Albania had always been this enigmatic place for me – offering a tiny opening into the bygone Soviet era, and a slice of Mediterranean paradise. A place I never quite understood – but I was eager to find out. Albania had been pretty much cut-off from the rest of the world until the end of Enver Hoxha’s communist regime in the late 80’s. The isolationist policies under his regime had made Albania one of the least accessible countries in Europe….
If you have an Indian passport and are like me, you probably get anxious by the very thought of having to apply for visas. I frequently come across Indian citizens who want to travel but get discouraged by visa applications. Fortunately, the bilateral relations with a lot of countries have been improving and things are getting better. Moreover, with increasing digitization, e-visa is becoming a common alternative . In this post, I break down some tips and tricks and countries…
The Svaneti area tucked in the northern part of Georgia had always fascinated me- great history, gorgeous Caucasus mountains, and a strong sense of identity. I arrived in Mestia, Svaneti’s capital, with the intention of hiking, horse back riding and getting to know the locals. I got lucky when I heard about a local festival high up in a local church near Latali. The locals from the Latali village climb to the Mkheri mountain every summer to celebrate and feast…