I'm going to have 17 days in total to spend in these countries. I'm arriving in Kutaisi and leaving from Tbilisi, and am planning on doing a big loop. If I get my entry permit I plan on spending a night in Abkhazia, and I also plan on going to Nagorno-Karabakh.
But other than this, I'm quite stuck. Not because there's a lack of anything to do, but because there's just so much. Has anybody been to these regions, that can perhaps recommend what might be worth skipping? Especially in Armenia there are so many monasteries, it's really difficult to gauge what is and isn't worth seeing.
A second question that I have is regarding travel and staying. I'm basically going to have to get around by bus or train, and I understand that buses are the main mode of transport between cities and villages. I get the impression that the distances between places really aren't that big, but how is the speed and frequency of the buses? Will it significantly eat up the amount of time I have to visit? I'm kind of worried that I will end up spending more time in a bus seat than not, if I want to see more than two or three regions. Also accommodation outside of the big cities - is it necessary to pre-book, or can I just turn up? I don't mind what kind of accommodation it is, be it a hotel or someone's attic, but I'd just like to know whether generally there are rooms available.
Thanks for your help in advance!