"Sorry sir, but we cannot let you board this flight"

My face went a little numb. Apparently, one needs a visa to do a self-transfer in Mumbai. The booking site did not mention this but it was useless arguing. After half an hour of waiting, a guard escorted me back through security. My visa for Thailand expires the next day. Another complication. So after calming myself, I sat down, booked another flight for Baku and booked a hotel for the night. I spent the next day in Bangkok visiting old haunts. Around midnight, I took my flight to Istanbul. Goodbye Thailand, I'll see you next year.

Denied flight

Arrived in Baku in the morning. I took a bus from the airport to the center. It was hot. No more rainy season. I started walking towards my hotel. I should have taken a Bolt. By the time I reached my hotel, I was full of sweat. Another twist. The hotel cancelled my booking since I didn't show up yesterday. No worries. I headed back out in the heat and went to a cafe nearby. Thankfully, it had AC. I sat down, ordered a coffee, booked a new place, and then waited for 2pm when I can check in. I checked into a nicer hotel than the one I originally booked. It had a nice balcony. I showered, organized my things and since I didn't want to sleep yet, I went out for a walk. I walked a bit in the old town of Baku. It was still hot but atleast I wasn't pulling a suitcase anymore. The old town is pretty nice and small. After 20 minutes I went through it and reached the sea. I saw the sea. The Caspian Sea. I was a bit tired and sleepy so I sat down by the water's edge and just rested there for I don't know how long. At some point, I just couldn't keep my eyes open. So, I headed back to my hotel and crashed.

Staring at the Sea

After a good night sleep, yesterday's weight was lifted and I felt fresh. I had the breakfast at hotel which was decent, then I went out to a coffeeshop near the old town and did some work. Around noon, I visited the Palace of the Shrivanshahs, a true gem of a place. I'll save the tour guide spiel. It was simply amazing and they did a decent job with presentation. The Palace was situated on a hill inside the old town and from there was a good view of the Baku. Afterwards, I walk around some more in the old town before finding myself at the boulevard again. Once more, I sat down and stared at it letting my mind wander a bit while my body rested. 

I've been apprehensive about this trip. Why? Maybe because its been awhile. Maybe my instincts are just rusty or I got used to traveling to my usual places these days. Maybe I'd get bored. How would I fill the time? I mulled over these thoughts for awhile and then I headed back. I got some beer and drank it from the balcony. I ate dinner at a restaurant inside the old town. The food was good, but when I got the bill, I noticed they added some extra items I didn't order. For some reason, it left a bad taste. There have been some issues in the last few days. Not big ones, but annoying little ones. Hopefully, I'll adjust soon.

Visiting the Shahs

I took it easy today. No tours, no more extended walks. I just went back to the cafe I went to yesterday. Then, I went back to my hotel to unwind and drink beer in my balcony again. This time, I tried Xirdalan, Azerbaijan's beer. Not my favorite. I drank only half before dumping the rest in the sink. I did some light work in the hotel. 

Around 6pm, I went out for dinner. I found a local place that was recommended and ate some lamb kebab. It was magnificent. I wanted to order more but I didn’t want to get ripped off again so I decided to stop and ask for the bill. No bogus item this time. No service charge. It felt nice to finally find a place that didn’t rip you off. It was still early and I wasn’t really prepared to go back to my hotel but I also didn’t want to walk back to the blvd and back. So I decided to walk around. 

When I turned a corner I noticed a nice leafy cafe. It looked like one of those old Russian cafes I’ve been seeing about. With time to kill and a bit curious, I went in. The indoors was very eclectic or bohemian as they used to say. I managed to find a table and ordered a beer. The cafe was frequented by young people. The table next to me sat a group of young girls. There were 3-4 small rooms. I sat in the back of the longest one. Mood lighting made it even cooler and dramatic. It felt like being in a spy thriller. Well, I always feel that. The cafe played a mix of local as well as popular hit songs. Some of the more familiar ones got a chorus from the diners.

A little white cat came in and everyone tried to pet it. It moved around like it belonged there. I ordered a tea and was chatting online with my sister about her planned Iceland trip. I share a few photos and videos of my trip 8 years ago. Wow. Has it been that long! It was a good decision to go in the cafe, and as the night rolled on, I got became more comfortable and relaxed. This was the first time I felt like this on the trip so far. Tomorrow, I'll leave Baku for the next destination. I sunk in my chair a little deeper as I enjoyed my tea.

A day to kill

The Today I had my first broken bus incident in awhile. I can’t even remember the last time I had one. South America? Central Asia? Who knows. We left Baku around 11. The countryside were just lifeless rolling hills and yellow fields. All in all, it was an uneventful bus ride until about an hour from our destination, everyone noticed a strange smell. The bus suddenly stopped and the driver and his assistant got out. Everyone started to get out as well. There was something wrong with the engine. They would have to call another bus to take us the rest of the way. Surprisingly everyone was calm except for one woman who was yelling earler. After awhile, she shut up. Anyway, we waited but the roadside and it felt a little exhilarating being stranded again. I watched some old russian cars zip past by. 40 minutes later the bus came and we were on our way to Sheki.

When we rolled into Sheki, I suddenly felt a calm feeling. It felt like a small city I've been to before. I strated to relax. I checked into my guesthouse and the kind hostess made me at ease. She invited me for a welcome tea, a custom in these parts, and she helped me plan my itinerary here. I checked in, took a shower, and then around 6, I went out for dinner to a place my hostess recommended.