table exploded with delicious dishes. “You cannot finish but you can try everything” his motto. In the morning we were still full!
And we haven’t tried it all yet! At the bar down of our apartment in Tbilisi the bartender gave us a list of things we should eat here. So we are on a mission to eat as much as we can. But we might put a couple days of hiking in our itinerary. No cooking in the van for us, that’s for sure 🤣
These were some impressions we had. Not all in the first 10 minutes though, they mostly were; crazy drivers, strange architecture, hot temperatures, car maintenance garages everywhere and lots of Turkish influenced food. But of course there are still first impressions to make. For example; we haven’t been to the mountains yet and we still have to talk more about Russia with Georgians cause that’s a tricky subject. We might visit the border which is moved once in a while by the Russians. Meaning that Georgians living in Georgia today can suddenly live in Russia tomorrow.
Have you been to Georgia? Are our impressions familiar?
It all started in 2018 when I, Milene, moved to Turkey as part of the Erasmus program. For half a year Ankara was my home and Atilim Universitesi my university. That half year turned into almost two years as i also did my internship in Turkey. My internship brought me to many places as I worked at a travel agency. I learned a bit of the language, got to know the culture and most important; got to taste all of the local cuisine. I say all but lets say; most.
Our Turkish story starts five and a half years ago. We had just met a couple of months ago. Both came back from a long journey and were ready for another adventure. That being; starting a relationship together. What better place for a first travel test as Istanbul?! For me a very well known place (eventhough I lived in Ankara ive been to Istanbul many many times) and for Yuri something new.
Five and a half year later and we find ourselves once again in the city where everything comes together. Istanbul is so much more than the Blue Mosque, the grand bazaar and the Bosporus. Its where you walk into a neighborhood where you find 1001 shoeshops and when they dont have your size? No worries, they call their friend from another shop who brings the shoe in your size. Who needs big ass brands here? Istanbul is also the city of three major football clubs; Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Besiktas. When one becomes the champion you’ll find flags of that team everywhere! It is also the city where you can find the same food for €30,- but also for €3,-, depending on the neighborhood. It’s the city with simit (type of bread) sellers on every street corner and people running with trays of cay from one shop to the other. In Istanbul you can treat yourself to the real Turkish delights, have meze and raki in the busiest of streets surrounded by Turks and find a hamam to your likings: expensive and touristy or cheap and traditional.
The first time we travelled to Istanbul we went to see all the highlights. From visiting Kadiköy and the Princes Islands to watching the Tünel on Istiklal Caddesi and talking to the fishermen on Galata Bridge. We ate köfte, iskender and manti. Drank kahve, cay and Efes. Got inside Topkapi Palace, Ayasofya and Sultanahmet Camii (the Blue Mosque). We saw the head of Medusa in Basilica Cistern and explored the nightlife with friends. We did all one absolutely has to do in Istanbul.
This time we had no rush to do all the touristy things. We were here to get some shopping done. It was time for new flip-flops, a Turkish simcard and after some days without showering the hamam would be a good idea. So thats what we did; shopping and scrubbing our bodies.
Of course we visited Ayasofya as its not a museum anymore but a proper mosque. (in 1935 Mustafa Kemal Ataturk converted Ayasofya into a museum) So we joined in the prayer there. We peaked inside Sultanahmet Camii cause it is renovated at the moment. Not really worth the visit at the moment.
We also visited four shopping malls because for Yuri there is only one pair of flip-flops and those are almost nowhere to be found. To enter the shopping malls one need a HES code. This QR code shows whether your corona status is riskless or risky. We didnt have a code so got in with our passport. Except for the last mall, they insisted on a QR code. After some discussion they got a security guy getting the code for us and we could enter. Only to be escorted out of the shopping mall in ten minutes. Apparently Yuri is risky. Luckily we got to buy his flip-flops before we were kindly requested to leave the premises.
Our stay this time was also a bit different. We stayed at the parking lot of a football pitch in our van. We had a toilet, a shower and even a washing machine (which we didn’t use). The fun thing was also that the area was new to us both and very vibrant. Full with shops, restaurants and some hamams. Lot’s of people from Africa here which gives the are an extra vibe.
After three nights, lots and lots of walking and eating more than the kilometers could make up for it was time to leave this wonderful city behind. Its time to explore more of Turkey. We are not heading to the beautiful coastline in the South West, but we are going East.
Cappadocia is about 10 hours drive from Istanbul so we will have two stops before reaching there. The moment of long drives through bare lands has also begun. Alright not entirely cause part of Turkey is actually very green. More on that later!
One of my favourite writers is Herodotos (writer of ‘The Histories’), but even more do I love stories about him. Like the travels of Herodotos by Ryszard Kapuschinsky, definitely my second best book (after The Hobbit by J.r.r. Tolkien). In this book Kapushinksy follows Herodotos on his travels. It’s not about the Greece we know now but expands beyond its recent borders. Besides two Greek islands I haven’t explored Greece truly. So when we had the chance to vanture through the mainland of this interesting country we couldn’t resist.
From Herodotos to Alexander the Great
Herodotos was a famous writer and geographer who travelled beyond borders and imaginations in a time where travel was even more adventurous than it is now. He was born Halicarnassus, part of the former Persian Empire.
“It is clear that not in one thing alone, but in many ways equality and freedom of speech are a good thing.”
But we aren’t following in Herodotos footsteps yet, we do however find ourselves in the footsteps of another famous person. Alexander the Great, a Macedonian, was born in Pella which is located in modern time Greece. And as we follow the footsteps of many man, once great explorers, and visit some of their birthplaces we couldn’t skip this one of course.
Pella, originally known as Bounomos, the city developed rapidly under Philip II, but, after the defeat of the last Macedonian king by the Romans (168 BC), it became a small provincial town.
And with small I mean tiny. There is not much except for some restaurants, statues and a square named after Alexander. Not far from the village there are some archeological sights which we didn’t visit because it costs €8,- per person and even though it includes the museum we found that a bit too much for just a quick in and out.
Mount Olympos
From heroes to gods. We left Pella behind and headed towards Mount Olympos, also known as the home of Zeus. Mount Olympos is the highest mountain of Greece and the basis of many stories.
Mount Olympus is snowcapped and often has cloud cover. According to Homer’s Odyssey, however, the peak never has storms and it basks in cloudless aithēr (Greek: “pure upper air”; thus “ether”). Later writers elaborated upon this description, which may have originated from the observation that the peak is often visible above a belt of relatively low clouds.
We hiked up the mountain, not to this cloudless peak so we didn’t find the throne of Zeus but we did follow the river to a holy cave and a monastery that is renovated after 60 years of being a ruin. It was bombed by the Germans during the Second World War and ever since left alone until recently. We saw some monks there as well but mainly builders and I was wearing undecent clothing (read; shorts and a tank top).
The hike took us a bit more than two hours before we headed towards our next stop.
The monasteries and mountains of Meteora
It feels like we are racing through Greece. Going quickly towards Athens because we don’t have much time. We want to be in Turkey soon. But of course we couldn’t miss Meteora and as it was on the way to Athens we had a quick stop here.
The name ‘Meteora’ was derived from a Greek contraction meaning “suspended in the air.” Rising high above the Thessalian plain, the sandstone megaliths on which the monasteries were built average 300 metres in height, with several reaching 550 metres. The rock masses were formed some 60 million years ago, their distinctive and varied shapes sculpted over time by earthquakes, rain, and wind.
Religious life in this region can be traced from about 1000 CE, when hermit dwellings were established in the lesser peaks of the rock mounds.
Although 24 monasteries were built, each containing a church or two, monks’ cells, and a refectory, only 6 remain: Great Metéoron, Varlaám (also called All Saints [Áyioi Pándes]), Roussanou, St. Nikolas (Áyios Nikolaos), Holy Trinity (Áyia Triada), and St. Stephen (Áyios Stéfanos). Some still serve a religious function, though they are now only sparsely populated by monks and nuns.
The monasteries are accessible by bridges and stairs cut into the rocks, although before the 1920s ascending the rock columns involved the perilous enterprise of climbing ladders or being hauled up by ropes and nets.
We visited two of the monasteries, had a coffee with one view and baked a sausage at another. Of course we also took the drone out for some insane shots and watched the sun set.
Athina
Not only a goddess but also a great city. We went all the way South to visit Athens, more particularly a Syrian family I know from Lesvos. They made their way to Athens a couple of months ago and welcomed us into their home.
Athens is the first European city when approached from the Middle East. When approached from the west, from elsewhere in Europe, what strikes us is the influence of the East—in the food, music, and clamorous street life—perhaps vestiges of a time when Athens was divorced from European society under the yoke of Ottoman rule.
And that different part of Athens we got to see these days. We skipped most of the tourist attractions and got to see Athens from a migrant point of view. Streets full with Bangladeshi and Pakistani shops, the chaos as if one walks the streets of Damascus and the selling of very cheap phones. “It’s not stolen, it’s my own phone” he says while holding five phones in his hands.
We ate the most delicious Syrian food, drank Arabic coffee and played with the five kids of the family. Especially the baby whom I saw grow up these past 7 months of her life. She got born on Lesvos, was quite ill when I last hold her on the island but is now doing so great. Such a strong girl.
We stayed with the family for three nights and left with the van full of Syrian food. They don’t know ‘no’ in Syria so even though I tried to explain we don’t have enough space we still got a box full of delicious food.
But it was time to leave, way to soon for that matter but the rest of the Silk Road is waiting and days pass by too quickly.
We hopped on the ferry to Kavala. After one night of sleep we decided to go for it and try to enter the Turkish border.
We have now truly exited the Balkans. We said goodbye to this wonderful part of the world, but not for forever cause im sure we will be back.
Not only did the many many beehives show me there is a lot to learn here, but also did the very very expensive cars in rural and poorer areas trigger my interest to dive into life in the Balkans a bit deeper. We met the kindest of people here, ate various types of börek and were offered and drank way to many types of raki.
The Balkans are usually characterized as comprising Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia—with all or part of each of those countries located within the peninsula. The word Balkan is Turkish and means “mountain,” and the peninsula is certainly dominated by this type of landform, especially in the west. The Balkan Mountains lie east-west across Bulgaria, the Rhodope Mountains extend along the Greek-Bulgarian border, and the Dinaric range extends down the Adriatic coast to Albania.
While driving around we saw not only many little shrines but also lots of memorial stones of people who passed. However, if we would place a memorial stone of every roadkill, especially hedgehogs and snakes, it would be a memorial guardrail. Luckily we also saw a lot of turtles on the road, alive still. Made us think of the impact we make with our roads and other manmade structures. Even in the Balkans where there is still more nature than tarmac luckily.
Another thing that didn’t escape our eyes were the many police checkpoints. We were only stopped two times, probably because we are foreigners and we cant drive that fast. Many police checkpoints and many different gasoline stations. Lots of different brands, even in tiny towns. Especially in Bayran Curri – North Albania one could choose from the many many gasoline stations.
Ethnic diversity is one of the Balkan region’s most characteristic social and political features. The most numerous of the groups is the South Slavs, who form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. The Bulgarians, North Macedonians, and Slovenes speak their own Slavic languages, while the Slavs of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro all speak dialects of Serbo-Croatian.
As we are on the road to China, about 10.000kms further, we couldn’t stay for too long in every place. If we had the time we would and I’m sure we would taste every type of wine there is, cause there are many. We would explore more of the incredible mountains and tropical beaches, taste even more types of raki and submerge ourselves into the culture by visiting the smallest villages.
Of course we’ve also seen so much rubbish one can barely see the beauty of the place through it. It transforms nature into a huge ass bin and instead of protecting the last pieces of nature and cleaning it people add their rubbish to it as if it doesnt matter. “Its part of our culture, when we bbq we do not take our rubbish with us, it’s what we do” a girl from Serbia told is giggling. I didn’t find it laughable but that’s me, a privileged woman from Holland who’s parents taught her to pick up her rubbish and dispose of it in the appropriate waste bins.
After a one and a half month in the Balkans one doesn’t understand the Balkans, one hasn’t seen all of the Balkans but one gets an idea. The idea of certainly going back and exploring more of this gem.
We now travel to our last European country on this journey: Greece. A country with an inspired history. From the Gods of old mythology to legends like Alexander the Great (alright he’s Macedonian) and Leonidas. Oh and lets not forget the explorers like Homer (also famous poet) and Herodotos or the philosophers Socrates, Aristotles and Plato.
Lets dive into yet another interesting and beautiful part of the world. For a short while though because Turkey is giving us the (non sexual) glad eye 😉
Hi there! We are Milene & Yuri. We are travelling the world together since 2015. Our endless curiosity and will to explore has resulted in many cool, and somewhat extreme, adventures. On MYgrations you'll read all about our adventures, you'll find lots of information about the countries we visit you won't find anywhere else and more. Enjoy!
We’re also grammin’
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