I was forced to write down my phone number and told to show the address of my accommodation.
My legs went weak and I trembled a little. It was my first ever, proper interrogation.
But the day had started with a quiet send-off.
David seeing me off, a farewell after four years
Originally I planned to get a Russian visa in Tbilisi before heading there, but apparently it's much harder for foreigners to get a Russian visa than you'd imagine. There is no consulate and the process is complicated. The moment I gave up on that, I decided to go to Armenia. Fifty lari by minivan — pretty cheap.
Today is my last day in Georgia. I woke up and packed. I have a ton of winter sweaters and was thinking it's about time to send some back to Japan, then I took a taxi to the bus terminal where the van departs. David had booked the ticket the day before, so check-in went smoothly.
After loading my big backpack into the van, I went to the bus terminal to pick up David. He had gone out of his way to see me off. David had also seen me off at the airport when I left for Latvia in December 2022. That time it was the airport, today it's the bus terminal. This 'seeing-off' was the first in four years. We've both aged and changed a little. I hope we both continue to become more beautiful and attractive people.
Four years ago at the airport, today at the bus terminal.
David gave me a letter. I was in a hurry, so I had to write the card right in front of him. Even so, I wrote the letter in Japanese and handed it to him.
Lately I might not only distrust myself but also others. Maybe I rushed the letter because I didn't want to risk losing out, squeezing it into a state where I could write it quickly. I realized again that that's probably not the best thing for the recipient.
Crossing the Georgian border overland
The driver hurried us along, so we stopped at a nearby restaurant to use the restroom before departure.
We rode the minivan to the Georgian border. It was probably only my second time crossing a border overland, and I was super excited. Along the way there were shepherds grazing sheep and vast plateaus stretched out. It made me feel again how wide the world is.
Snowy mountains and a quiet village.
Next to me were two people from Kazakhstan, in front were two Russian girls and an older woman. It turned into a six-person trip to Armenia. At the Georgian border they asked 'What kind of visa do you have?' and I answered 'No visa needed,' and exited the country without issue.
Armenian border — my first-ever interrogation
This time to the Armenian border. When exiting we were allowed to keep our luggage on the van, but for entry everything had to be unloaded and inspected.
The person before me was being pressed hard for their phone number, purpose, and destination, and I thought this might be bad. I almost said to the Russian girl behind me, 'There's the wrong queue, we should have waited there haha,' but I stopped myself because we were close to passport control.
Then it was my turn. For the first time in my life I was asked so many questions it felt like a real interrogation. I was forced to write my phone number, asked where I was going, how many days I would stay, and told to show the address of my accommodation. My legs went weak and I trembled a little. I thought, what if I can't enter?
But if you think about it, they're just doing their job with a purpose, and probably kind in private, so it's not that scary. The reason was clear: behind the Georgian stamp was a very obvious Azerbaijani stamp. At that point I realized I could no longer go to Azerbaijan.
Still, it was a good experience. If I plan to go to Israel someday, I thought this would be good practice. It will probably be more than ten times tougher there.
From plateau to snowy mountains — the scenery seen from the vehicle
With the stamp safely in my passport, I got back on the van and headed for the capital, Yerevan. I was sleep-deprived, so I ended up sleeping a lot.
Vast snowy mountains spread outside and I could feel the altitude. Just a little while ago it had been green plateaus, and now I'm surrounded by snowy peaks. Life is the same — environments change so much depending on where you are.
We arrived at a service area and I ordered a chicken and tomato dish with puree in Russian. It was really delicious. I actually hoped I could join the two Russian girls next to me, but the voice in my head wouldn't let me. I made an excuse — 'I'm sleepy and don't feel like talking right now' — and backed out. Becoming someone who can start conversations with others is a big breakthrough, but I realized I'm easily swayed by my mood and can be extreme.
Negotiated in Russian — canceling the accommodation
We arrived at the Armenian bus stop. I didn't have a SIM card, so I asked the Kazakh guy next to me, 'Can I borrow your internet?' and he kindly said, 'Of course, bro,' and lent it to me. They had already called a taxi but waited until everything was sorted out for me. I was really grateful. Since it was Yandex Taxi, I worried a bit about whether my card was registered (I didn't have Armenian money yet). But the card was properly registered, so I felt relieved. Then I could head to the hotel safely. I felt again how kind and considerate Kazakh people are. I want to thank them someday.
The taxi driver was very coarse and seemed to be carrying some stress. Maybe issues with relationships or things in his life not going the way he wanted.
We arrived near the hotel, but there was no accommodation where the Google Maps pin said it would be. I asked an older woman resting at a nearby restaurant in Russian, 'There should be a hostel here, don't you know where it is?' but she didn't know either. I went into a cafe nearby. It felt like the city center, very fancy. Very romantic and a little dim. I sat there with my backpack on, a table for one. I ordered a smoothie for now. It was 800 yen, so a bit expensive, but an acceptable price.
I borrowed Wi‑Fi and checked Booking.com again; sure enough the place was in a somewhat tricky location. Mehdi, whom I met at a hostel in Georgia, had told me 'There's an amazing hostel, you should come,' so I decided to switch if I could cancel.
When I arrived at the hotel, an older woman was looking at her iPhone on the sofa. She seemed to be the manager. I told her in Russian that I wanted to cancel. I didn't know the words 'Accept' and 'Cancel,' so I looked them up on Google Translate and negotiated myself. She called the owner, and in the end I was able to cancel for free.
At first the woman wasn't very friendly, but she started talking about where she learned Russian and where she's from, and things warmed up. I felt proud to be able to speak Russian, and happy that language can connect people this much. I noticed I'm less afraid to speak Russian than before. I guess that's also 'getting used to it.' In the end, life is about getting used to things.
A country with good posture — Yerevan
I withdrew Armenian money from an ATM and walked to the hostel. At the entrance a very friendly person greeted me.
He was the hostel manager; he shook my hand and showed me around. There were Iranians and other international people, but a few were nomadic laptop workers who didn't feel very friendly. That was a little disappointing. Right after checking in, I met Mehdi from Morocco again.
Walking the streets, I was surprised by Armenians' pride in fashion. Everyone wore jackets; the women were beautiful, and people on dates dressed up in dresses and jackets. The whole country seemed to stand a little straighter — that was the atmosphere.
I was especially struck by the women's good posture. Even among the places I've seen, Armenia stood out. Naturally, I found myself walking with my back straighter too.
When I went to the counter to get an eSIM, there were so many people I was dumbfounded. I ended up waiting about 20 minutes before being called, and completed the contract. The young man who served me seemed new — he had a pure vibe and his obvious inexperience was endearing.
To the Cascade with Mehdi
We walked to the Cascade. It's a representative tourist spot in Yerevan with many steps. I walked together with Mehdi.
He was very French in character, loving to talk and saying exactly what he thought. It's a French emotional directness, different from an American vibe. That was very attractive to me. A Moroccan who loves to chat and makes you feel completely at ease.
Almost to the top floor.
We climbed the Cascade to the very top. I asked him about his future plans. This year he's going to Rio de Janeiro for six months to a year on an exchange program, and he's studying Portuguese for that. 'We'll surely meet in Rio,' I said.
Cascade sunset
While we were talking at the top, a girl in a white fluffy coat beside us had set up a selfie stick to take photos. It was a serious shoot, her makeup flawless. I thought she must be posting it to social media; it's not really my taste, but that strong attention to appearance is very Armenian in its own way.
With Quentin — Armenian food
When it was time, we descended the Cascade and met up with Quentin to go to an Armenian restaurant.
We ordered small fried bites. I tried some of Quentin's dish too, and it was insanely good.
For dessert there was something like the Russian Napoleon cake, but one serving was giant — enough for three. Quentin was full, so we gave it a miss this time.
We also ordered a dish that tasted like melted pumpkin, and I stuffed myself with Armenian food. It was so delicious. After that, we walked back to the hostel.
