DAY THIRTEEN… 27 miles (43 km)
Back on the road today and really needing to watch out for the large trucks. Some came horribly close to me as I hadn’t spotted them in my mirror.
We are leaving the road now, when they are near. We also have to patrol for dogs as there are a surprising number of them and they are NOT tied up.
Tried to take the “Wings of Tatev” cable car across to Tatev Monastery, but it was fully booked till 6pm. The Wings of Tatev holds the world record for being the longest cable car … not for hazardous travel, leave that to the taxis, though there was a little person on a sign, sitting cross legged to indicate, if the cable car does break, to STAY CALM.
We decided not to wait for this cable car, but to take a taxi and throw caution to the wind. Our taxi driver had the mandatory cracked windscreen and delight of acceleration we had encountered before, but he also had a bit of a weakness for overtaking on blind corners whilst trying to light his cigarette. Bored of this he would then scroll through his contact list on his mobile to see who he might have a lovely long chat to, whilst smoking, holding his phone and driving at hair raising speeds round steep and gravelly corners.
We found a place to stay with Melanie. A big house of one storey and six bedrooms, but no one else there. Always good.
We visited the monastery where there was a real sense of faith. Just as we arrived a bride and groom emerged from the chapel amidst a shower of rose petals. The reception continued next to the cable car station, with English pop songs played at full volume.
