I rode in Balkans in 2017. Border crossing from Bulgaria to Turkey near Burgas took 3 hours. The way back from Turkey to Bulgaria in Kapikule was a little bit more complicated, they requested every vehicle to pass a "disinfection" procedure. As we were on a motorcycle, it was not fun.
We were in eastern Turkey and Georgy in 2018, it was gorgeous trip, these are amazingly beautiful lands! Turkish autobahns are very good, it won't take much time from you to drive from Istanbul to Batumi. Batumi's suburban roads were not in good quality, but closer to Tbilisi it became better.
If I were you, I'd go by land over Turkey on the way to Georgy and take a ferry on the way back. When you just start a journey, your mind eagers for new landscapes, later it becomes replete. Russian visa is complicated, and there is nothing to see on the way to Georgy.
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