Baku to Stuttgart Overland

Readers may well have noticed my increasing posting on the Caucasus and Balkans. Part of this is due to my serious interest in the so-called frozen conflicts and partly, due to my upcoming trip there. Last night it became official. I purchased a one-way ticket from Germany to Istanbul for 56 EUR. The key here is one-way. My next step will be purchasing a domestic Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Diyarbakir in Turkish Kurdistan.

This will be my most ambitious and second longest trip covering about 3 months and a dozen countries including various non-countries. From Turkey, I’ll cross into Azerbaijan, Georgia, South Ossetia, maybe Abkhazia (visa trouble), Armenia, Karbagh, back into Turkey and then into Greece, Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Croatia.

March 1st 2007 is the big day. Until then, I’ll continue reading and researching the region. At this point, there may be small changes to my itinerary such as a possible short jaunt back into Syria, or Iraqi Kurdistan or Iran (though getting a visa is near impossible). Abkhazia is high on my list but my understanding that crossing into it is only possible from Russia. Nevertheless, the trip will cover around 3,300 miles back to Germany all overland.

I’d like to ask any readers living in those regions or with extensive experience in them to email me any tips or suggestions you may have. I’d also be happy to buy anyone a beer (or tea as religion and country may have it) who’s willing to meet up along the way.