travel blog – Page 13 – PalmTreeMusings

Turkmenistan: Across the sands of the Karakum Desert

April 9, 2019March 20, 2022Posted in AsiaTagged Abiverd, Ashgabat, best things to do in, Darvaza, gas crater, Gonur Depe, guide, how to get to, Mary, Merv, road trip, Silk Road, the white city, tower of neutrality, travel blog, Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, wedding Palace1 Comment

We started working on planning our Turkmenistan trip back in December, knowing that we’d need a Letter of Invite from a tour company, a package tour, and a visa before arrival- all of which takes time. After receiving our LOI by email, we took it to the Turkmenistan embassy in Tbilisi, where for $55 they issued us a visa (you can also get it done at Ashgabat airport for $87). We let Travel Notoria plan our tour, and we just showed up with a load of cash (no ATMs in Turkmenistan!) after catching a flight on AirDubai.

The flag shows the symbols of the five regions

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Georgia 🇬🇪

March 31, 2019March 20, 2022Posted in Asia, EuropeTagged Avlabari, best things to do in, Bodbe Monastery, fabrika, Georgia, Gori, how to get to, kinkhali, Mtskheta, Old Town, Opera House, Signaghi, Stalin, sulfur baths, Tbilisi, travel, travel blog, Uplistsikhe, Vake Park, walking tour, wineLeave a comment

Geographically in Asia, politically in Europe, Georgia is the perfect base for exploring the Caucasus. We visited Georgia before, between, and after visiting Azerbaijan and Armenia (Americans can enter Georgia without a visa for up to one year). Each time we visited, we explored a different part. We both really liked Georgia and hope to visit again one day. It’s beautiful, it has a rich history, and it has nice weather. And they are the oldest makers of wine in the world. What’s not to like?

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Armenia 🇦🇲

March 25, 2019March 20, 2022Posted in Asia, EuropeTagged Armenia, best things to do in, Garni, Geghard, how to get to, Nagorno-Karabakh, republic of Artsokh, Shoushi, Stepanakert, travel, travel blog, Yerevan1 Comment

We’ve just passed the nine-month mark of our trip, and our travels have brought us to Armenia. Did you know there’s over 4000 monasteries in Armenia? That’s a lot! As the first country in the world to formally adopt Christianity, much of Armenia’s identity is tied to St Gregory the Illuminator, and his conversion of the king and the nation in 301 AD- as well as conflicts with empires of other faiths ever since.

The Armenian Cross is a symbol found all over the country

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Azerbaijan 🇦🇿

March 13, 2019March 20, 2022Posted in Asia, EuropeTagged Azerbaijan, Baku, best things to do in, flame towers, Heydar Aliyev Center, Qabala, Shemakhi, Silk Road, travel blog3 Comments

We arrived in Azerbaijan via the overnight train from Tbilisi, which was cheap ($20) and easy. It left Tbilisi’s Station Square at 8:40 pm, arrived at the border just before midnight, and made it to Baku by 9 am. We had already applied for an e-visa for Azerbaijan ($55), which we printed out in Tbilisi, and they do the immigration stuff on the train. We had a 4-person sleeper berth which was fairly comfortable, aside from being super hot for a couple of hours before they turned off the heater.

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Comoros Travel Guide

March 4, 2019March 20, 2022Posted in AfricaTagged best things to do in, Comores, Comoros, country guide, flights in to Comoros, Grand Comoros, how do I get to Comoros, how expensive is Comoros, Moroni, Mt Karthala, things to do in Comoros, travel blog3 Comments

Ranked as #193 in the world as far as tourism, it’s not easy finding information on Comoros. But since we were in the Indian Ocean area, Chris and I were determined to visit. After much research into finding a flight, a plan began to come together. Here’s all the information I could gather, in the hopes that it helps other travelers who want to see this seldom-visited island nation.

Tag: travel blog