hitchhiking | On My Canvas

Hiking to the Fierce Ninoskhevi Waterfall, Lagodekhi National Park (Georgia)

Ninoskhevi Waterfall, Also Known as Gurgeniani Waterfall, in Lagodekhi National Park, Kakheti: a Wonder of Georgia

Ninoskhevi, also known as Gurgeniani, is a beautiful waterfall in the lush green forest of Lagodekhi National Park in the popular wine region of Kakheti. This one is about forty meters high and falls ferociously.

From Lagodekhi, I had hitchhiked to the trail starting point. I walked down to the main road. From there, I hitchhiked in a car, which dropped me at the beginning of the Ninoskhevi Waterfall Road. This driver was interested in knowing why I was alone, where my husband was, and how old I was. These are questions that always come from men who pick up women hitchhikers thinking there would be something more in it for them. I was bored and annoyed by the time I got out of the car.

Now I walked on the side road. It was seven kilometers to the waterfall. The sun was shining, and the ladies outside a market at the beginning of the street replied to my hello cheerfully. I was happy, walking briskly, often turning around to see if a car was coming by. After a while, I was picked up by a car that had four passengers. I squeezed myself in. The gentleman dropped his passengers one by one in the small villages on the way and brought me to the beginning of the waterfall. When he turned around his car, I understood that he had driven extra for my sake. I was thankful.

hiking around lake sevan in armenia in picture sevan lake blue homes icy paths

Lake Sevan in Armenia: A Hike to Nothing to See, an Icy Path, and a Headache of a Hitchhike

On my second day in Sevan, I hiked a long way to see nothing. Ekaterina, my first host and self-appointed guide in Armenia, had suggested hiking to a place called Akhtamar. I hadn’t asked what was there to see.

In the morning, I made a cup of coffee and researched flights and visas for the Balkan countries. I had only twenty days in Armenia, and given my horrible experience at the Georgia immigration, I didn’t want to go back to Georgia. I had also seen the country enough and didn’t want to explore more. Armenia is land-blocked by Turkey and Azerbaijan. Iran was at war. So the idea was to go to the Balkans. As per my research, I could visit four countries without needing an additional visa. My US visa would work. (It did work. I flew to Sarajevo from Yerevan.)

I messaged Ekaterina. “Hey! One last question. Good morning. I woke up so late. Do you remember how long it takes to Akhtamar, the place you suggested? I will start probably at 12/1 the latest. Not sure if I will have enough time then!”

“I think it’s doable. But you can always go back down too. It’s 8 km up with an elevation gain of 600, so about 2.5-3 hours, plus 3 km of descent to the Akhtamar place, so maybe 1.5 hours there. And some additional time for hitchhiking back. Or you can just walk up until you find a place where you want to stop and turn around and walk back into the town.” Ekaterina was always direct about everything.

Slowing Down in the Forgotten Mining Town of Tkibuli, Georgia

I can’t pronounce Tkibuli. I have practiced the word with ten Georgians, but I still have not got it right. Now you say it, please!

Tkibuli was a small village with a river running through it, many abandoned homes, and a theatre which I couldn’t see. The theatre is said to be a beautiful structure, but it was always closed, probably temporarily. I tried going in three times.

I had hitchhiked to Tkibuli from Nikortsminda, a town about which I have written in the linked post (coming soon). I had been traveling with a Russian traveler, Rasha, whom I had met through Couchsurfing. She had put out a hitchhiking trip to Racha mountains, looking for travelers to join her. I did, and we had arrived in Tkibuli after visiting the mountains. Tkibuli lies in the Imereti region, right at the foot of the Racha mountains.

I was slow in Tkibuli. I walked around, stared at the Tkibula river, found the world’s friendliest and best-priced supermarket, rattled my brains over why there were so many forgotten homes with their doors and windows stolen, cooked, and read the book, The Portrait of a Turkish Family by Irfan Olga.

When I researched a bit about Tkibuli, I found that it was an old mining town from the Soviet era whose population has now moved on. That explains the abandoned homes.

the beautiful sevan lake sevan city armenia hitchhiking from alaverdi to sevan (1)

I hitchhiked to Sevan City, the biggest town on the banks of the giant freshwater Sevan Lake in the middle of Armenia, from Alaverdi in the North. The distance was 120km, and I was going down, towards the south of Armenia. First, I got a ride from the upper Alaverdi that dropped me near the bridge in lower Alaverdi. You can read about the fascinating town in the link I shared above (coming soon).

I walked in the direction of Sevan, both my bags strapped onto me. On the highway, I was picked up by two men in a small truck-van sort of thing. The guy sitting between me and the driver flirted with me all the way. He wanted me to stay back with him in Vanadzor so that he could show me the beach and take me out for a drink. I told him I had friends coming to Sevan from Yerevan and I couldn’t hang out with him. The insistence and rejection went back and forth for seventy-five percent of the ride, after which the lover gave up, the driver increased the volume of the music, and we drove on.