Georgia - Borders!

We have now departed from our original route and instead of going into Iran, we are now in Georgia.  So this post is all about crossing borders.  We have had no problems until today but in 1974 crossing from one country into another was often difficult and always time consuming.  The Hippie Trail from India back home was awash with hashish, it wasn’t worth risking smuggling it but many did.  Here are some examples of border crossings followed by today’s account.

1974

Tuesday, 11th June

We started from Peshawar after we'd had breakfast at about 8.30 and bought a chess board on the way. It got cooler as we climbed higher. The borders didn't take too long partly because we were nice to the officials. It was lovely to get back to Afghanistan and we had two storms (very violent) on the way preceded by a calm then a dust storm. Stopped by a river for a very chilly paddle. Reached Kabul at 5.20 and it was very cold. Went out for a steak meal and strawberries which was very nice. Had a look at some shops afterwards. Neil had the runs but was a bit better in the evening. Had quite an early night.

Thursday, 20th June

Got up quite late and went and had a look at the minarets which were not very inspiring. Then went to the Iran Embassy so that our friends could get their visas. Had some food before we collected the visas and left just after 11. Got to the border at about 1.30 and learned that they had found a lot of hash earlier and were searching everyone thoroughly. We got searched at about 3.30 and they were pretty rough but we were still intact. Got to the Iran border at about 6 and went through it all again. Not so bad this time. They let us borrow their kitchen and stoves so we cooked a meal before leaving at about 10. Spent the night just outside the border.

Thursday, 25th July

We had some breakfast, filled up our water containers, then went around the town again all morning. Neil put an inner tube in the front passenger wheel and extracted three nails. In the afternoon we started for Switzerland. It took a long time at the border as we were searched by some very nice Swiss who put everything back for us and seemed very interested in our trip. Filled up with petrol, plus the cans as petrol is cheaper in Switzerland and drove through Geneva to the other border and camped between there and La Cure by the road.

Saturday, 27th July

We had a bit of a scare when trying to start the engine but luckily it did in the end. We reached Paris during the morning and it was terrible. We kept finding ourselves on the wrong road, then back on the right one.  Congestion was terrible. Reached Dieppe in the early afternoon and queued for a boat. While we waited we completed our quota of wines. We got on the boat quite easily and had a lovely trip over, having our first English drinks for ages on an English boat. We were searched a little at the customs and we drove into Lewes. It was lovely to be back.

After we arrived home, every time we went abroad again we were searched because our passports showed visas from India, Pakistan and especially Afghanistan!

2025

Friday 20th June

We were not searched at the border between Turkey and Georgia but the crossing wasn’t without drama!

It was a relief to leave our rather inadequate hotel.  We had a private transfer to Georgia and our driver picked us up after breakfast.  The coast road from Trabzon to Georgia has the Black Sea to the left and to the right hills and mountains rise up with the towns and villages where there is room for them.  The road was occasionally diverted away from rock falls and there were numerous tunnels.  Our driver, on reaching the boarder, told us to get out, said goodbye and drove off.  This surprised us as we expected him to take us all the way to Batumi.  We were besieged by men offering us help between the borders (they said this was a distance of 2 kilometres - a lie as it was only a small distance inside the customs building).  I spoke to them in Russian as I thought they were our new drivers.  They said they were but they obviously weren’t.  While we were trying to work out what was happening, I got a phone call which I assumed was from our driver but I couldn’t work out what he was saying.  We managed to get rid of the two men and crossed the two borders.  As soon as we got outside on the Georgian side we were besieged again by offers of lifts but this time we held our ground.  Neil went to change our Turkish money and I stood in the middle of the car park hoping and praying we had a driver as we had expected.  I was so relieved to see a man with a sign bearing my name approaching.  We had made it!  Our new apartment is excellent (apart from the kettle exploding).  I have installed a new SIM card for data, we moved our watches on an hour, we’ve found an atm for some cash, we’ve been shopping, had dinner and done the washing.  We are now truly in Georgia!,