Frequently Asked Questions

Flights:

Q: What connecting airports are recommended?

A: flights from Europe and North America to our tour destinations connect through: London, Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Istanbul, Vienna, Rome, Milan, Athens and many other airports. Recently Qatar Airlines, Emirates, and Azerbaijani Airlines have been offering competitive prices, routing through Doha, Dubai, and Baku. Most clients from North America will find that Turkish Airlines or Lufthansa have the most comfortable routes and layover options when flying to Istanbul, Tbilisi, and Yerevan. Note that Georgian Airways is a budget airline (connecting London, Amsterdam, Milan, Rome, Athens, etc.), and not highly recommended.

Q: Do you provide airport transfers?

A: YES! On both ends of your trip. Traversing the globe naturally takes its toll. We understand that after arriving, our guests will be quite tired, and we look forward to whisking you straight from the airport to the hotel (typically a 30-45 minute drive depending on the city). A chauffeur will be in the airport lobby with a sign saying "John Graham Tours." He will check your name on a spreadsheet, then help you with your bag to a parked car outside. The chauffeur has already been paid.

Q: What are the visa requirements?

A: There are no visa requirements for visitors from most Western nations to the countries where we currently run tours (Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Ethiopia, Italy), and no entry fees for a 90-day tourist visa. Visa requirements do change on a regular basis though, so it is worth investigating before your visit.

What to Bring:

Q: What should we bring on the tour?

A: This depends on the time of year of your trip, type of tour, and your destination. Also, the answer depends on the tastes and interests of each client. Here are some suggestions: sunglasses, sunscreen, sunhat, hand-sanitizer, camera, travel board games, and songbooks (if you like to sing!). A small souvenir from your home city might be nice to give to people that we meet on the trip.

Medications:

Q: Are medications available?

A: It is best to bring your own pharmaceuticals, but there are also many pharmacies in the countries where we run tours for basic over-the-counter medications. Some good travel medications to bring include imodium and ciprol for sensitive stomach, dramamine for motion sickness. Be sure to check with your doctor about any special medications or disease warnings about the locations you plan to visit on your trip. That being said, no one has ever gotten seriously ill on any of my tours. There will be a constant supply of bottled drinking water on the bus. In general, we do not encourage guests to drink tap water, though the locals do.

Money, Tipping, ATMs, Cash:

Q: what currency is used, and are dollars or euros accepted?

A: This varies by country. In Georgian, the national currency is the lari (GEL); the Armenian is the dram (AMD); the Turkish is the lira (TRY); the Ethiopian is the birr (ETB); in Italy the euro. For exchange rates, take a look at www.xe.com. Only local currency is accepted at street vendors, whereas larger shops typically accept credit cards.

Q: Tipping?

A: The tour covers all tips at restaurants, hotels, taxis, etc. Guests are encouraged to "pass an envelope" at the end of each tour to collect a group tip for dedicated tour leaders or drivers. The suggested amounts depend on the size of the group and the length of the trip, but in general one should expect to tip both the guide and the driver $50/trip. John will typically communicate a range of suggested tipping near to the end of the tour.

Q: Credit cards?

A: Credit cards are now widely used, even outside capital cities.

Q: ATM Bank machines?

A: We recommends bringing an ATM card, and withdrawing local cash (Georgian lari, Armenian dram, etc.) from any of the ubiquitous ATM machines. Though most package tours will include all related expenses (including meals, museums, tips, transportation needs, etc.), some tours may require you to purchase certain meals or other services on your own.

Q: How much do souvenirs cost?

A: We recommend $100-$200 per person in local currency to purchase the odd handmade textile, snack, or trinket. If you are interested in a pricier souvenir such as a carpet (many tourists are!), they cost between $400-$2000. Hand-painted icons are typically not for sale in shops, but must be commissioned in advance.

Meals:

Q: What are meals like on this tour?

A: Excellent food is a priority for the tour organizers. In general, the cuisine is one of the most popular aspects of a John Graham tour. In the spring-summer-fall months, many local seasonal foods are available, ensuring a diverse range of dishes that can accommodate a range of diets. Vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-allergic... no problem. Tell your tour guide, and the appropriate food will be ordered. Typically, the package-tours provide three meals per day, with beers and house wines included. We also provide coffee, ice-cream, and in general seek to pamper our guests! On the tour bus, water will be provided by the tour. Mark your water bottle to refill and save the landfill from plastic wastage. Breakfast will be served at the hotel/guesthouses between 8am-9am, with early risers having the opportunity to serve themselves coffee or tea by prior request. The tour day begins between 9:00-9:15am. Lunches will be around 1-2pm, usually at restaurants but also sometimes picnics, and dinners will typically be around 7:30pm. Every day is scheduled in order to arrive at the destination by 5:30-6:30pm in order to have a rest before dinner. Under rare circumstances such as traffic accidents, bad weather, or other unforeseen circumstances, we may arrive late. Your flexibility and patience in this regard is appreciated.

Q: Are alcoholic beverages included?

A: This depends on your tour package. In general, the answer is a hearty yes! House wines and beers are provided. Specialty drinks or spirits are not included.

Q: What is the Supra tradition?

A: Among the many things that Georgia is famous for, the tradition of welcoming guests is paramount. The tradition of making theme toasts, sometimes followed by traditional singing, has become a staple of John Graham tours. We may be floating in the Mediterranean, but we still like to acknowledge the importance of the themes that are ever-lasting, such as Family, Peace, Gratitude, Beauty, Honoring the Departed, and Justice. To create an inclusive, safe, and sincere environment, a toast master leads the series of toast themes, while also serving as something of an master of ceremonies for the evening's entertainment. To read more, see the Wikipedia article on the Georgian feasting tradition called "supra."

Electronics, Internet, Photography:

Q: Internet service?

A: Internet service is always available in tour hotels. In specific places, it may work less well, such as the highlands of Tusheti in Georgia, or the Greek islands where we lose Turkish internet on the cruising boat, etc.

Q: What electronics should I bring or not bring on the tour?

A: European countries including Georgia/Armenia/Turkey run their electric networks on 200 volts, and uses European-style sockets (two round prongs). Don't bring US appliances that run on 110 volts. Bring your own adapters. All hotels are equipped with electric sockets in every room, guests shouldn't have any problem recharging their electronic devices. Most hotels have hair dryers stocked in the rooms, or available upon request.

Q: Can I purchase a SIM card?

A: Yes. To use the local communications network, you may purchase a local SIM card. However, your phone must be "unlocked" to accept foreign SIM cards. Once you have a SIM card, you can buy prepaid phone cards or buy a weekly or monthly plan. Staff in the telecommunications companies speak English.

These days, it is often easier to arrange to have an E-SIM through your local network provider, with a data package that allows you connectivity via the local network.

Q: Can we take photos inside churches and museums?

A: This depends. It is a good habit to check with the person selling candles inside the churches whether or not taking photos is appropriate. A typical answer is that it is allowed, but without flash. In museums, the answers vary widely but generally are are allowed. But in the Treasury Museum in Tbilisi, all photos are "strictly forbidden!" In the Matenadaran Museum in Yerevan, one must purchase an additional ticket in order to take photographs.

Q: Can we take portrait photography?

A: Yes. Local people in Georgia and Armenia tend not to be shy about having their portraits taken, but they may want to come to admire the photo after you have taken it, especially the children! Nuns, monks, priests, and other members of the clergy typically prefer not to be photographed. In Turkey, conservative people tend not to like to be photographed. In Sicily, they might stare you down. However, when asked permission, they are often happy to oblige. So trust your communication skills to make sure it is acceptable to take portrait photography.

Luggage-Laundry:

Q: How much luggage can we bring?

A: Because of transportation and staff limitations, we have a strict policy on only handling one medium sized suitcase per person. Many travelers come with just a carry-on suitcase and a day pack, especially on the Sicily tours where the tour bus has limited cargo space, or the cruise trips where we need to be able to walk through towns with suitcases, and get on/off zodiac skiffs with the luggage. It is suggested to bring a day pack that you can take with you on the coach or on day trips for water, books, rain poncho, and other personal items.

Q: Are laundry services available?

A: Yes. Laundry services are available at many hotels, please talk to the reception just after arrival. Laundry services are not covered in the tour budget, and are surprisingly expensive in this part of the world. Expect to pay $1-$4 per item washed, there is no bulk washing "per load."

Weather:

Q: How to prepare for the weather?

A: On each tour this is going to vary. We recommend doing internet searches on the range of weather to be expected in the locations that you will be visiting. Common apps such as Meteoblue provide excellent and detailed weather forecasts including wind speed, precipitation percentage expected by hour, sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset, and other useful information. Free apps like SkyView lite provide details on the movements of planets and stars.

Each tour will have specific guidance on packing for the weather. On our cruising tours, we pack for the sun. In the spring season, we can always expect one or two rainy days, so light raincoats are recommended.

But in general, we program tours during seasons when better weather for each destination can be expected.

Clothing and Dress Codes:

Q: Is there a dress code for entering Churches?

A: Yes and No. When visiting Orthodox churches and monasteries, men are asked to wear shoes (not sandals), long pants (not shorts), and to remove hats. Women are asked to don a wrap-around skirt (provided at most church entrances), and cover their hair and shoulders with a kerchief, shawl, or hat of any kind. But some churches that serve more as tourist destinations rather than places of worship tend not to enforce these dress codes. In Catholic churches in Sicily, these general rules also apply. In Ethiopia, we remove shoes at the entrance, and if we have one, wear the white prayer cloth called netela. 

Q: Are there any cultural taboos on what to wear?

A: In general, men do not wear shorts in this part of the world, even in hot weather. But fashions are always changing and modernizing so it is tough to generalize. This does not apply to the cruising tours or to hiking tours.

Q: What should we wear in the mountains?

A: If staying overnight in the Highlands (Svaneti, Kazbegi, Tusheti, etc.), be sure to pack a light sweater and knit cap for cool evenings in spring and fall (50 F). See your trip-specific packing list.

Behavior in Church:

Q: Where can we go in the church?

A: This might be a good place to mention the physical characteristics of churches. The entrance to the church will typically be in the West end, so we will be facing the altar area, which is located in the East end. The altar area is considered sacred and mystical especially in Orthodox churches, and generally off-limits for non-clergy. The altar area is typically physically raised from the church floor, separated by an iconostasis or screen, so it is obvious to visitors. Otherwise, visitors are generally free to roam the interior of the church in respectful silence. In Orthodox churches, it is common to make prayers in front of specific icons, asking for the intercession of that saint to God, and offering a candle to illuminate the space. Each church conforms to the rules of the local bishops, and some are more or less conservative when it comes to dress codes and behavior.

Hiking Tours:

Q: Is there anything specific we should bring?

A: Preparing for our hiking trips will be like preparing for any others. Footwear with ankle support is necessary. Hiking socks. Sunhat, sunscreen. Bug spray though we don't have many bugs at all. Many guests bring their own hiking poles (we do not have extras here). If you want to bring your own water bottle, we will have large water jugs to refill water bottles. Our guides each have first aid kits, but these do not include extensive pharmaceuticals, therefore we recommend that every guest bring their own supply of imodium/cipro, acetaminophen pain killers, etc. Laundry services are available in most lowland hotels, but one should bring enough change of under garments for at least six days of hiking for the "Walking in the Caucasus" trips as the guest houses in the high mountains will not have laundry facilities.

Reading/Research:

Q: How do I learn about this country and culture in advance?

A: For each tour, we send a list of recommended reading, listening, and watching in advance. We live in an era of unprecedented access to knowledge, with tons of information available at our fingertips like never before. Our lists help to sift through to find worthwhile texts and film.

Local Languages:

In each country, we make an effort to learn words and greetings from the local language. In many places we visit, there are interesting dialectical nuances to learn, such as Sicilian dialect, Amhara vs. Tigray languages, East vs. West Armenian dialects, or the Georgian/Megrelian/Svan languages in their respective regions of Georgia. In Turkey, we learn Turkish words but also study the regional dialects which were known in ancient times such as Carian and Lycian, or regional languages such as Laz near the Turkish-Georgian border.

In advance of each tour, we try to send word sheets with local words and useful phrases to practice before your trip.

Q: What is the Georgian language?

A: Georgian is a language with three unique alphabets. Two of these alphabets are only used in Church texts today, but we will see this alphabet inscribed in church carvings and on fresco paintings. The "modern" alphabet, created in the 11th century, will be visible on signage throughout the country. The spoken language is called kartuli, and is one of sixty languages in the broader Caucasus language group (non Indo-European) and is the most widely spoken of the four languages in the closely related “Kartvelian” sub-group (Laz, Megrelian, and Svan are the other languages in this group). A small phrasebook called "Survival Georgian" by Patricia Hall can be purchased on the internet. Many of you will be interested to tackle the beautifully scripted Georgian alphabet in order to be able to read signs around the country.

Q: Phrase List!

• Gamarjoba - hello
• Nakhvamdis -goodbye
• Gmadlobt -thank you
• Didi madloba -thanks very much
• Diakh -yes Ara -no
• Tu sheidzleba - please
• Gaumarjos! - cheers!
• Ra lamazia! - it's so beautiful!
• Tualeti -toilet;
• Restoranti -restaurant;
• Sastumro - hotel
• Sad aris...? - where is...?
• Ratom? - why?
• Romeli? - which one?
• Ra ghirs? - how much?
• Vin? - who?
• Es minda - I want that one
• Puri - bread;
• Qveli - cheese;
• Ghvino - wine;
• Khachapuri - cheesebread
• Tkveni kveqana lamazia, da kartuli enats! Your country is beautiful, and the Georgian language also!
• Tu sheidzleba, erti ghvtismshoblis troparia am sautsari lamazi da tsmindani eklesiashi sheidzleba vigalobot? - If it wouldn’t be too much to ask, would it be possible to sing one hymn to the Holy Theotokos in this most beautiful of churches?
• Joni, tu sheidzleba, gaacheret tkveni sagaloblebi da tsavidet khachapurze, ra! - John, will you please quit singing so we can go get some more cheese-bread, soon! 🙂