Day 8: 🌨️⛈️⛅️☀️⛈️👩🏻‍🤝‍👨🏽🥰🍰🍊🍫🥔🍞🥩🧀🥦🥒🥕🍏🥬🫘🫕🧅🫑🌶️🥂😴

Today our morning started with indecision and mounting frustration. The weather was atrocious (like it was supposed to have been yesterday); it was hailing intensely, raining heavily, and storming thunder and lightening. Power outages were happening across the region.

With this continuing for hours, it seemed as though we might have to spend another night in Gomk. Ben and I felt frustrated by this, because although we (well, mostly me 😜) knew we shouldn’t go out in such weather, we also didn’t want to be held up another day. Our indecision - or perhaps a better way to put it is our inability to agree on what to do (1 guess for who was arguing to go hiking in the storm 😝) lead us to call in the expert - my dad - for some sage advice… this lead to an agreement that we’d wait and see what happened, and if the weather hadn’t cleared enough (ie., no hail, no thunder, no lightening - rain was okay) by 2:30pm we’d call it and stay in Gomk. Thanks, Dad 🫡

As it turned out, the weather largely cleared before we’d even said goodbye to Dad. So upon hanging up the phone we hastily packed the last of our things, said a big thanks and goodbye to Hayk (who had reassured us we could shelter in their home as long as needed 🙏) and headed for the hills!

Before we could ascend to Artavan, however, we first needed to climb down to the valley (1650m) and cross the swollen and freshly raging river (thanks to the rapidly melting snow and now hail and rain 🙃). The precise details of how we crossed this river have been redacted… let’s just say the bridge was dodgy and nobody was harmed in our freshest exploit 😝

On the other side (praise be 🙏), we began climbing… and climbing… and climbing, up to 2100m. The further up we went the clearer the weather became, and soon we were greeted by spectacular views in every direction. What made the views so special today was the way the snow capped peaks transitioned into hail covered slopes that quickly melted into verdant green fields and valleys below. We were once again mesmerised.

To the northwest, however, we could see the next wave of storm clouds coming towards us. This gave us a good kick up the bum 👟 to stop faffing and get properly moving - and quick! After that, ever time we stopped, whether it was for photos or a snack, claps of thunder would rocket across the sky as if to say “Don’t forget about me! Better hurry up now!”.

Descending from Peak 2066m, we found ourselves entering a forest of oak trees, moss-covered rocks, and blue flowers poking up all over the ground. Wow! This dramatic change in scenery took us by surprise. After days of harsh rock faces, canyons, snow, and bare thorny bushes, it was like entering a whole other world! Trees actually have leaves! 🤯 This has made us feel really excited for the weeks ahead, as the new growth of spring takes hold more and more. We kept saying to each other “imagine if we were here in two weeks time - this place would be even more magic with colour and life!”

Eventually, inevitably, the storm caught up with us. We were about 2.5km from Artavan when we felt the first drops of rain on our coats, which quickly turned into hail, and soon we were counting seconds between lightening strikes and the booms of thunder. Looking up at the towering cliffs we’d been on top of just before, it was both wondrous and oppressive to see the dark clouds engulfing the land. Ben was of course having the best time in his shorts - raincoat flaring open as he frolicked through the torrent of freezing hail, exclaiming he was having such a good day! 🤪

We ascended into Artavan and stopped at the convenience store to pick up some food to cook for dinner. Upon seeing Ben’s bedraggled and drenched appearance, the store owner was quick to offer him a shot of vodka to warm up! They almost wouldn’t take no for an answer, which cracked us both up! 🥂

Our welcome at our Artavan guesthouse was quite different to the other guesthouses we’ve stayed in. On sighting us, our host rushed us inside, supplied us with slippers, stripped our wet gear from us and hung it all up to dry by the cast iron burner (fuelled mostly by dried cow pats), and pushed us closer to the burner to warm up. She then fussed over us with snacks and hot black & rose tea (the YUMMIEST combo ever!) and eventually coffee, making it clear, in the way only grandmothers can, that any resistance was futile. When she was satisfied we were dry, fed, and comfortable, she ushered us to where we’d be sleeping and showed us around. She is a woman, mother, and grandmother, through and through, and it doesn’t seem to matter we are not related - she loves on us the same! All afternoon she has brought us food, water, tea, and we watched in awe as she buzzed about making a huge variety of dishes (she point blank refused our attempts to help!), ranging from cakes to fresh cheese and soup. She even provided us with homemade cherry liqueur, and that was ALL before dinner time! Honestly, we could go outside and stay warm all night, now, considering our fresh layers of insulation!

Everything has been absolutely delicious! We even have breakfast to look forward to in the morning 😌 Even though we have no shared language, we have managed to share stories and experiences with the help of google translate alongside various hand gestures and signs. These two lovely humans have a big family - 3 children, and 9 grandchildren! They seem very happy and content with their life - most particularly their family.

Hilariously, they have both taken a keen interest in the fact that Ben and I aren’t wearing wedding rings, and they have spent a large portion of this evening showing us videos of traditional Armenian weddings to try and hurry things along 🤣 I strongly endorsed this, and Ben received a grandfatherly, understanding hug from Voltan after being held under the pump for a time 🤣🤣🤣

Ben and I are going to bed this evening feeling very well cared for and extremely stuffed full of food!! We are so thankful to our hosts for everything they have prepared for us, and for the ways they have shown us welcome and love 🥹🩵 Armenia is a land of love.

Looking ahead, our next town is Jermuk, which we hope to reach on Friday. Until then, we camp, but at a much lower level than previously - 1400m as opposed to 2000+m - thank goooodddd 🙏

Unsure what the phone reception will be like between here and Jermuk, so… will have to see if we can keep posting or not 🫡

Either way, we hope you’re all having a fantastic week. Big love, as always! 🩵Read more