Conquering Europe
Hiking in Georgia and Armenia with Great Hospitality
Being the last two of Europe’s 51 countries left for me to visit and having read so much about them, I felt like I was about to unearth two hidden gems in Georgia and Armenia.
So, in August 2013, I set off to discover these small secrets wedged between the giants of Russia, Iran and Turkey. Travelling alone meant one thing: a great chance to practise my basic Russian language skills.
A Long Layover and a Merry Start
There are no direct flights from London to Tbilisi, so I had to go via Riga with a seven‑hour layover.
I didn’t mind – it had been six years since I’d last visited, and I was curious to see how almost a decade in the EU had changed the place.
My first impressions: grander buildings, but the same charming old town with narrow streets, parks and the river. After a few hours of wandering, I was thirsty… and a bar offering 2‑for‑1 beers came to my rescue. I became slightly merry before boarding my onward flight – a solid start to any trip.
A warm introduction to Tblisi
Tbilisi: Swords, Wine & Soviet Shadows
The Mother Georgia statue stands 65 feet high on a hill overlooking Tbilisi. She sums up the country perfectly: a sword in one hand for defence (Georgia has had a rough past), and a cup of wine in the other to welcome visitors – a nod to both the famous sweet wine and the famously friendly locals.
Both Armenia and Georgia spent seven decades under Soviet rule.
But Georgia always leaned West, despising communist ideology and staging frequent uprisings. Armenia, meanwhile, still sits largely under Russia’s influence.
Tbilisi itself is wonderfully picturesque – old crumbling buildings, windy narrow streets, and a sense of history around every corner.
Initially, I was shy about speaking Russian.
At lunch, I didn’t understand the menu and asked the waitress in English what a dish was. She squatted down and imitated a chicken – full clucking noises, arms flapping. She looked mortified. Her embarrassment turned to anger when I replied “Kuritsa” (chicken in Russian) and she realised I could’ve saved her the performance. My meal was delicious, though possibly seasoned with her spit.
Couchsurfing, Corruption & Culture
That evening I met a local Couchsurfer, Mikhail, for food and drinks. I often meet Couchsurfers just to chat – it’s the best way to learn about history and culture without needing a bed for the night.
One of the most fascinating things he told me was how Georgia wiped out police corruption almost overnight. The president at the time sacked 16,000 police officers and replaced them with new recruits on higher wages and strict anti‑corruption rules. Apparently, it worked – Mikhail insisted no Georgian cop will take a bribe. I kept an emergency €20 rolled up somewhere safe, just in case.
Hiking, Mountains and Monestaries
Kazbegi: Hiking the Caucasus
Kazbegi is the main village for Georgia’s hiking scene. The stunning Caucasus mountains stretch across the country, and I headed there for a day’s hiking.
By now, much more confident in Russian, I stayed in a homestay with a babushka who cooked enormous breakfasts and dinners. On my first night, I ate so much I couldn’t sleep.
The next day I completed a six‑hour return hike to just shy of 3,000 metres, reaching a lookout over a glacier with incredible 360‑degree views of the Caucasus. Absolutely breathtaking.
Border Monasteries & AK‑47 Surprises
On the minibus back from Kazbegi, I met two English guys with similar plans. Back in Tbilisi, we hired a taxi to take us to Davit Gareja Monastery, right on the Azerbaijan border.
The 6th‑century monastery is carved into the hills – barren, remote, and looking like something straight out of Star Wars. We climbed a path beyond the monastery for a better view, when suddenly two soldiers appeared out of the bushes with AK‑47s hanging off their shoulders. They just stared at us.
We soiled our undies a little, kept our heads down, and scurried off. We had no idea if they were Azeri or Armenian, and we didn’t hang around to find out.
Later that day, we caught the overnight sleeper train to Yerevan, Armenia’s capital.
Lake Sevan: Armenia’s “Playground”
We jumped straight into a taxi and headed to Lake Sevan, stopping at several monasteries set in stunning mountain locations.
Lake Sevan is described as Armenia’s playground. We couldn’t quite figure out why.
The accommodation consisted of hundreds of huge shipping containers converted into “chalets.” Dirt cheap, but lop‑sided, smelly from water leaks, and possibly the most unusual place I’ve ever stayed.
The lake itself is beautiful, but walking around it is impossible – each resort fences off its own beach section. To get anywhere, you have to walk along the main road 200 metres back from the water, where you can’t see the lake at all. Instead, you pass derelict buildings, swamp land and endless ugly containers.
One of the most bizarre places I’ve been. We stayed one night.
Dizzying heights on Mount Aragats
Mount Aragats is a huge volcano dominating part of Armenia’s landscape at just over 4,000 metres. We took a taxi up the rickety road to the start of the hike and set off for the lower crater summit.
There was no clear path – just one long, steep slog. After two hours of loose rock, snow patches and heavy breathing, we reached the summit, the highest I’d ever hiked. The altitude hit hard; every breath made me dizzy.
Within minutes, a storm rolled in. We headed straight back down, and as we looked back, the summit resembled Mordor – thick black cloud, thunder and lightning swirling around it. We had left in the nick of time.
Armenian Hospitality at Its Finest
After saying goodbye to the guys, I returned to Yerevan.
Thanks to Couchsurfing, I had an incredible experience. A London Couchsurfer member had previously hosted an Armenian girl, Heghine, and put me in touch. We met at a Couchsurf gathering, had a great night, and she offered to host me for two nights.
Heghine lived with her mum and two brothers. They took me out for the day, showed me churches and small towns, and taught me about Armenian culture.
They cooked amazing food, including lahmajoun – Armenian pizza.
As a thank‑you, I cooked them a traditional English breakfast. Finding bacon, sausages and baked beans was a challenge. I settled for hot‑dog sausages, a gammon‑like bacon substitute, and miraculously – real baked beans.
It went down a treat. They were shocked anyone could eat something so huge for breakfast.
Completing Europe
I later took a day‑long minibus back to Tbilisi and caught my flight home – happy to have “completed Europe” before emigrating to the other side of the world, and thrilled to have discovered this stunning, culturally rich corner of the continent.
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