Yesterday we left Quba and drove up into the Caucasus mountains for the day. It was only about 50kms, but we stopped a number of times for photos and tea along the way, so it took us quite a while to get there.

The village is nestled on the side of the mountain and overlooks other peaks that are still covered in snow. It is working towards UNESCO world heritage classification, which takes years to achieve.

Most of the houses have stone foundations and then assorted materials on the upper floors. The roofs of many of the houses are flat and people stand on them. We saw two little kids playing with toy cars on one of the sloping tin roofs, they were having a ball.

The tracks leading up between the houses would be treacherous in winter, and there are no railings! Cars and trucks do manage to drive up some of the wider paths, but I imagine it would be tough going for the older members of the 700 or so inhabitants.

A villager invited us in for tea, and with the help of Rasim, our driver, Jo and I were able to ask lots of questions about the village and the school. What a unique opportunity!

On the way home we stopped in the forest and had kebabs for dinner. A perfect end to a wonderful day.