Crossing a mountain pass to get to our next wild camp

Early morning breakfast at the reservoir. The wind had changed direction so the water was cleaner. A few guys used the opportunity to have a very cold morning swim. We didn't.

First stop today was at a mountain pass. Driving primarily uphill for the first two hours to the top of the mountain pass at some 3150 meters. The truck really struggling. The last kilometres the snow started to appear bringing back memories from our mountain pass crossings in Georgia. A short photo stop at the top of Ala-Bel mountain pass and then we headed downhill. Lunch stop at a gas station and then a ten minute drive before we set up evening camp a Suusamyr Valley.

Mikkel was doing dinner with the cook group – veggie meal for a change – and then banana flambé using the dodgy president brandy from Turkmenistan. How many countries can you find a bottle of booze with a picture of the president??? Good show for the group and some nice slow motion shots by Nico. Used the remaining part of the brandy to toast with most of the guys hanging out at the fireplace. Mostly toasts to all the great achievements of the Turkmenistan president involving a lot of toasts to buildings covered in white marble and of course to some of the important ministries including the ministry of ministries. We haven't forgotten our great experiences a few “stans” ago. What a great day.

Carl learning to make scrambled eggs

Mountain pass - snow again

Lunch break

Good coffee at a gas station

Owen showing us the map and our route

Will the mountain pass be closed?

Malene decided to spend the night on the sofa in the warm living room our own room was simply too cold.

We got up very early to take a walk around town, What can we say; deserted, ghost like, icy cold...maybe a nicer place in the summer time.

We had an early start since we had to cross the mountain pass before 11 am after that it would be closed again until 6 pm like the day before. No problem this time and we even had time to stop at a monument. with Georgian and Russian frescoes. There a several  monuments on the road between Russia and Georgia with this being the biggest.

In Telavi we're having two nights in a homestay. Since we're quite a lot we're staying in two houses. And wow they certainly don't look like much from the outside - but don't let that cheat you - inside they're beautiful old houses with stucco, mahogony like furniture, parquet flor, fine china in and very high to the ceiling.

Does anybody actually live out here?

Gergeti Trinity church in the morning

Crossing thee mountain pass again

Monument with frescoes

Old building - need a bit of concrete reparations

Home stay from outside

Beautiful inside the house

Heading for Sumela Monastery

It was an early morning again. And cold. Woke up at 6:30. Tents packed at 7, breakfast, ready to go at 8. Brings back memories from Africa.

Mountain tops still covered in snow, so it must have been around freezing outside tonight. Inside the sleeping bags it was ok, though.

Managed to make it almost up a gravel road on a mountain before we met the local park rangers. They didn't give us any chances of making it to the top in our truck because of the snowy conditions so we had to turn around. Mountain pass 1 - Truck 0.

Detour of some two hours through some beautiful mountain scenery getting so close to the snow ever so often. Sky cleared in the afternoon and we had lovely sun when we arrived at our camp site - a real one this time. Quick lunch and off to Sumela monastery.

Had a 20 minute hike uphill to the monastery and the sight which greeted us was worth every step. What an amazing setting in the cliffs. We had good time to walk around to see the different buildings and frescoes here before heading back to camp for relaxing and cooking dinner. Perfect day.

Still trying to convince Malene that the spring will arrive - eventually....

Sumela monastery