Jason and the Argonauts country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Trip Start
Feb 15, 2006
1
45
47
Trip End
May 19, 2006
Loading Map
Batumi,
Georgia
Thursday, May 11, 2006
In search of the Golden Fleece.....
Wow! what a day, having got in such a strop on the bus to Trabzon a couple of days ago, I've revived the forgotten plan of visiting the south Caucasus, all be it with only one week remaining.
Man as I walked over no mans land at the border the place just felt so cool! The incomprehensible language (Georgian has no relation to any other language, its not Sematic or Cryillic or Endo European (Latin) in Origen. It has an alphabet rather than characters but other than that I'm stumped!) with a 35 letter alphabet that is completely indervidual to anything else. I was grinning from ear to ear going through customs, even if I couldn't understand a word they were saying (speaking 'foreign' means speaking Russian to these Georgian authorities or so it would seem)!
On my arrival in Batumi, I felt like I was on the Caribeaian, the black sea looked stunning, it was stinking hot and the houses were on stilts! However I was very lost! Nobody could understand me or my map and I didn't want a cab (not that they understood ATM any how) But as always when in an out of the way place an American Peace Core worker will come to the rescue! Which was great. The only down side to going drinking with Kris and her friends was I saw VERY LĘTTLE of Batumi other than the bank, the bar, the train ticket office and her home stay. Well I can see it all on the way out. I don't think there is any way I would have got my night train ticket with out them. As she was going to Tbilisi tomorrow I think the fact I turned down the offer of a bed in favor of the night train was seen as a slant, so the least I could do was brighten up their week/month/year and spend the after noon in the bar.
I know the country only sees a few tourists but I wonder what the number are as all that Kris could talk about was how 3 weeks ago she saw two tourists but never said HI! and regretted it. Come on ! there has to be more than that?
Absolutly love the writing, haven't any shots yet but I will!
