I am lucky… Going north from Tabriz it is best to hitch at the airport gate on the outskirts of the town. First car took me as far as Jolfa. Then I took a junk share taxi to the border check point in Nordooz. Beautiful mountain scenery of the Araks river valley around… On the Iranian side formalities took me 10 minutes, then I crossed the border bridge walking with my backpack in the light rain (first rain since few weeks of my voyage…) On the Armenian side it is possible to get 21-days tourist visa on a spot, but you must wait about half an hour while they will check via the net if you are not on the black list… Then you pay for the visa 30 USD official price and 5 USD officially requested bribe… Welcome to Armenia! Speak your Russian again! Agarak – little village with basic acommodations (2000 dram in a dorm) is just 800 m away.
Then I took a share taxi to Goris – it was 4 hours of breathtaking drive through the mountains – 2500 drams (they pay only 376 drams for 1 USD). From Goris it is worth to visit beautifully located on the cliff Tatev Monastery – I was the only tourist there!
