With the hostilities between Russia and Georgia showing no signs of abating, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has unsurprisingly warned against all travel to the latter.
Fighting in the separatist Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has escalated and the FCO is advising foreign nationals to leave the country as soon as possible.
Land borders with Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan are still open, although the situation in terms of the availability and security of air travel is less clear-cut.
Military bases outside the Georgian capital of Tbilisi have also been targeted by Russian forces, but the British Embassy is organising coach transport for Britons from the city to Yerevan in Armenia.
In addition, fighting has broken out in the upper Kodori Valley (or upper Abkhazia), with reports circulating that Russian troops have gained control of access roads and bridges in all the affected areas.
As a result, the FCO is also advising against any travel whatsoever in a westerly direction from Tbilisi.
The sudden nature of the conflict and the violent levels it has reached in such a short space of time further underlines the importance of having backpacker travel insurance before you head to any country for any reason.
The British Embassy in Georgia can be contacted on 00995 188 687 or 00995 119 693.
