We took a super slow and cheap train from Kutaisi to Tbilisi: 5h40 for 200km, less than 3€ each. A good moment to plan the coming travels. We started to draft an itinerary through Iran, we wrote a to-do list for these 2 days, things like "Julien should go to the barber to get rid of his beard before taking ID pictures since beard is not allowed in Turkmenistan" etc...

When we arrived in Tbilisi, we sat in a cafe to get some WiFi. 2 young travelers on the road since last September told us that they heard the Turkmen border was closed, we wanted to check that info. Very vague information from the official websites... We finally had the confirmation from some travel blogs and the "caravanistan" forum: the borders were actually closed...

Really?? We had to search again some other options now...

Let's go back to Option A, to fly to Baku and cross the Caspian Sea by boat. We read that it might be doable... We checked the flight tickets, next flight in 8 days. 8 days to wait for the next flight, + potentially 5 other days to wait for the next ferry to go, + another 2 days of crossing the Caspian Sea... That was too long, and very hazardous...

Option D: Take a fery from Iran to Kazakhstan. We read somewhere that a line has been opened recently. But impossible to find any further information on that...

Option E: Go through Afganistan. Super adventurous, maybe a bit too much...

Option F: Forget about the Stan countries, go to Pakistan, and then India. Tricky borders to pass... And that implied to travel through Balushestan in Iran which is not very safe...

Option G: Take a boat from Iran to India. But such a boat didn't exist apparently.

Option H: Cross the border with Pakistan, and then take a boat to India...

Every new idea we had was more stupid and dangerous... We wrote some messages to some travelers, we kept reading blogs, forums and asking questions on Facebook groups...

The moment we were totally losing hope, Manloi found a flight from Tbilisi to Atkau, leaving the next day. The flight was super expensive, 1h for 330€, but that was our only chance to continue our travels in a not-too-stupid way. Deal! We were on it! We bought our flight tickets, and went to bed, completely exhausted after the emotional rollercoaster ride.

Next day morning, we received an email from the airline company telling us the Covid restrictions to enter Kazakhstan. There was a list of countries for which the vaccination proof was enough. Some European countries like Belgium and Spain were there, but not France... Seriously? But we all have the same vaccination standards in Europe! It is exactly the same thing! That did not make any sense... Should I still risk it? Or should I find a way to get this stupid PCR test on time? 12 hours before take off. Clock was ticking... I chose the safe option, I booked immediately a PCR test, urgent procedure. Inside I was super mad, that was the last straw. In 24 hours, I bought a non refundable flight to Iran, a 330€ flight ticket to Kazakhstan, and a PCR test. Plus 30€ for an Azerbaïdjan e-visa I won't use. All that because of a closed land border...

After a big breath, I tried to forget all those troubles, and enjoyed the present moment. Tbilisi is really a great city, maybe one of my favourite in the world. It is the good size, with nice nature around, calm parks, good restaurants, great architecture, interesting mix of culture with orthodox and Turkish influences. We walked around the city, trying to enjoy a maximum given our short time there. I tried to remember all the places I liked when I was there 6 years ago.

At the airport, I had to show my PCR test. A group of Germans got refused just behind us. The airport was empty, 6 flights on the information board, 1 was delayed, 4 were cancelled. Ours seemed to be here. We sat on our noisy, crowded, smelly airplane, the engine started, and we left Georgia.