I spent the morning tracking down a marshrutka that would take me to Yerevan. There are lots of whisperings about this route online, but information is inconsistent and often old. There aren't any maintained websites from an actual company either, so I played a guessing game based off which the most common answers in reddit threads. I managed to find one by a subway stop and we left around 11. The drive was beautiful but also terrifying - while our driver was Armenian, he definitely learned to drive in Georgia based on his love of aggressive passes. Like Georgians, he seemed to recognize a third lane in the middle of the dividing line for the other two and would happily drive there even when two other cars were on either side. The mountains were amazing though, and it reminded me a lot of the American west with its arid climate and cliffed valleys. It's also apparent that this area has never recovered from the Soviet era the way Georgia has. There are abandoned factories and industrial plants everywhere and most residential buildings are at least partially collapsed. That said, it's clear that at least some parts of this region are still inhabited, though what the people do here I can't imagine.

We got into the bus station and I was immediately accosted by about 5 taxi drivers trying to get me to hire them. I wasn't interested since the walk wasn't that far, but they really wouldn't take no for an answer and I had to basically run away from them to escape. The outer section of the city looks more like what I had expected to see in Georgia - lots of crumbling commie blocks, obvious Soviet era infrastructure, and a general sense that the place is at least in some ways past its prime. The inner city is much nicer though, especially since they're going all out for Christmas. Georgian Christmas isn't until January anyway, but it's actually been cancelled regardless because of the protests so there wasn't a whole lot of Christmas spirit. Yerevan is absolutely covered in decor for Christmas, though, including tons of Santas and a huge Christmas tree. The parliament building and all the big government stuff is also draped in lights.

I booked a hotel and checked in despite not really having any intention of sleeping there; since I wanted to leave very early in the morning it didn't seem to make much sense to sleep, but I also wanted a place to leave my bags and maybe meet some people. Sure enough, I met a nice Australian guy in the kitchen and he gave me some steak he was making. We talked a lot about our travels and compared experiences. Eventually, we went out to explore the metro (just one line and very loud) and then see a bar. It was cool and they had a ton of extremely local Armenian liquor. He's only halfway through his travels this time around, but like me he's debating the direction he wants to take his career and future. The conversation got very introspective and made me reflect on all that I've seen and done while out here, and what's next for me. Obviously in the immediate future I have a job, but it's a fully remote one that could afford me opportunities to take my life directions that otherwise wouldn't have been possible. I guess we'll see how I handle being back.

Eventually he went to bed and I waited for a little longer in the kitchen for my flight to come. I wish I'd had more time here in Yerevan - it seems like a really interesting city and I didn't see much of what it had to offer. That said, it did leave an impression on me, and I think that counts for something. I may have to come back someday.