Border Crossing Posof, Turkey to Abastumani, Georgia.

Today I was as cold and wet as I have ever been.  When we left the hotel at Kars in northern Turkey it was raining hard but as we ascended into the mountains it just got worse.  There was fresh snow on the peaks but fortunately we were spared snow on the road.

 

 

We crossed into Georgia via Posof on the Turkey side.  We avoided the busier crossing which is located at Sarp on the Black Sea.  The crossing itself was trouble free and surprising quick.  Everyone was very professional and efficient.  The border station was not busy with just truck traffic and ourselves.

 

I have heard many horror stories and read a lot of misinformation about numerous aspects of the trip we are undertaking - so far they have been false - 100%.   Blogs I've read said the road is dreadful and takes many hours to negotiate - just not true.  Must admit the weather didn't help today but the road was fair to good with the exception of very big potholes.  

 

Another example of misinformation - our Kurdish hotel manager in Kars told us not to cross the border for our own safety.  He said that if you drive a BMW across the border you end up walking back into Turkey without the vehicle.  He suggested that everyone over the border was involved in robbery, kidnapping and extortion.

 

He also said the trip from Kars to Posof takes five hours - not true.  The border crossing would be problematic - not true.  This comes from a man who didn't know where Australia was and I wonder if he has ever been over the border himself.

 

Over the border and immediately the Georgian Christian majority have stamped their authority by erecting huge crucifixes in prominent places.  There are huge dilapidated concrete apartment blocks everywhere - a legacy of the communist years.  People are very poor here.

Link to "Where have I been so far"  Click the link and it will take you to a map.
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=218394844954211932906.0004dad0ae1226c50260f&msa=0&ll=41.977869,43.39325&spn=1.169939,2.705383