my2fish asked how I was able to find all these places, which is a good question.I've done a bit of travelling on business and the key is preparation: find out before had what it is you want to do and then work out how to get to them.
In this case it was a copy of the Lonely Planet guide to Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan that was the starting point. Its a bit out of date but was able to get a list of top things to see.
How to get to them was harder. My uncle had a motorbike and knew Russian. Having only English and no transport it was clear that the best approach was to get a local agent. This is more expensive but for someone time poor and otherwise stuck it was by far the best way forward.
A local UK travel agent put me in touch with Caucasus Travel and they certainly came up trumps. No hesitation in recommending them.
But getting lucky helps: having such superb weather was exceptional, particularly for a time of year when sites are mostly empty of tourists.
Its also a good idea to following your hunches and not having too fixed a plan - as will explain in the next couple of posts.
