Russian Caucasus/ Crimea

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>>1204289
>If it is so, how could I go from Russia to Georgia without using Sochi-Abkhazia and North Ossetia routes?
Never enter Georgia from these routes, it's considered an illegal entry by the Georgian authorities. Use the regular border between Vladikavkaz and Kazbegi.

Russian Caucasus is amazing from what I've seen, but I've only seen bits of Karachai-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria. Friend of mine has, however, visited all the Caucasian republics, including Chechnya and Dagestan, without problems. Just police occasionally wondering what the fuck a foreigner was doing in bumhole nowhere Chechnya, and interrogating him for a few hours until they were sure he wasn't there to cause trouble. Pic is Kislovodsk.

>>1204329

One of my friends went to Abkhazia after I'd split off to Armenia. He didn't have any problems re-entering Georgia. I think he even posted a few pictures on Facebook holding an AK-47 that some separatists had let him toy around with.

>>1204289

I haven't been to the Russian Caucasus, but one of my former employers is from Krasnodar Krai. He's a member of an ethnic minority that's been discriminated against since the tsars wrested control of the region from the Ottoman Empire.

He recently went back home to visit relatives from September through November. I think he said that he took a ferry to Crimea. Apparently he was interrogated for a while because he's fluent in Russian but holds an American passport, but didn't have any problems otherwise. The impression I got is that the Crimea and Rostov regions are safe as long as you're not dicking around in a bad way.

Couldn't say for sure, though. His circumstances are obviously different than yours would be.

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>>1204389
>re-entering
That's the thing. You can enter from the Georgian side just fine, and return. Georgia takes no issue, as they consider you not the have even left the country. If you, however, enter from Russia, then continue into Georgia proper, you have entered the country illegally as far as the government is concerned.


Also
>after I'd split off to Armenia
is a typo I presume?

>>1204395

Fair enough.

>typo

No. He went to Abkhazia and I caught a ride with a German couple to Yerevan. I had to take a flight from Zvartnots International to Dubai.

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>>1204400
Completely misread your sentence. It all makes sense now.

How is it crossing the Turkey/Georgia or Turkey/Armenia borders these days?

>>1204422
>crossing the turkey/armenia border

Shit's closed Nigga

>>1204422

I crossed the border between Georgia and Turkey back in June of 2013. I don't know how much has changed then. It wasn't a terrible crossing - at least not compared to re-entering Turkey from Iraq - but it wasn't pleasant, either. The Georgians are completely inefficient and have an awful processing facility. I remember everybody was crammed into a narrow hallway with a leaky ceiling. We had to stand there for nearly half an hour before somebody opened the door to the Customs and Immigration hall. I also vaguely remember somebody trying to bring a cow inside, but that could just be a faulty memory on my part.

If I were at home, I'd post one of the pictures I took - it was so fucking chaotic. There were no lines and the hall wasn't big enough to fit in everyone trying to enter Georgia. People were pushing and shoving and yelling at one another. The German guy I was with, who speaks decent Turkish (no, he's not a refugee or ethnic Turk), said all of the Turks were grumbling and making comments along the lines of, "typical fucking Georgians, can't get their shit together."

>>1204289
bullshit
just dont go to Dagestan
thats all you need to know

>>1204438
That's funny, the Georgian-Armenian border crossing was pretty efficient, and the Georgian part was way better organised than the Armenian. I guess it's less busy though.

>>1205515
Why? Dagestan is awesome and safe.

>>1204289
Krasnodar kray, Adygea and Stavropol kray are all nice and safe.

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How does one adventure around Russia without knowing Russian? Do alot of their people speak English?

I've been to Armenia twice and I can answer any questions for you OP
Definitely see the Republic square and the beautiful churches and monasteries. My favorite by far is Etchmiadzin. Try the local eateries, all the food is locally grown and delicious. Summer is apricot season and it's the fruit we're best known for. They're pretty freakin huge over there.
For the record if you know Russian you can go to Armenia without a second thought, everyone knows it there. English maybe not so much but it's getting a little more common and if you take tours n shit you won't need it. The Matenadaran is also very recommended, it gives you a big insight to our history. Opera house, hyusisayin poghota, and the Geghard Monastery are awesome too