Kazakhstan - A huge oil giant country known mostly to the west by Borat, and that is all. The reality is that it is a country full of hospitality, Sovietised nomads, The Polygon, Siberian Steppe. The Effects of Sovietism are quite stark here, 1. The Aral Sea - yadda yadda yadda 2. The Virgin Lands Project - huge swathes of steppe was ploughed up and removed a good few feet of top soil, and no on one of the crazy long bus journeys we have taken you look out on nothing, endless and monotonous. Also Lake Balkhash shrinks because of this, similar to the Aral Diaster. 3. The Polygon - The nuclear testing facility in the Siberian Steppe - Stunted trees, health problems in the nearby towns and a large area where no one goes is ... read more

Hello, From Gold and Gas to Blue and Cotton, or Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan I have seen a few things in Uzbekistan, but I'm still there so I'm going to leave Uzbekistan for my next blog. This one is as you might expect is about Afghanistan, where i spent a very un backpackery like week. The title doesn't relate to the trafficking or paying ransoms, as that might make for far too exciting reading. Actually an Afghan is just a type of scarf and the Afghani is the currency which happen to share the name (presumably not complete coincidently) with the people. While I was looking relatively incognito - brown hair, not very tall, half a beard and kitted out only with a shoulder bag, my companion was making a good sore thumb impression as he was ... read more

Hi, Here's a little run down of my visa requirements so far for anyone who's interested (I'm a UK citezen btw)... Lebanon - on the border(flew in) - FREE - just a stamp - ? days(can't remember) Syria - At Embassy (London, 3days) - 32GBP - 1 page - 1 mth(SE) Turkey - On the border(from Syria) - 20USD - postage stamp style - 90 days(ME) NB: depending on the port of entry the cost seems to vary between 10 and 20USD, also certain arbitary nationalities get in free - France being one I think at least the guy I was with didn't pay Georgia - on the border(from Turkey) - FREE - just a stamp - 90 days Armenia - on the border - (10USD or 3000AMD)/ 1 photo - 1 page - 21 days ... read more

Today I am in Baku, a city of oil, gas and money. And it's pretty nice actually! I have said goodbye now to my dear friend Carolyn(pictured below), who I believe is wrapped up safe and warm in the UK somewhere. I hope she enjoyed my company and our antics. After I have made my way to Batumi, the summer party capital as I am still waiting on my Uzbekistan LOI (which in my next blog I will explain more about). Spent a night in Batumi with a Crazed woman who went insane shouting at me telling me to speak Russian. So after that heading to a small town just south of Batumi - Gonio and stayed with a lovely family that Mathias recommended me. All meals (the all you can eat variety) and accomodation and ... read more

Hello, After that rather despondent blog, I thought I would spend a few lines on the positives Armenia has... The best apricots about. Also its water melon season so been having plenty of them as well. The reddest tomatoes which taste a thousand times better than British ones. Some of the best canyon's, there's even one in the Capital. All which have there brilliant monastries perched in precarious places. The genocide is an excellent museum (not biast just factual, which is very refreshing after most national museums you ever go to!) This is to name but a few things. Carolyn and my exodus from the country was a little hitch hiking adventure hence the title of this blog. 11am leave hostel 1.05pm first lift out of Yerevan 2.20pm fourth lift, but two nice guys, buy us ... read more