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THE DISPUTED SERIES, REFLECTION POST

Abkhazia, Armenia, Artsakh / Nogorno Karabakh, Cyprus, Georgia, Germany, Moldova, Nagorno Karabakh, Northern Cyprus, Transnistria
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by David Simpson

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GEORGIA, ARMENIA, KARABAKH, MOLDOVA, TRANSNISTRIA, CYPRUS, N. CYPRUS & GERMANY

I usually have a reference for every trip I go on and this one was called the disputed nations. I had originally 4 new countries and 5 revisits I had planned but clearly it didn’t all work out

Yes it was frustrating not getting to Abkhazia but there was no time to dwell on it and I’m a big believer of the quicker you move on the better. I am due to return to that region to visit South Ossetia anyway.

  • Birds eye view of the city of Tbilisi, Georgia. The disputed series, reflection post
  • Bottle of wine in Tbilisi, Georgia. The disputed series, reflection post
  • Minivan to Yerevan, Armenia. The disputed series, reflection post
  • Rugged landscape in Karabakh. The disputed series, reflection post
  • Sunset at Noravank Monastery in Karabakh. The disputed series, reflection post

ROUND UP….

  • 3 New countries.
  • 4 Revisits.
  • 6 Flights.
  • 1 hateful bus driver

GEORGIA

Again I was impressed with Tbilisi but it was good to see more of Armenia after my first visit where I didn’t get out of the city.

RATINGS….

  • RATINGSPEOPLE – 7/10.
  • BACKPACKING – 7/10.
  • THINGS TO DO – 7/10.
  • FOOD – 7/10.
  • VALUE – 9/10.
  • PHOTOGRAPHY – 7/10.
Birds eye view of Tbilisi, Georgia. The disputed series, reflection post

ARMENIA & KARABAKH

I understand it’s probably their culture and it’s not a case of them being rude but the people of Georgia just don’t seem to smile or say please and thank you. Something that was hard for me to get used to.

Considering it was the middle of January the weather was fantastic and made it all the easier to enjoy and certainly made it easier on the eye.

RATINGS….

  • PEOPLE – 8/10.
  • BACKPACKING – 7/10.
  • THINGS TO DO – 7/10.
  • FOOD – 7/10.
  • VALUE – 8/10.
  • PHOTOGRAPHY – 7.5/10.
Snow covered mountains in Yerevan, Armenia. The end of the Armenian Karabakh road trip

MOLDOVA & TRANSNISTRIA

Moldova and Transnistria are a bit of an acquired taste. Don’t get me wrong I spoke to a few people who live there and they wouldn’t change any of it but I found it somewhat 50years behind the rest of Europe.

RATINGS….

  • PEOPLE – 6/10.
  • BACKPACKING – 4/10.
  • THINGS TO DO – 4/10.
  • FOOD – 3/10.
  • VALUE – 7/10.
Sheriff Stadium in Tiraspol, Transnistria. A day in Transnistria
Aerial view of Bendery Fortress in Transnistria. A day in Transnistria

CYPRUS

Cyprus is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean, I could nearly stop there. Yes, it was never going to have the heat of the summer months but it was more than comfortable. Not to mention every beach I went to was empty, something you don’t often get to see in Europe.

Would I recommend going in January over July, we’ll it depends what you’re after. If you want to be isolated and be surrounded by stunning beaches yet don’t care for anything over 15-20 degrees then yes.

RATINGS….

  • PEOPLE – 8/10.
  • BACKPACKING – 7/10.
  • WEATHER – 8/10.
  • THINGS TO DO – 7/10.
  • FOOD – 7/10.
  • VALUE – 7/10.
  • BEACHES – 8/10.
  • Empty street in Ayia Napa, Cyprus. The disputed series, reflection post
  • Aerial view of beach in Ayia Napa, Cyprus. The disputed series, reflection post
  • Aerial view of beach in Cyprus. The disputed series, reflection post
  • Aerial view of beach in Cyprus. The disputed series, reflection post
  • Aerial view of Lara Beach in Cyprus. The disputed series, reflection post

GERMANY

I only planned to visit Schloss Neuschwanstein a day before I booked the flight. It had always been on my radar and I’ll admit to get there and then fly home the flights weren’t ideal but sometimes you’ve got the travel through the storm to reach the sunshine, isn’t that right? The castle sure didn’t disappoint and if you are going to Munich I’d put it right at the top of the list!

RATINGS….

  • PEOPLE – 8/10.
  • BACKPACKING – 7/10.
  • WEATHER – 8/10.
  • THINGS TO DO – 7/10.
  • FOOD – 7/10.
  • VALUE – 7/10.
  • BEACHES – 8/10.
David Simpson at Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau, Germany. The disputed series, reflection post

SUMMED UP….

  • MVP (most valuable player) – The guy washing his hands in the urinal.
  • LVP (Least valuable player) – The Georgia to Armenia bus driver.
  • HIGHLIGHT – Monasteries of Armenia, Lara beach Cyprus and Schloss Neuschwanstein.
  • LOWLIGHT – The tour mix up.
  • FAVOURITE COUNTRY – Cyprus.
  • VISIT AGAIN – For the beaches.
  • TRIP RATING – 7/10

PHOTO OF THE SERIES

Aerial view of Lara Beach in Cyprus. The best beach in Cyprus
Aerial view of Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle and Marienbrücke in Schwangau, Germany. Fairytale castles in the Alps

FINAL THOUGHTS

A great trip and certainly there was plenty done inside the 2 weeks albeit one less country than planned. I’ve also got to consider myself lucky with how the weather turned out as it didn’t rain for the entire two weeks during one of the coldest months of the year, a bit of luck everyone needs.

NEXT UP

The Oil Series! Click here for episode one.

SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
141/229

This post is part of The Disputed Series, click to explore or for episode 1 click here.
To watch the video of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.

Question Time

  • Have you visited any of these countries, what was your experience like?
  • Which was your favourite?

Let me know in the comments below . . .

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FAIRYTALE CASTLES IN THE ALPS
ARRIVING INTO SAUDI ARABIA

About the Author

David Simpson
From Northern Ireland, David is a keen fitness fanatic, aspiring photographer and adrenaline junkie (with motion sickness). Well on his way to visiting every country in the world, David usually lives outside of his comfort zone. Whether that’s talking his way out of problems in a Peruvian Police Station, getting mashed with the Maseru tribe in the Drakensberg mountains or just chilling on the beach, he’s an all or nothing guy.
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