Little Tiki Tour

London Part Two. A bit of a mix… 2 theatre shows, 2 court cases at the Old Bailey, saved a life on the tube platform, 4 days getting good patches of sunshine on the Isle of Wight whilst enjoying nights by the fire. A big thanks to Ali, Jonty, Charlotte, Izzy, Benjamin and the star of the show - Skipper, for the hospitality. A well rounded week before we make the long haul trip back home.

Im not sure if each trip gets better, or I become much more thankful that they are possible at all.

Yerevan, Armenia, the country with no neighbouring best friend. We certainly saved the best till last. Leaving Armenia feeling absolutely exhausted in the best possible way. A jam packed 3 days, full of sights that far exceeded expectations by a country mile. The days were sunny with thankfully cool temperatures, the monasteries were quite literally breathtaking, the scenery seemed to change at every glance, the colours and canyons, rocks and snow capped peaks, and there were plenty of views - a very mountainous country. We now head back to London for Part 2 and enjoy some needed and deserved downtime with the family.

Tbilisi, Georgia. Prior to arrival Safe Travel had informed us of the political climate and to be mindful of our movements during our time here. We made 2 day trips out of the city. The first to see some 3000 year old monastery caves on a wee perch. The second day trip our minivan seemed to lose transmission 3/4 of the way to our destination up in the snowy mountains, and being the people we are, dressed appropriately in hoodies and shorts… passing minivans picked our group up in drips and drabs. Thankfully the views were all worth it, a hell of a long and rewarding day. Other highlights included, a dip in the Sulfur Baths, exploring old town, many a fortress, the beautiful scenery that doesnt appear all that different to ours, and lastly witnessing Georgians fighting the good fight for the future of their country.

We leave Georgia tonight for Armenia in an overnight sleeper train.

Azerbaijan. Five pretty full on days. My ignorance of history for this country has been contradicting to the ‘things to do list’. While we saw most of what we had planned, the visits to these places often played into propaganda and corruption. As one of the first places in the world for civilisation, the fifth biggest oil producer, the first that achieved off shore drilling, and a middle way between Asia and Europe, the history of Azerbaijan is interesting to say the least. Overall we felt welcomed and safe, the lights shone bright, the food was great, and some amazing buildings showcased a real mix. And gosh I do love a Lada.

Liverpool. WOW. I’m not sure if there is a city that is so compact in what it offers straight off the cuff like Liverpool. Right from the get go the vibe was top notch. Possibly helped by being a Bank holiday (long weekend), Comic Con (we didn’t go but it made for great people watching), and a home football game all on the same weekend. Our days were kept busy; The Western Approaches Museum focused on the WWII Battle of the Atlantic, the Liverpool Museum taught us some collective history of the area, the Beatles Story had a funky trail to follow, a bombed out church, the 8th largest cathedral in the world (UK’s biggest) were interesting additions. The standout though, was the surprise Liverpool vs Tottenham match for Jaden. Twice I asked if he wanted to pack his Liverpool top and twice I got the same answer, ‘theres no point if we arent going to the game’. I packed it myself on the sly. The atmosphere was unreal, the scarf twirling and breakout of chants/singing and lets not forget the booing at opposing #9, it had it all.

Additional fun fact: The liverbird that looks out to sea is female, she is looking to see when the sailors come home. The liverbird looking inland is male, he is looking to see if the pubs are open.

Next stop: Baku, Azerbaijan

London Part 1. Battersea Power Station was a highlight, now converted into a fancy pants dog friendly mall. A London trip is never complete without a Borough Market visit and along the way Jaden tried many a new coffee shop. Yesterday I had a pottery lesson from Ali, which I now have a new found appreciation for, and potentially a new water bowl for Larry. The weather started out warm and sunny before fading to grey and moody throughout the week. Our bags are now packed as we head onwards to our next destination later this afternoon.

And the trip has started. First stop London for some much needed family time.