From the nomadic steppes of Kazakhstan to the frenetic streets of Hanoi, Asia is a continent so full of intrigue, adventure, solace, and spirituality that it has fixated and confounded travelers for centuries.
To stretch my legs I made an overnight trip north to the town of Kazbegi.
(full-sized photos can be seen here.)
The next morning I started the ascent to the picturesque church set high on a nearby mountaintop. The road climbs and climbs through switchbacks.
After the constant corruption in Azerbaijan, Georgia was a breath of fresh air, starting at the border. A helpful immigration official directed me (in very good English) to a drive-up booth for processing. The surly fellow inside took one look at my passport and motorcycle, and directed me to the next booth. The first official explained why I got shuffled: “He...
The Dagestan cruised due west on smooth seas, and I passed the time studying up on Baku’s lodging options, the possible routes to Georgia, and walking around on the ship’s decks. I was the only passenger aboard, so small talk was limited to the few crew who passed by. The cabin next to mine was occupied by the ship’s chief carpenter, an Azeri who everyone called...
Exiting Uzbekistan was another surprisingly easy process, with no interest shown in me or my bike’s luggage for inspection. A few hundred meters later, I was swept up in the whirlwind that is the Turkmenistan entry process. I was directed (with much efficiency) to a dozen windows, making payments, signing forms, re-visiting the same windows a few times, at the...