Whenever visiting a new country, i'm always keen to go to somewhere off the beaten track, and Ochamchire seemed to provide that excuse to visit. I crossed over the border at Zugdidi. There the guards kept me for 3 hours, for no obvious reason. Luckily their wifi was open. A half mile walk ensued, mostly crossing a long flat bridge, which ended at the border with Abkhazia. I was quizzed by an overweight close cropped hair chap in his 30/40s and wearing fatigues. I wasn't sure if he was Russian or Abkhazian. His questions were obvious and easy to answer. Being well travelled, i always get suspicious looks at places like this. Passport stamps from all over. After passing through this check, and handing over my papers and Visa form, i was questioned again. This time by a more serious chap, not in fatigues. I guessed he was likely Russian and FSB. He asked more probing questions like why wasn't my wife with me, had i been given anything to bring in by Georgian officials etc. He had a quick look in my bags, and I was on my way again. This time the toughest bit of the crossing, trying to get a decent rate from a 'taxi' to take me to Ochamchire. Although the results of the war are evident all over, the country is very lush, and most hides behind walls of green.

Lying on the shore of the Black Sea, Ochamchire hasn't had the best of luck. It's been fought over a number of times in more recent history. In 1877 it was embroiled in a scrap between the Russians and a Turksish Abkhaz force. In the 1990s, it was involved in a war against Georgia, who's nationhood if ended up in after the fall of the Soviet empire. The town's proximity to the 'Georgian border,' meant it had a large Georgian population. During the unpleasant conflict, many Georgians were given the choice, to flee or perish. As a result the town's population went from 20,000 in 1989 to 5,200 in 2012. Walking down the streets, one can find every third at least, empty. The properties ransacked of anything useful, most lie without windows and some have 'house lakes.' The ground floor being flooded and full of frogs that 'ribbit' loudly! The area has literally no money, due to no industry and a drastically reduced population, most of whom don't contribute to the economy through lack of jobs.

The once impressive main train station, compares in size to the station in the capital, Sakhumi. Indicating the status of this once important town in the 'country.'

Inside the former booking hall

The decaying and somewhat smelly damp and rotting waiting area. The design similar to endless stations found in the former soviet empire.

The signal box, next to one of the two main roads in and out of Ochamchire.

After squeezing through a bramble ravaged window, i thought i'd got into a derelict train shed, with an actual train and carriage still in it. Result! I was under the impression that no trains ran South of the capital, Sakumi. As I exited through a door that opened from the inside, i was chased off by a chap looking like he'd starred as an extra in Deliverance. He lived in the house next door.

The rusty remains of train carriages, hit by artillery during the Independence war. Behind one of endless empty and gutted buildings.

I decided to go for a walk along the tracks to the next town. No trains running, it would be safe and offer a view few see.

Another abandoned train station, the result of the closure of the line. This station was for the next town along the coast from Ochamchire, Jakmuri.

Oddly the abandoned station above sits on the outskirts of Jakmuri, so i walked back to the town, only to avoid narrowly being run over by this! The same train from the shed above, and obviously the line was still in use.

Amongst the trees an old water tower, leaking water from multiple points. I didn't fancy climbing it!

Jakmuri didn't have a whole lot going for it. Like Ochamchire it appeared to have lost most of it's local industry. This was some sort of distribution depot.

Office buildings shot through and occupied by cattle. Signs the tertiary sector had also taken hit.

A tanker heading to along the Black Sea, yet another abandoned and unfinished apartment block dots this plagued coast line.

In the dark as i got back to Ochamchire, I passed another abandoned apartment block. It seemed taller than most, and I headed over here the following morning.

I climbed all the way up, and was about to go up the last flight of stairs to the roof, when a piercing alarm rang out that almost saw me fall off the unguarded stairs to my doom. Due to the various antenna on the roof, the owners had set up a pir alarm. I figured it was just to scare people off, and set about checking the views out from the top floor. Looking South back towards Georgia on the distant horizon.

Looking West to the Caucasus mountains. The silo's of the granary dominate the town, and streets of empty and occupied houses.

Looking North, the abandoned apartment block in the centre below, seen at sunset above. In 2009 the Russians were planning to build a port here for it's Navy, that would have helped revitalise the area. This was due to a downturn in relations with Ukraine, where the Black Sea Fleet were based, at Sevastopol. Russia solved the situation by simply taking over the Crimea peninsular, including the port of Sevastopol.

An abandoned shopping mall and apartment complex on the left, abandoned shop in the centre and ferris wheel behind. A few of the apartment blocks have been moved into by locals and refugees from the war.

Rust and decay, the overriding theme in Ochamchire and Abkhazia as a whole.

From here i got a ride with the 'hotel' owner to the capital of Abkahzia, Sakhumi.