copan to kapan a reflection on nine months of travel fade

Copán to Kapan: A Reflection on Nine Months of Travel

Iris Veldwijk

Today is one of those days on the road to reflect on what you’ve done, where you’ve been, and what is ahead of you. Reflection days are the worst and the best, but mainly the worst. Here’s to the last nine months on the road. Since the 29th of December 2013 – minus 10 days in my Passport Nation (PN) – I have been traveling 2,5 continents by anticipated happenstance, sporadic opportunity, and a shameful slice of manipulation. That is already nine months of growth, but it would be silly not to acknowledge the decline as well. Many things and people haveContinue reading

getting closer to iran hitchhiking armenia solo female traveler tourism vayk goris kapan meghri

Getting Closer to Iran: Hitchhiking Vayk→ Goris→ Kapan (Armenia)

Iris Veldwijk

Photo from when I hitchhiked from Vayk (Վայք) to Goris (Գորիս) in Armenia in one ride with a guy named Artur. That’s a good 100 kilometers closer to Iran! After taking a short break in Goris because of the rain, I’m continuing my hitchhiking trip to Kapan (Կապան). I had a nice cup of coffee with Artur at a place called Deluxe Lounge Cafe—a surprisingly fancy place in the center of Goris along the main thoroughfare. Then he left for business in town. From here, it’s very easy to walk 1.5 kilometers out of town to hitchhike south to KapanContinue reading

vayk smoke hotel

Hitchhiking Yerevan to Vayk with an Iranian Visa in Hand (Armenia)

Iris Veldwijk

The last time I was in Armenia, I also hitchhiked this road on the way to Jermuk. But today I only went as far as Vayk (Վայք). I wasn’t hitchhiking alone back then, but with Michał from Poland and our multi-day super driver. The road passes by the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan within spitting distance at the town of Chiva (Չիվա). Well, not really spitting distance; it’s still like 1.2 kilometers. Our driver from back then told us that there were snipers just over the ridge. That’s why – and this is a quote, nothing I verified – there’s a sandy barrier on oneContinue reading

soviet acropolis in yerevan armenia brutalism concrete love

Soviet Acropolis and Brutalist Mall in Yerevan, Armenia

Iris Veldwijk

While waiting at a traffic light while taking a short ride in a taxi before hitchhiking to Vayk, we pulled up to this beauty of a building. Call it… the Soviet Acropolis in Yerevan, Armenia! I love it. I unironically love it. You all know I have a weakness for brutalist architecture… right? If not, now we know. Also, adoring brutalism is absolutely a personality trait. Ah, I’m going to miss beautiful Yerevan. Finding this Soviet Acropolis again on the map was a challenge that proved impossible. I searched everywhere, but couldn’t find its coordinates for you. My best guessContinue reading