arctic-cycler.com

Khor Virap Monastery

In September 2014 I will be leaving my job of 16 years at Philips to follow my dream. The last 21 years I have lived in Europe – in the Netherlands and Germany, and now it is time to go home. Home to Australia. In Europe I have learnt to love cycling. What better way to finish the European chapter of my life and enter the next than by cycling home?

After cycling through Europe to Istanbul in the last part of 2014, I will stop for a few months (waiting for the winter to pass) before continuing in February/March 2015. I plan to be in Dashanbe in Tajikistan on June 1, and so have a lot of time to explore on the way.

I am planning to cross Turkey mostly along the Black Sea coast. One option is to enter Iran from Turkey near Doğubayazıt, and thus leaving the Black Sea coast around Sürmene. Another option (the one I will probably take), is to keep following the coast, and enter Georgia and then Armenia. I understand Armenia is very beautiful. Many cyclists stop there for quite a time, spending a lot of time in Yerevan, and then cycling in the mountains. I might do a bit more exploring in Armenia, depending on the time and my motivation when I am there.

All suggestions are welcome!!