Waking up naturally due to the searing heat has become commonplace on
this trip so far but it gets us up and on the road in good time. We marched on
towards the Armenian border and encountered easily the worst roads (loose term)
on the trip so far. More like trying to traverse Emmental cheese, this
so-called “main road” was a gravel track at best and proved to be very slow
going. With craters, piles of rock and axle shattering ridges dotted
throughout, it was only a matter of time until it claimed its first victim.
Much to the delight of the other two teams, that was us.
We should’ve known; the basilisk had just petrified Mrs Norris on the audiobook - it was an omen.
A stray rock missed by Caleb (strike!) caught the underside of our exhaust pipe, splitting it in half. Marigold let out an almighty howl in pain and we trundled to a stop. For a brief while the exhaust hung on for dear life and we made it to the Armenian border with it still just about intact. Praying for buttery smooth tarmac, we were dismayed to see the road leading out from the Armenian border hadn’t even been built yet. Oh excellent.
We should’ve known; the basilisk had just petrified Mrs Norris on the audiobook - it was an omen.
A stray rock missed by Caleb (strike!) caught the underside of our exhaust pipe, splitting it in half. Marigold let out an almighty howl in pain and we trundled to a stop. For a brief while the exhaust hung on for dear life and we made it to the Armenian border with it still just about intact. Praying for buttery smooth tarmac, we were dismayed to see the road leading out from the Armenian border hadn’t even been built yet. Oh excellent.
 |
| It's hardly surprising given how low we were riding ... |
After trading pleasantries with the border guards and polishing off
their bread and tomato supplies, we kicked on. It was only a few kilometres
however until the exhaust finally gave way and started to drag along the floor,
kicking up sparks. As if by magic, at that moment the heavens opened for only
the second time on the trip, almost mocking us for packing the waterproofs at the
bottom of the bath tub.
Once ripped off, the Micra was reborn into an Impreza boy racer. We
felt it only right to lower our seats slightly, face our snapbacks backwards
and blast out some Chamillionaire to fit the stereotype. Thanks to the roads of
Georgia, our exhaust pipe was now strapped to the roof of our tub in the thick
of a vicious thunderstorm. The spectacular lightning strikes coincided spookily
with the heir to Salazar Slytherin opening the Chamber of Secrets on our
audiobook. In our minds this confirmed magic is real.
We arrived in Yerevan late in the evening to the news that the city centre streets were lined with hundreds of protestors after a sniper had shot a policeman there only a few hours before. Much of the city was cordoned and our experience was somewhat tainted by the sound of sirens echoing through the streets. No matter, they had a good KFC and that’s all that counts really. A little way out of town we found a quiet corner to stay the night, but the thundering rain forced us to sleep in our cars. Queue the second most uncomfortable night of the trip so far.
We arrived in Yerevan late in the evening to the news that the city centre streets were lined with hundreds of protestors after a sniper had shot a policeman there only a few hours before. Much of the city was cordoned and our experience was somewhat tainted by the sound of sirens echoing through the streets. No matter, they had a good KFC and that’s all that counts really. A little way out of town we found a quiet corner to stay the night, but the thundering rain forced us to sleep in our cars. Queue the second most uncomfortable night of the trip so far.
Posted by: Rich