Have Itch, Will Travel

By the following morning, Rob's gut had settled down somewhat but his energy levels were depleted. We decided to rest for a day and then return to Yerevan via Lake Sevan. Dizzy and without appetite, Rob spent the day in bed, promising to drink water whenever he was awake. Our hosts at Aida B&B  in Tatev , Armenia were wonderful; throughout the day they made him tea, a yogurt and rice soup, boiled rice, and potatoes, all foods that he was able to eat and actually enjoy. When he finally came out on the deck for dinner, each family member checked in on him. We made it back to Yerevan and had an uneventful night on the train to Tbilisi, Georgia. Unfortunately, Rob's gut decided to relapse in Tbilisi . He had barely a day to recover from the initial illness, and forfeiting our flights to and accommodation in Istanbul, Turkey was becoming more probable. Pain and distress had sapped Rob of all enthusiasm that he began to search for flights back home. I found a pharmacy and com...

Do not underestimate the road to Tatev. "I don't know what to do!" sobbed Rob, at the end of his tether. I pulled apart his backpack, but there were no drugs to help. He was losing fluids, electrolytes, and sleep, and all I had was water. It was 3am and we were in the middle of nowhere. Less than 24 hours earlier, we were at a car rental agency in Armenia's buzzing capital, Yerevan . We had hoped to hire the classic Russian 4x4, the Lada Niva , but none was available for the time we needed. Instead, we started our six hour cross-country journey in a black Kia Rio; our first night was to be  Tatev , a remote village of less than 900 people. Most visitors to its nearby cliff-top monastery arrived by the record-breaking 5.7km cable car " Wings of Tatev " and we learned why. "Well, she said the Rio could do it!" Rob sighed, recalling the rental agent's remark. The road had deteriorated into rocks and water-worn pits after the second switchba...