You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Nov 25, 2005 07:00 PM Around the Anjouan - by local transport only
The best beaches of the Comoros are on Moheli, but I wanted to see also Moya – announced to be the best beach on rocky Anjouan. It is 1.5 hour drive by shared taxi from Mutsamudu to the opposite side of the island. On the route picturesque views of the rocky coast dotted by palm trees. Thatched houses in the banana trees in the countryside…
Moya beach is beautiful! But let you know: it is only small cove – less then 100 m wide… To complete the tour around the Anjouan island you must take now rare transport from Moya to Domoni. No timetable, just seat on the roadside and wait in the heat… Lucky? You will be awarded by the views: steep, narrow road will take you from the level of the sea more then 1000 m above – and you will see BIG BLUE around… Fantastic!
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Nov 24, 2005 07:00 PM Medina in Mutsamudu…
Bon jour! – local people greet me very often… Lovely! But check your change paying for the share taxi ride!!!
I took the flight to the third island of Comoros – Anjouan. You will see its picturesque green mountains up to 1600 m high from the distance. Mutsamudu – the capital of the island has the ruins of the citadel overlooking the town. It is the must to climb there for the spectacular view – just take the stairs from the marche – local market full of mango, bananas and manioc… From the citadel you will see medina down there – it is the biggest and most interesting old Arab town on the Comoros….. I got bad message: last night there were eruption of ash from the Karthala volcano on the Grand Comore… I will be there soon...
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Nov 23, 2005 07:00 PM Itsamiya – Where the turtles are…
Comoros... Only one share taxi per day goes to Itsamiya on the eastern tip of Moheli… Go early and take your food with you! Stay in the beach bungalow /only 2 rooms there/. This little fishing village has no electricity or running water but do have spectacular location. Baobabs just on the coast... Fish plus banana chips for dinner. The highlight of Itsamiya are big sea turtles coming every night to lay eggs on the beach. This is the only place you can see them year around! Take you torch with you! The spectacle stqrts around 9 pm. There is smart boy – Daun who can guide you for 1500 CFr. I saw 7 turtles – each more then 1 m long… Daun says that in the peak season /July-August/ there are more then 100 of them each night!
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Nov 22, 2005 07:00 PM Moheli - one more jewel of Indian Ocean
Comores Aviation seems to be the only reliable domestic airline – flying from Grand Comore to 3 other islands of archipelago. They charge like 40 euro per segment. I am flying today to the smallest island – Moheli – wildest and least developed. It has 15 by 30 km… Fomboni – the main settlement is located just 3 km from the airstrip – but nothing interesting there except ladies painting their faces with sandalwood powder – they call it beauty mask… I took crowded minibus to Ouallah on the south coast. There are wonderful beaches, the chain of small, picturesque islets and lush, tropical jungle. Locals offer accommodation in the bungalows /5000 Cfr with breakfast/. Crystal - clear water... Wow! It is like little paradise! I must add Moheli to my list of prettiest islands!
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Nov 21, 2005 07:00 PM Mzungu in Moroni -capital of Comoros
Sunrise at 6am. But earlier – at 4.30 in the morning you will hear call from the minarets – you are in the Islamic country! Be careful taking pictures – they do not like cameras… Change your euro in the bank /no other place/ 1 euro is worth 490 CFr. But they charge 2100 CFr commission for the transaction – so change together with your friend or other mzungu. Yes, this is Eastern Africa and they will call you MZUNGU again! People are friendly, but they speak French only… The most picturesque part of the town is squeezed around Grand Mosque – it is old medina with the labyrinth of narrow streets and the old harbour packed with old-fashioned boutres – traditional wooden boats. It reminds me Zanzibar, but in small scale. It is hot and very humid. The bottle of coke costs 150-200 CFr, French baguette – 150. Water shortages… yes, it is Africa...
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Nov 20, 2005 07:00 PM Welcome to the Comoros!
I spent 10 hours waiting for the connection in the Nairobi airport. This is additional “fee” paid for my cheap tickets. If you do not want to pay for the Kenyan visa and go to the city /nowadays not very safe/ you have two options: for 20 USD you can stay up to 4 hours in one of two first class lounges /snacks and alc. Drinks included/ or to go to the hidden Kenya Airways transit lounge – watch the sign just before immigration control. Air Madagascar flight was on time. We landed in Moroni on Grand Comore at 7.30 pm – in the dark. I filled visa application form declaring 7-days stay. They gave me 6 days only /No problem!-was the response when I asked -Why? /. They asked for 15 euro or 20 USD in cash. The price of the visa was 6000 Comoros Francs= 12.20 euro. No change! No exchange facilities in the tiny airport. Welcome to the Union of Comoros!
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Nov 19, 2005 07:00 PM Back to Africa!
Why not ? November/December in Europe are dark and rainy with occasional frost and snow ; Since a year I was planning my voyage to rarely visited Comoros Islands and unknown to me – Southern Madagascar. After studies I decided to take cheap flight to the main African hub – Nairobi. For those, who want to visit Madagascar and Comoros on one trip the best solution is Air Madagascar flight NBO-Antananarivo. Only on Mondays it makes stopover in Moroni-Comoros so you have a choice of one or two week stay on the islands… Lets fly!
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Nov 03, 2005 07:00 PM Bye bye Tbilisi!...
It was my last, unforgetable evening in Georgia. We wandered iluminated streets of the old town of Tbilisi enjoying the atmosphere, singing, eating for the last time tasty khachapuri (very popular cheese pie). Thank you Manana! For your warm hospitality and for the casettes with Georgian music you gave me for goodbye...
In the night there is no bus the the international airport. The taxi will cost you 12-15 lari. My flight was delayed... Nothing... I had a lot of time to complete the notes in my travel notebook. In the late afternoon I landed in Gdansk. Kazakhstan - Kyrgystan - Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan - Azerbaijan - Georgia... It was really fantastic voyage! The highlights of the trip were... hospitable people of Central Asia and the Caucasus!
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Nov 02, 2005 07:00 PM Stalin Museum in Gori...
Stalin was born in Gori! Georgians still are proud of him... In the central part of the town there in wide avenue - Stalin Prospekt. It crosses huge square with imposing Stalin monument... At the end of the avenue in the park you will see a building with a tower (it reminds me rather monastery...) - this is Museum of Stalin. Entry fee is just 1 lari. Inside you will see a lot of photographs, documents related to the generalissimus and his life. Gifts presented to him from many countries are also on display. Nothing is written about milions of people he sent to the gulags - labor camps in the remote areas of Soviet Union. On the left side of the building there is raiway carriage he used to go to the Potsdam Conference... And in front of the buiding under the columnade you will see little house - Stalin spent his childhood there...
I want to recommend old and friendly taxi-driver who has rooms for rent: Vakhtang Chitashvili - Melikishvili St 11 ph.765 94 - so you can avoid expensive and run-down Intourist hotel and try Georgian hospitality!
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Nov 01, 2005 07:00 PM Kutaisi - Georgia
The road north of Batumi goes along the coast and is picturesque. At 9 am I took the most popular means of transport in Georgia: minibus called "marshrutka" to Kutaisi. For two hours drive they charge 8 lari (like 5 USD) and is much faster then junk bus or train. Kutaisi itself is located on the boths sides of the river with the impressive ruin of Bagrati Cathedral on the cliff... But there is much more interesting place just 15 km from the town: Old Gelati Monastery in the mountains. It is definitely worth the visit - it has spectacular location and the buildings are well preserved... I was the only tourist there...
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