How do you get home for Christmas from Tbilisi, Georgia? By train of course! (and the odd bus and ferry thrown in). Recommend that you follow @timcyclesthecoast.bsky.social for epic adventures and flight-free travels! 🚄⛴️🚲

Made a friend on the train! 🐕❤️

Happy New Year to one and all. Have an enjoyable evening whatever you're doing, and here's to 2025. Hope it proves to be an excellent vintage! 🥂❤️

Reflecting on what has been a pretty crazy year. As well as the Georgia trip for work, I also was very fortunate to spend the summer cycling round Morocco. My ride started and finished in Tangier, and took in the Atlas mountains, the Sahara Desert, and the Atlantic coast amongst many other places 🇲🇦❤️

Three years ago my Christmas plans fell through, so I booked a Christmas Eve train up to Pitlochry, and went cycling and camping in the Cairngorms. It was a challenging few days, with temperatures of -8°C, and that was in the daytime! I rather enjoyed myself though, in a weird, masochistic way.

Home alone this Christmas. It's been a nice, relaxing day. A walk first thing, then a bit of telly & a read of my new book. Dinner was roasted veg & a chicken Kyiv out of the freezer. Next up, an early night! Solidarity with those of you also flying solo. Hope you've had a good day.

Home! 👍🍺

Last night on the road. It's been an epic journey, but now I am quite weary. Quite looking forward to sleeping in a stationary bed! I do love the Hook of Holland to Harwich ferry though. It's been the start or finish point of many brilliant cycling adventures. Nice way to end.

Quiz question. Am I in? A. Rotterdam B. Liverpool C. Anywhere D. Rome

Another seamless sleeper train journey. Incredible that I've got from Tbilisi to Berlin with everything running on time! Now waiting for my connection to Amsterdam, then the Hook of Holland ferry, and home tomorrow lunchtime. Berlin Central station is pretty impressive.

I'm in Vienna. This means nothing to me.

Soup in a loaf and chicken paprikash for lunch. That's it for Hungary! Now a couple of hours on the train to Vienna, to pick up the sleeper to Berlin.

A boat trip on the Danube. A nice break from all the walking!

My compartment on the 1758 sleeper train from Bucharest to Budapest. It was made up as a double, but nobody else turned up, which is always a bonus. Now about an hour from the Hungarian capital, got the day to mooch about before a 5pm connection to Vienna, to pick up the Berlin-bound sleeper.

The Presidential Palace in Bucharest. The scale of the place is staggering. Construction started under the Ceaușescu regime in 1983. 20,000 workers and 700 architects and engineers laboured round the clock at a cost of $2bn. Meanwhile the Romanian people were starving.

Cărturești Carusel in Bucharest. I've got serious bookshop envy!

I couldn't make Sofia to Bucharest work on the train, so had to get an overnight bus. No bother, except I barely slept, so I'm tired today. Also, unlike the train which arrives at a civilised time, the bus spits you out into the city at 5.30am when it's -3°C and everywhere is shut!

Despite the weather, I rather enjoyed my wander round Sofia. It sure does have some handsome buildings, plus the centre is quite compact- handy for an old man with dodgy knees!

Aside from border control shenanigans at 2am & 3am, the Istanbul to Sofia sleeper was most enjoyable. I paid to share a double, but the train was quiet, so had the compartment to myself. Not bad for €41. Back in Europe for two hours now, have to say I'm not keen on the weather!

Afternoon boat trip on the Bosphorus. Great fun if you're keen on architecture or just a bit nosey! 🇹🇷👍

Lovely few hours mooching about in Istanbul. The cake is San Sebastian burnt cheesecake, by the way! Nobody seems quite sure how it ended up here. As if it wasn't calorific enough, the Turks like to pour chocolate all over it. I sometimes forget I'm not riding a bike this time!

Evening stroll to work some of that dinner off! For anyone that knows Istanbul, I'm staying in central Fatih, near Aksaray metro station. These particular streets are new to me. I rather like them.

Gone full Turkish in Istanbul! 🇹🇷👌

Dogu Express, part three. As the day gave way to darkness, I folded down my bed and opened a bottle of wine. My compartment companions were an amiable Finn and a stoic Turk. We chatted, I read my book, then nodded off to the rhythmic clickety-clack clickety-clack clickety-clack.

Dogu Express, part two. Wintry conditions persisted in the morning. The train stopped at Erzurum for 15 minutes, so we got to stretch our legs- and have a snowball fight! After lunch the sun came out, and it was just spectacular.

The Dogu Express, first part of the journey. Just an incredible way to see the country 🇹🇷

The Dogu Express, my home for the next 26 hours. After the outward journey, I described it as one of the greatest travel experiences of my life. With the mountains of the Turkish interior now covered by snow, I think the return trip will be even better!

Seamless border crossing first thing, then a six-hour coach journey through the mountains of Eastern Turkey. Staying a night in the city of Kars, then onto the Dogu Express sleeper train tomorrow morning. Looking forward to an epic train ride through the Turkish interior 🚅🇹🇷👍

Lovely day wandering round Batumi. I do like it here. T-shirt weather too, on the Black Sea coast. Got to make the most of the sunshine, before I plunge headlong into the bleak European winter!

Back in Batumi. Digs are nice for £10 a night, and I've got a sea view of sorts!

It's my last full day in Tbilisi tomorrow. Was supposed to be leaving on Tuesday, but I've decided to spend the extra two days in Batumi. It's 18°C and sunny on the Black Sea coast at the moment- perfect before the long schlep across Europe in the dead of winter!

Yerevan is a good-looking town. A large proportion of the buildings are constructed from pink tuff stone, which is compressed volcanic ash formed during an eruption. It gives the city a lovely pinkish hue, and even makes the old Soviet tower blocks look nice!

Beautiful crisp winter's day in Yerevan. I spent the morning seeking out examples of Soviet Brutalist architecture. 1. The Flower Fountain 2. The Chess House 3. National Centre of Chamber Music 4. Yeritasardakan metro station

The Cascade connects the centre of Yerevan to Victory Park, which commemorates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. It has five terraces with a total of 572 steps, & is 302m tall at the highest point. It's one of those Soviet projects that took decades to finish, but definitely worth it.

When it comes to the international response to the developments in Georgia, the Baltic sanctions are the news of the day. The three states have decided to impose national sanctions against Ivanishvili and 10 officials from ministry of internal affairs. civil.ge/archives/640...

Fabulous Armenian craft beer by Dargett. I tried a few, all were good, but the Baltic Porter & Russian Imperial Stout were exceptional. I do think they're missing a trick, not calling a beer Yerevan of Love. Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready for the time of your life?

A couple of spare days, so I'm taking the sleeper train down to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia 🚅 🇦🇲

Massive unrest on the streets of Tbilisi last night. The people are protesting the Government's decision to suspend EU membership talks. This came after the European parliament formally rejected the results of the recent Georgian election, citing 'significant irregularities.'

Coming to the end of my work in Georgia, so have spent the last couple of days planning my exit strategy. Will be sorry to leave Tbilisi, but am very excited about the epic journey back to the UK. Thanks @seatsixtyone.bsky.social for the excellent travel advice. Training home for Christmas! 🚄🌲🎅

The food in Georgia has seriously impressed me: 1. Adjaruli Khachapuri- bread with cheese, butter and an egg yolk. 2. Khinkali- dumplings filled with meat and spices. 3. Shakshuka- eggs poached in a tomato, onion and garlic sauce. 4. Shkmeruli- chicken fried and then cooked in garlic sauce.

Some of you may have watched BBC’s new Asia series. One of the episodes featured a frozen Lake Baikal in Siberia. 6 years ago a friend and I spent 19 days walking and camping 640km across this worlds largest volume freshwater lake. It’s a real winter gem ❄️

Glorious weekend in Stepantsminda. The church is the C14th Gergeti Trinity Church. It sits on a hill at 2183m, overlooking the town. The Soviets once started to build a cable car up to the church, but locals were indignant. They thought their devotion was being questioned. The project was scrapped!

Good morning from Stepantsminda, formerly Kazbegi. Wonderful to wake up to this view. Plan today is a drive up to the Russian border to visit Dariali Monastery, then a slow meander back to Tbilisi. Hired a car with some friends this time, so I don't have to risk my life on the minibus taxi!

Friday afternoon dash back up to the Caucasus Mountains. I do love it here! 🏔🇬🇪❤️

I created a starter pack to help those of us new to Bluesky find people interested in #adventure Think everyone from day hikers to hardcore mountaineers. Help me add to the list by sharing it and suggesting additions. I'll add all reasonable requests 🏔️🛶🏕️ go.bsky.app/NXTHehp

Time for my annual self-indulgent countdown of the top 20 beaches I’ve visited this year. No.20: Achateny Beach, Ardnamurchan. This remote beach on the north coast of the peninsula was the epitome of solitude on a beautiful day in May 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

The district of Tbilisi where I'm staying is called Chugureti. It's on the east side of the Kura River, away from the tourist and business areas of the city. Chugureti is rather faded and some of the buildings are crumbling, but it's a fascinating place to live with lots of incredible architecture.

Road trip north on the Georgian Military Highway. Built in 1799, the GMH runs from Tbilisi through the Caucasus Mountains to the Russian city of Vladikavkaz. I stayed in Stepantsminda, formerly known as Kazbegi. The town sits at 1740m and is surrounded on all sides by mountains. A beautiful setting.

Late autumn really is a wonderful time of year to be in Tbilisi. Blue skies and sunshine, a comfortable 10-15°C, and the colours are incredible 🇬🇪☀️🍂

Spending a few months in Georgia for work. Tbilisi is an incredible city 🇬🇪👍