Iliani Hotel Tbilisi

... speaking police and customs, all chatting with us as we briefly wait for our passports to be recorded and we were off on the road to the capital, Tbilisi.

The rain came down and we had a wet run into the city in the dark, scanning the roadside for a hotel.

On the outskirts, we came across a likely place and had a look, seemed fine and checked-in. Quick shower, and asked reception about a restaurant as it ...

... I think it's a pretty common problem, since the cafe we visited had gas lights and gas heating in addition to the electric lightbulbs. It was hard getting our bearings in the town, since everything listed in the guidebook as an option for lunch was closed. I finally whipped out my super cool Russian skills (and hand gestures, and pictures...) when the minibus driver asked why we looked lost, and asked for a cafe. He told us of a ...

... lies directly in the town and is the best example of Georgian orthodox church architecture. The overall feeling is different than in western christianity chureches. There's a round dome in the nave crossing with narrow windows letting just distinct rays of light into the gloom inside. The interiors used to be fully covered in frescoes picturing saints' life in much more realistic way than stupid gothic paintings in western churches do [and one can directly see who's the saint since ...

... Its a bit like a lunar landscape with these mini volcanoes about 6 to 10 feet high that belch and spit out this grey mud which then oozes down the landscape. All through the night I could hear them ******* and being generally flatulent. It would have been a good place to disguise any personal flatulence but my internal organs have gone on a day on day off appraoch to solid pooing and that was their day off so any attempt at flatulence would have been ...

... photos of old houses, derelict church full of burnt books, photo in hot, humid bakery cellar of the classic oven while buying bread. Chew on hot bread all the way up to the funicular entrance. Find it a work site, with the heavy Soviet concrete being covered by a metal flower form. The funicular should be operational, but behind schedule. We are now a fair way up the hill, so continue up the zigzag road to the Mamadaviti church ...

... honour of the old city. When we came back to the taxi, the driver murmured something we didn't understand, but he pointed on the back seat, and petrified me: I forgot my wallet in the back seat. In other places, a driver could have taken the wallet and drive away, but this driver was honest enough to stay there, and wait for the payment. I'm not sure I was lucky - later I was told the this is the mentality of the Georgians. Nice story - but I prefer if it wouldn't have ...

... An hour later, we going up and over grassy hills on a dirt road, but the snow drifts had accumulated in the tracks up higher. We were stuck. For one hour, I pushed and we dug snow from around the taxi. Finally we were freed, but returned back to Rustavi, as the road was impassable, wýth 10 kilometers to go and late afternoon approaching. Winter travel has its obvious pitfalls including impassable roads. Several times more in Georgia, my "schedule ...

... Juba hakati meile helistama, et meeskoor hakkab lahkuma. Me ei jätnud jonni ja lõpuks leidsime poe, kes rahuldas meie soovi. Edasi juba palusime juhil teha kiiremat sõitu, sest teised ootavad. Meile helistati iga kahe min. tagant, kus olete? Juht ei olnud papist poiss. Vana surus Zigulli gaasi läbi põranda ja nii me sõitsime 150-ga läbi linna. Ausalt öeldes oli see karm sõit... Ka mulle meeldib vähe nobedamalt lasta, aga see oli küll liiast. Tänav, kus me sõitsime oli suht vilka ...

... on the aeroplane I am sure. Anyway, in typical Katsande fashion we rushed to the Trauma Centre just as the real dancing began - honestly. Muni is all right though and back at school. I left for Rome shortly after having experienced a wedding, a quick dash to the hospital and a wheel flying off. I kid you not travelling at high speed the front left tyre flew. I mean are these omens from the ...

... guard who decided that since we had officially left the country we were eligible to buy new visas! $50 and we had only just stepped over the line. However at this point our night in shining armour turned up in the form of a short squat Armenian fellow with his van load of grannies and their fresh fruit produce. A lift back into the heart of Armenia and a very nice taxi driver got us safely to the big border, where 2 ...