Mosques, mist, mountains and mud.

Now in Tblisi, Georgia after a very entertaining drive through Eastern Turkey and South Eastern Georgia. We both ended up really enjoying Istanbul, though after a night of Tom telling everyone who would listen that Matthew Hoggard was the best bowler in the world, and Steven Gerrard the best footballer (FA Cup night), decided it was time to leave! Spent an enjoyable few days driving through Turkey, bush camping in the woods and mountains, and washing, or being washed, in the hammam (Turkish Bath). Took in some Pontic Tombs in the pouring rain, then took a wrong turn through the Kakar mountain region, ending up on little more than a muddy track going up and up, then down and down, all very slippy in the wet weather. 40 km in 6 hours an indication of the track quality and steepenss. After taking one wrong turn too many, ended up having to make a twenty point turn after the track disappeared over a drop, but got back on track soon enough after seeking directions in the next village. Camped that night track side in the rain, though the roof tent provides enough shelter for one person to cook dinner in the dry out the back of the cruiser. The call to prayer rising up through the mist from a mosque far below a great way to end what had been a long day. An early start the next day and we made it to Trabzon to pick up visas for Georgia, Tom deciding to show the locals his stool diving party trick after too many Efes watching the European Cup final. Next day crossed into Georgia, 6 hours of chaos ensuing at the border, first trying to edge the car to the front of the "queue", then trying to fill in forms in Cyrillic, no one speaking English, then trying to get seen by the customs officers before we were allowed to go. Fights breaking out, 'natashas' screaming blue murder, kind of entertaining in a masochistic sort of way. If we have been to a more chaotic border neither of us can remember it. First night in Georgia spent in the pleasant port town of Batumi, then took what looked like a good road over a 2000m pass next day. Road turned out to be terrible, getting worse the higher we went, particuarly where there had been landslides, the tow hitch grounding out too often (to be removed soon) and the swivel seal springing a gushing leak. Managed to get over the pass that evening and camped in the beautiful sub Alpine Scenery, enjoying our first fire of the trip and wondering if we should follow Ray Mears advice on bush camping with bears about! Next morning drove down the pass through delightful medieval looking villages, stopping at a breathtaking monastery dating from the 8th and 12th centuries. A German film crew also happened to be there, and we were ushered in to hear some incredible singing from the Monks. Bizzarely we were then filmed answering questions about how we came to be in Gerogia blah blah, though not sure that will survive the final cut! That afternoon we had been planning to reach the Cave city of Vardzia up another long and bad road, but we decided not too after topping up the swivel seal yet again, reasoning we needed to get that sorted before heading back into the mountains. That night enjoyed our first taste of Georgian hospitality, our glasses constantly being filled with the local hooch from the very friedly next door table in a local restuarant in Borjomi. Toast after toast leading to drunken dancing and horrible kisses from our new friends - Georgians are the original binge drinkers, and great fun too!

Tblisi itself a nice enough place, though we leave tommorow (swivel seal now full of grease and hopefully sorted) for a few days up near the Russian border in the Great Caucasus chain itself. Unfortunately, we have not got time to get to the incredible (but dangerous) sounding Svaneti region, we must be back in Tbilisi on Friday to get to Yerevan, Armenia by Sat and our long awaited Iran visas - the road to Svaneti reputedly too long and bad for the few days we have. Kazbegi and the Georgian Military highway (itself no great road) will have to do instead. Still, Georgia is one place we plan to come back to, like nowhere we have been before, jaw droppingly beautiful, and fantastic, though slightly crazy and edgy people as well.

After Yerevan we hope to spend a week or so camping through what sounds to be the quite wild regions of southern Armenia and Northern Iran, before arriving in Tehran in 10 days or so. We will update again then.

Pictures are of the muddy road in Turkey, Cadie getting down with the Georgians, friendly Monk, the view from the Monastery and the mountain pass.

İstanbul at last

Fınally arrıved ın Turkey, ıf not yet ın Asıa, after a long drıve over endless mountaıns from Europe. Lıke Hıtler, we came through the Ardennes (except of course he was goıng the other way), ate Bratwurst ın the Black Forest near Baden Baden, a nıght ın the Austrıan Alps followed by a nıght ın the woods ın Slovenıa. Campıng all the way ın our very comfy roof tent, a mıxture of stayıng ın campsıtes and bush campıng. Had a day off the drıvıng on the very beautıful Dalmatıan coast ın Croatıa, then spent a nıght ın the even more beautıful mountaıns of Montenegro. Cant say the same about the people-a very mıserable lot! Perhaps they were Serbs...

After Montenegro we went through Albanıa, whıch ın parts looks every bıt a thırd world country, roads as bad as anywhere, partıcularly ın the towns, mental drıvıng (we saw two nasty accıdents ın two days), rubbısh everywhere, pıles of rubble, donkey carts, etc etc. And not a squeejy merchant ın sıght! Albanıans a very nıce bunch. Stayed a nıght ın the capıtal, Tırane, takıng ın a free Pıano recıtal and enjoyıng somewhere that doesnt feel at all European. Agaın the countrysıde very mountaınous and wıld lookıng, the hıghlıght of our journey so far.

Istanbul ıs big! Food a dissapointment, far better Turkısh fare at the bottom of our street! We plan to stay here tıll Sunday before headıng east to the Caucuses. Not goıng to spend to much longer ın Turkey, ın part because ıt stıll feels too close to home, but maınly as we have fınally been granted our vısas for Iran, and need to get there by 1 June (the need to fıx date of entry a requırement for the vısa amongst other thıngs).

but before that have a couple of weeks ın the reputedly very wıld and very beautıful Caucus countrıes of Georgıa and Armenıa - a chance for some hard drınkıng before a dry month or so ın Iran - and wıth a world cup on as well! Oh well, we wıll just have to 'get the teas ın' and make do....

Both very happy and relaxed. We lıke thıs sımple lıfe.

Wıll update from Georgıa.

Pıctures are of the cruıser at fırst nıghts bush camp ın Slovenıa, an Albanıan pothole (wıth spıkes), Montenegro scenery and a wıld Montenegran mountaın dog - cos I like pıctures of dogs.