Caucasus: part one I thought what I can write and have decided to share with you my story about journey to Caucasus. I wasa great expierience for me. I had travelled more than 4000 km by hitchhiking through all Caucasus region from Pyatigorsk to Derbent (the most south and oldest town of Russia). Caucasus is amazing region. First of all, something about it. There are many independent republic there. Of course they are perts of Russia, but each has own government, president and laws. Each president ist'n only major of region. He is leader of nation and has unconditional authority It seems, more respectable person there only the president of Russia, who painted everywhere on posters. Each of more than 50 nations has its compact territory, language and religion (the most common of course orthodoxy and islam). You can pass only 100 km and you would wonder how people changed. They don't mix, however some nations live together in the area of one republic as in Dagestan. Most of them hates neighboring nations, I really don't now why, but it was always since people lived there. And now I will tell about journey. Actually I had begun my journey in Rostov-on-Don. It's called Caucasus gate. That was a really hot place. Moscow is less hotter, so it was uncomfortable at first, but I was used. I don't know what else I can speak about this city. It's intresting, but hasn't anything special for me. After I went to Pyatigorsk (it was my first stop). Pyatigorsk is famous by its mineral springs. I had walked through the town during all day. It surrounds by low mountains. There are five ones at all. therefore the town is called so (town of five mountains - Pyatigorsk in Russian) The most famous of them is Mashuk (on one of its side Lermontov was killed in a duel). There are many termal and mineral springs. So Pyatigorsk was based as health resort such as Spa in Europe. I had climbed on the top and had seen the beatiful panorama of the town and its suburbs. Some people told that I could see the highest mountain of Europe - Elbrus, if It was winter. But in summer air isn't so clear for it and I had seen nothing but smog and other 4 mountains. In the evening I left that last russian town and went towards adventures. The night caught me on the turn to Elbrus. There I had met several armed people. It was soldiers who guarded the highway. I told with them. They were very kind despite their fearsome view. After that I went to bed nead their blockhouse for my security... to be continued...