Major sections of my export roadtrip to Georgia:

• Italy: from high mountain peaks to the tip of the heel
• Albania: working at the sandy beaches of Ksamil
• Greece: from holy rocks in Meteora to cotton fields
• Turkey: a fairytale from the Trojan Horse to Noah’s Ark
• Armenia: landlocked and between difficult neighbors?
• Georgia: wine and cheese between the Caucasus Mountains

Goldie: who’s that car that took me all across Europe?

I don’t get emotional about cars, as long as they take me from A to B. Or even better to Z. Goldie is a bit different because I have owned it for over a decade. It was built in 2001 as an Opel Astra Coupé Bertone and sold to me by a friend in 2010. By that time, it had already 140’000 kilometers under the hood. A proud achievement.

Some of my highlights with that car:

1. The Sabbatical: Switzerland to Sweden
2. The North Cape: Sweden to Finland
3. The Baltic Sea: Finland to Lithuania
4. The Soviet heritage: Belarus to Moldova
5. The Black Sea: Ukraine to Bulgaria
6. The Balkan Peninsula: Albania to Serbia
7. The Habsburg Empire: Slovenia to Ukraine
8. From East to West: Belarus to Switzerland

Twelve years later, I have doubled that number and steered it through 30+ countries. In 2022, Goldie was still in great shape, but the strict Swiss regulations made it ever more difficult to pass the inspection. So, I decided to take it on a last road trip, an export trip to Georgia.

Italy: from high mountain peaks to the tip of the heel

My girlfriend “Panda” and I have been to Italy numerous times. For Swiss people, it’s always a fun road trip, driving through Italy, our southern neighbor. We always enjoy the warm Italian weather and easy-going lifestyle. Oh, and we love their ice cream! No wonder we fully immerged from the first day on the road, a new life without meetings or deadlines.

Because we enjoyed Italy so much, we have spent much more time there than expected. The Italian peninsula probably has more attractions to offer than you can see in a lifetime. But after two weeks on the road, we nevertheless had enough and were happy to leave. In Brindisi, we rolled on an overnight ferry to Vlore...

Albania: working at the sandy beaches of Ksamil

Waking up in Albania, everything was gray. With our ferry, we also brought a thick layer of clouds and a heavy rainstorm. Well yes, we were spoiled by the Italian blue sky and sunshine. Luckily, the clouds were just passing by and from the next day onwards, we had a splendid week. We decided to stay in the very south of Albania, at the sandy beaches of Ksamil.

Well, actually, we did not spend much time at the beach itself. Instead, we just used it as a temporary homebase, to get some remote work done, and to explore the top sights of southern Albania. On several daytrips, we explored the Blue Eye, Gjirokaster, Butrint, and more. Everyday before sunset, I had a quick swim in the Mediterranean Sea. The clear water was very refreshing, at times even too cold for Panda. The season was over and it was time for us to move on.

Greece: from holy rocks in Meteora to cotton fields

Initially, we wanted to drive through the countries of North Macedonia and Bulgaria. But then decided for Greece instead, because that route was faster. We wanted to have more time for the rest of the journey. It turned out to be a great decision. In the north of Greece, we discovered an entirely different side of the country.

The mountain village of Metsovo could have come straight from Switzerland or Austria. We even had a cheese fondue, Greek style! Along curvy mountain roads, we advanced to Meteora, were a series of monasteries sit on top of awe-striking rocks. This scenery is so unique, it is hard to believe it really exists. But we had to move on. A top modern highway took us to Thessaloniki and then along endless cotton fields all the way to the next country...

Turkey: a fairytale from the Trojan Horse to Noah’s Ark

Two years earlier, Panda and I have already been on an epic road trip through Turkey. And we fell in love with the Turkish hospitality. So naturally, we had high expectations coming back so soon again. Because of our passion to discover new places, we chose a different route. This year, we stayed in northern Turkey and did not touch a single road a second time.

Starting at the ruins of Troy, we continued to Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire. Next, an old friend of Panda showed us Ankara, and I found a Couchsurfing host in Osmancik. Afterwards, we visited a hazelnut factory in Ordu, tea fields and a tea factory in Rize. It took us two weeks to reach the eastern end of Turkey. We had a terrific time and Turkey remains one of our favorite travel destinations. But what about Noah’s Ark?

Armenia: landlocked and between difficult neighbors?

In theory, there is a direct road from Turkey to Armenia, passing by Mount Ararat. Some historians claim that this is a very special place. Allegedly, that is where Noah landed his Ark. We, however, could not verify this theory. Because of a past feud, all borders between these two countries are closed. We were forced to drive a detour and enter Armenia through Georgia.

Crossing that border took us a full two hours! The process was utterly complicated, and the officials weren’t amused about my previous visit to Azerbaijan. Yes, the tension between these two countries has recently reached new heights. Armenia seems to be troubled by its neighbors. By the time we reached Yerevan, Mount Ararat was shrouded in clouds, and we could not even see it. Despite this setback, we had a great time as the Armenian people were very hospitable and welcoming.

Georgia: wine and cheese between the Caucasus Mountains

Did you know that there are two Caucasus Mountain ranges? The Greater Caucasus Mountains form a natural barrier between Russia and Georgia, while the Lesser Caucasus divide Georgia from Armenia. That landscape not only looks picturesque, but also explains the existence and cultural differences of all those countries. People used to stay on one side of their mountains.

Anyway, Georgia was the final destination of our export trip. Their liberal laws make it comparably easy to import foreign cars. And to our surprise, they prefer to import hybrid cars, and they love the Toyota Prius! Our last two weeks, we spent discovering the odds and ends of Georgia. From horseback riding in Upper Svaneti over traditional dance classes in Zugdidi to natural spring water in Borjomi, and from urban exploring in Tskaltubo over city dwelling in Tbilisi to wine tasting in Kakheti, we have done it all.

Goodbye Goldie, we had an amazing time together. Thank you Rati for giving it a second life.