4 days bushcamp = 4 days luxury
Saturday, May 22, 2010
After 5 weeks travelling we have discovered the majority of our group are more outdoorsy country types who would prefer a nice hike to long days in a busy city. After a night or two in a hotel we’re all glad to be back in our tents, not because the other accommodation we’ve stayed in has been bad (it’s actually been really good) but because the trip was designed as an adventure and the camping nights are always the best. So the crew are looking into as much camps along the way as possible (with the optional upgrade for those not up for the challenge) and this starts with 4 nights bushcamp in the mountains of Georgia.
Rich, Kaye and Darrell headed for Tblisi, leaving the rest of the group camping next to an old fortress where we were joined by some cows, pigs, dogs and hundreds of fireflies. Tblisi is one of our last stops in Georgia and the rest of the group are spending a week to get there, so we will join the others hopefully with a shiny Chinese visa for Kaye (fingers crossed).
The next day a full truck stock up took place in the markets of Kutaisi, which was our first proper market. Amazing to see locals buzzing around actually buying stuff, whereas previously they have all been quite toursity, you definitely wouldn’t find a pig hanging in plain sight with its entrails in full view in the Grand Bazaar!
The second bushcamp on route towards Kazbegi was next to a set of caves similar to Goreme which have been inhabited since 300 BC, but most opted for a night around the camp fire. Unfortunately Nick suffered a broken toe in the morning while packing up the camp site, so a rush to the hospital and an OTT “stooky” later he is on the mend. We visited Stalins museum in Gori, which was quite bizarre as it did mention that he was born there and all his "charity work" but failed to mention the millions of lives he was responsible for ending.
Nights 3 and 4 were to be in the small village of Kazbegi, right next to the Russian border and a stones throw away from Ossetia, although I’m not sure if you would want to through a stone at either in case an invasion kicked off again which occurred here a few years ago. We drove up the “Georgian Military Highway” which gave many spectacular views and some wincing faces due to the sheer drops; also we welcomed back Rich and Kaye (who got her visa) after their rendezvous in Tblisi- we’re meeting Darrell there for a big reunion on Tuesday (we miss you mincer!). Everyone hiked up to the Sameba church which is the most famous landmark in Georgia according to the lonely planet book, but once we arrived we were warned not to talk/eat/drink/breathe in case of upsetting God but still welcome to spend money in their gift shop, so it seems the lonely planet recommendations have gone to their head!
Zaza our guide treated us to some “shashlik” at night which is a traditional Georgian dish in our first wet night of the trip, the good luck with the sun gods had to end at some point!
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