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Tbilisi, Georgia07/24/2008
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Leaving for Georgia by bus at 10:15 am...should be a 12 hour ride across border arriving at about 10. We have no map (couldn't download anything from google of city), no reservations (couldn't find anything under $120 US per person on line), and no idea how to arrange onward transport to Baku next day (again found nothing of help on line), ha! Kind of like being in Chad again!~!!
Yes, it was similar to our Chad travels but much less adventuresome. We set out across the border w/ only Baku as our destination and as if we only lacked pieces to a puzzle, the right ones appeared to complete the picture. Even tho the end was never really in doubt in our minds, where the path would lead us was always in question. I am amazed how people appear out of no where to guide us on our way! "Here, let me hold that torch for you!" Aha, now I see the path!
Too often I think I really have some control over these moments of serendipity--
Tbilisi is a city being restored, very nice...wide boulevards, river, tree lined streets...beautiful!
From Trabzon:
We said our goodbyes to Steve & Kate and went to the Metro shuttle/pickup. Right on time at 10:39 we left - he dropped us off at another pickup spot not the otogar/bus sta we expected. There they informed us the bus to Tbilisi was late(said it was traffic but...) and wouldn't be there until 12:30, then !: then it came at 1:30. After a short stop at the real bus station - this was an ongoing bus originating from Anitolia - it stopped in a repair shop area where we remained until 3:15 getting ??? repaired. Now over 4 hours late we know our planned overnite in Tbilisi would be no problem since we'd spend it on the bus. We met a couple Czech fellows and a gal, Kate, from Tbilisi who spoke English. It took only 2 hours to reach the border from Trabzon but 3 hours getting across. Apparently, there was a new boss and crew for this border station and all were 'in training' which became obvious when it took all 6 of the guards to examine one semi which had some problems w/ the locks on his rig doors. We also should have suspected something when we passed over 80 long haul semi tractor trailor rigs lining the highway waiting to cross into Georgia. Shades of Zambia I'd say, ha!
So, other than the wait - no problems ..got our free stamp into Georgia. Once inside Georgia it seemed the whole atmosphere in the bus changed visa vi the crew - much more relaxed & laid back. Even served water and tea which hadn't happened til then. It was dark now so our purpose of going in the daylite to see the countryside had been foiled. We did see more of Turkey Black Sea Coast - went thru 6 tunnels and saw the same number under construction as they are widening this part to be 4 lanes all the way to Georgia. Coast was just as before - jetties, beaches, parkways, and being hot, many swimmers even tho much of the coast is rocky.
In Georgia the Mr-Toads-Wild-Ride began in earnest - the driver was tired when he started in Trabzon but it seemed he drove faster as his sleepiness increased. Bon & I went to sleep - great avoidance behavior. We lost an hour and thus arrived in Tbilisi at 5 am, dawn, a bit worse for wear. After some discussion w/ our English speaking friends, having Kate there to translate (she had her college degree in tourism as well) and get into from taxi drivers was a big help. We learned a bit skeptically that there were no buses to Baku except on Thur & Mon, so according to them we had to hire a taxi(dah) to to the 80 km to the border. We did not do this - instead we piled into a taxi and chkd out Nata Hotel for the 2 Czech fellows...6 am, it was full, no room.
Next the taxi took us to the minibus which goes from the train station to the border for a lot less $$$. Kate translated our situation & set us up to go & she & boys departed looking for other cheap accommodations. We left shortly in the van just the 2 of us - we had expected him to wait to fill but off we went, he picked up only one more on the way.
Went thru Georgia border easily...got to Azerbaijon crossing and a uniformed guard refused to let us get a transit visa there. We had read on their official website that transit visas were possible when you have a valid Georgia visa stamp. Two fellows returning to Georgia who spoke English tried to help us but to no avail, we had to return to Tbilisi. They helped us find the Azer Embassy after a taxi ride back into town...now it was just before 10 am and we were close to the front of the lineup for visas.
When we got in to talk to the consulate fellow he said absolutely no, it was not possible, no transit visa...all visas take 3 days to process anyway, too late! Then we showed him our Aeroflot tickets out of Baku and he relented, realizing our situation and having a short time frame he had us put in our applications, we went to the bank and paid the $20 US plus $2 service fee and picked up our passports w/ transit visas at 4 pm.
This of course necessitated staying in Tbilisi so after attempting to figure out the bus system and save some $$ (taxis everywhere are pricey, but as we found out, indespensible). From 11 to 4 we attempted to locate the bus which supposedly would take us all the way to Baku...does not exist, at least for tomorrow. Finally, in frustration and after a cooling off(it is HOT HOT HUMID HUMID) in MickyDs we hopped a taxi to Nata Hotel and this time the did have room, only $18 US ea. It's an old building being refurbished much like a lot of Tbilisi...the outside is completely redone, inside - well, it's clean and being on the 4th floor w/ balcony there are breezes!
Had a very filling dinner around the corner in a little 'hole-in-the-wall' restaurant almost literally, a traditional Georgian goat cheese kind of pie/pizza/queso dia w/ salad and great carbonated limonade/pear-ade.
