Armenia travel info
Armenia- Nagorno
K.: 6 days, March08
INTRO ARMENIA
Kind of travel:
A wholly
independent travel
When:
19th- 26th, March08
Do
I need a visa?: yes,
I got it at the airport in 10 min (30 euro for 120 days!!)
How
I moved: marshrutka (minibus) or shared taxis are the
best bet to get almost everywhere while bargaining for a private
taxi sometimes is the only solution; forget the train.
Freezing
or baking?: as for the weather march is always a gamble,
but despite some rain, I got wonderful sunny warm days (20 C).
Don't underrate the wind when packing.
Where
I slept: there's no lack of B&Bs and old soviet
hotels ranging from 15 to30 euro. Even in central hotels don't
take hot water always for granted and feel free to negotiate.
What
I liked: I loved the snowy mountainy landscapes and
the frozen Sevan lake. I experienced zero hassles from militaries,
and got charmed by the armenian kindness in being photographed,
but the best was the cheap Kotaika beeeeeer!!!! :-)
What I disliked:
I didn't expect such abandonment spread everywhere together
with plenty of rubbish. Finding an open restaurant several times
became a challenge.
How much
daily: if you are used to Russia, Armenia is less costy,
but you need still 30 euro per person travelling in a couple,
though. Hiring a car can be the main expense, even if relatively
cheap. Visa at airport is 30 euro.
Dangers/
hassles: three main dangers.
Smashing against another car at the formula one speed of Armenian
drivers, being knocked down while daring to cross the road on
the zebra and, the last but not the least, falling
into one of the many
deep huge sewers left opened
What
to have: even some basic knowledge of Russian will
help a lot; don't forget a handy dictionary.
THE
TRAVEL IN ARMENIA
Landed in Yerevan in the heat of the night, I was welcomed by
the attempted of being cheated getting the visa (read
the story); I thought I'd have spent the whole travel struggling
against dodgeys, but on the contrary this turned out to be the
only episode.
At 8.30 am I was already on a marshrutka (minibus) heading to
Stepanakert. It's the capital of Nagorno Karabakh, a republic
populated by Armenians in the territory of Azerbabaijan, that
claims official independency or the annexion to Armenia. It
took almost 8h (10 euro each), but both the scenery of the snowed
Vorotan Pass was amazing, and I had no issue at the border despite
not having the Nagorno visa.
[Travelling
in Nagorno]
The third day I reentered Armenia reaching the town of Goris
by a shared taxi from Stepanakert (2h, 4 euro/each). After having
settled down in a cute B&B (Khachik B&B, 22 euro the
whole house for us), I hired a taxi for a trip to the monastery
of Tatev (14 euro for the car, 3h). The Vorotan canyon makes
the trip absolutely worthwhile, but frankly from the monastery
itself I had higher expectations.
From Goris combining shared taxi and marshrutka I got to Vanadzor
in 6h.
The following day by one of those stylish rusty yellow buses
I reached Alaverdi driving along the Deben canyon, that from
my point of view is the nicest place I've seen in the country.
In Alaverdi by the funicular used by the employers of the cave,
I visited the monastery of Sanahin and the hiring a taxi the
Haghpat one; both of them should not be missed!
my last day I came back to Yerevan by marshrutka (2h), settling
down in a private house (22 euro for a double) and I had a
quick trip to the frozen Sevan lake; try a guess how I got
there?? By marshrutka, of course!! : Here I hired a taxi to
visit the monastery of Sevanavank (1h, 4euro for the car) enjoying
the great view from the top of the peninsula.
The following morning at 4.00 am I go to the airport to fly
back home …
Alby
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