Baku, Azerbaijan: One day in Baku
Twenty-four hours in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku really isn’t enough, but as the morning dawned grey and drizzly, and with the whole of the city to see and a day in which to do it, I ignored the elements …
Welcome!
Baku ! The captivating capital of Azerbaijan.
I made it, and I think I’m going to like Baku,
the interesting capital of Azerbaijan,once I get it figured out.
Arriving at the Heydar Aliev International airport in Baku is a really interesting experience. The terminal is wonderful, with …
UKR Ferries in Poti: Off and Away
In the end, it was a bit of an anticlimax, as we slid slowly and very neatly into the small port of Poti. Small the port maybe, but it is a hive of activity, with a miscellany of the …
Land Ahoy!
Well, this morning I received a note from my contact at the ferry company in Odessa:
From: VLADLEN [mailto:wave_vyt@mail.ru]
Sent: Mon 11/23/2009 1:34 AM
To: Max Johnson
Subject: Re: Help!
DEAR MR.MAX,
THE SITUATION WITH M/V “GREIFSWALD”:
1/.DELAY BECAUSE OF …
Black Sea Ferry V: When we lose count of the days
Tension on board the MS Griefswald mounting, and I would not entirely rule out the possibility of mutiny.
The Georgian coastlineWe are in a very strange position. Lying idle in the eastern end of the Black Sea, from the 
Black Sea Ferry IV: Floating with Oranges
Now don’t get me wrong; the hours pass on board The MS Griefswald at precisely the same rate as they do elsewhere, and I don’t begrudge the UKR Ferry Company the additional eighty or so hours of my life that …
The Black Sea: Landing at Poti “100% Maybe”
The problem seems to be that of small ports and big ships.
It is Friday afternoon, and we have been advised that we can’t land today because there is a large gas tanker blocking our path to the single …
Black Sea Ferry III: Meandering across the Black to Poti
At the rate that we are travelling, we may never arrive, although I am led to believe that we will be there within four or five hours. I am not sure that I will be too disappointed to see the …
Black Sea Ferry II: All at Sea on The Black
Ah, the miracles of modern technology; the internet on the high seas.
Loading the GriefswaldWe slipped almost silently away from the dock in Illychevsk at about midnight, some fifteen hours after I had been urged to be at the Odessa: Day 3
It is now officially time to roll. I have my ticket in hand, the weather forecast is good and today was a simply gorgeous fall day here on the Black Sea coast.
Which was a good thing, because I was …
Black Sea Ferry II: Ship Delays and Moldovan Red Wine
Odessa is a great place; in small doses, or possibly large ones in the summer, I would imagine. It is vibrant, down at heel, slightly seedy with great architecture and a fantastic variety of restaurants. It has the curious feel …
Black Sea Ferry I: The MS Griesfwald from the Ukraine to Georgia
I like travelling, and in particular enjoy journeys. I like to start a trip in one place, travel by public transportation and end up in another, and the fascinating ferry company, UKR Ferry came to my attention; in particular, their …