She said Yes!

Entering Georgia from Azerbaijan was easily our fastest and most pain free border crossing to date, apart from a short but friendly detaining for Linc over the issue of the souvenir knife he uses to chop fruit.  The truck beating the group was a first, completing customs on both sides within 23 minutes.  “Welcome to Georgia” said the smiley immigration official to each of us on stamping our passports.

Linc being detained on arrival into Georgia

Our first bush camp, just the other side of the border, lay within the Lagodekhi Nature Reserve.  A wonderful time of year to be in the forested reserve, autumn in full swing, leaves impossible shades of gold blanketing the ground and falling from the trees like confetti.  The sudden immersion back into the countryside released energy anew in us.  Some using a tree stump as a trampoline jumping ninja style through the trees, Adrian displaying a martial art puzzle of putting a raw egg between the hands of two people facing each other and putting all your pressure whilst not breaking the egg.  Whilst we were busy leaping through the air and sitting enjoying the afternoon sunshine, Sam was up to something else in the woods…

Obligatory friends in Georgian bush camps

Mark flying through the forest

Followed closely by Rich

Linc flying like a ninja

Adrian and an egg

Pressed between two hands

And not breaking... a martial arts mystery

Hels, Vicky & Mark in the afternoon sunshine

Zaza, our local guide for Georgia, arrived with the small gift of 10 litres of red wine “what is 10 litres among 24 people” he said with a shrug of the shoulders.  With 99% of Georgians making their own wine, each considering themselves the best at it, they are only too happy to share.

Phill & Rae relaxing in camp

Lisa & Tan having eaten berries

Local collecting logs in the forest

Over dinner, Phill, Sam’s dad, stood to make the announcement that Sam had proposed to Mindy that afternoon in the forest, and she said yes!  A happy surprise for us all, not least Mindy.  Georgia was getting even better by the minute.  Not only the scenery but also the best bread we’ve had on the trip.  Bakeries hidden behind small windows in every town, making it fresh to order, too hot to handle when it comes out of the oven!  No camp is complete without a friendly dog, usually appearing in fine condition, just happy to gallop over for a bit of affection.

Mindy & Sam's official engagement photos

From Lagodekhi we had a short drive utilising the roof seats for an even better view as we wound our way up to Sighnaghi, a walled fortress city perched on top of a hill.  Italianate in style with cobbled streets and galleried houses.

The kiwi's find their home

Signaghi on the hill

Roof seats in action

Barb & Rae on the roof

Rich, Vicky, Mark & Anna, ready for anything

Sue & Dr Bruce

Rich & Tan

A persimmon tree

Tasty pressed dried fruit sheets

Mmmm cheese

The hospitality in Georgia must be virtually unrivalled, the crew on checking out the three guesthouses we would split into were forced to sit and drink a carafe of wine with one of the hosts, before handing out the keys to the group who were tucking into some fresh bread whilst waiting on the street.  On leaving we were then armed with a bulging bag of persimmons.

Some of the group had their first taste of the local firewater Cha Cha.  The residents of Lali’s Guesthouse decided to stay in for a home cooked meal, with wine refills on tap it wasn’t long before the stereo was playing cheesy Euro pop and Lali led them on to the dance floor for a jig.

Lali's homestay - the party house

Dancing with Lali

Dr Bruce & Sue

The great thing about Georgia is there is so much to see and nothing is too far apart.  On our way to Telavi we stopped off at Gremi, the old capital of the Kakheti region before the Persians invaded.  Climbing up the old Citadel and marveling at the 16^th Century frescoes in the church.

The ubiquitous Lada

Fancy a cabbage?

Gremi citadel

The pretty Georgian script

Inside, the 16th Century frescoes

25km later we stopped off in Telavi for lunch, shopping and a quick wander before heading to set up camp for the evening in a large meadow overlooking the snow-capped Caucasus mountains.  Tonight would be Mindy & Sam’s official engagement celebration combined with a jovial Georgian wine tasting.  A short wander through the village lanes brought us to Petriashvili Wine Cellar where glasses and jugs of wine and snacks were laid out and waiting for us.  A small operation making traditional Georgian wine, meaning nothing is added and nothing taken away, the wine is aged with stalks, pips and all in massive clay vats buried underground.  Not the same taste that most of us are used to with the European processes and not to everyone’s liking, but it was certainly drinkable and better by the glass!

Grand buildings in Telavi

This one'll be selling pork then...

Telavi market

The party invite

Some young visitors and their dog

Scene of the crime

Rich & Mark

Zaza and our host

Vicky, Hels, Tan & Lisa - looking, sniffing, and tasting

Lisa after her first glass

Dumpling making

Lisa doing a great job pouring the wine

Chris, Anna & Barb

Our favourite Georgian dish - aubergine/eggplant stuffed with walnut paste

Don't play with your food!

Zaza had gone ahead the previous evening to make further preparations and produced a heart-shaped engagement cake and Chinese lanterns.  Often banned in other countries and probably for good reason.  They took off gracefully from Sam & Mindy’s arms and flew straight into the top of the nearest tree where they got stuck and burnt like beacons.

Susie toasts the happy couple

Sam and Mindy drink from the ceremonial horn

The celebration cake

Robbie the cake tray licker strikes again

Vicky, with thanks to Mark

Preparing the Chinese lanterns

Mindy

A brilliant evening was had by all, some walking, others staggering or even carried back to camp where the Beatles blasted out from the truck, Dirty Dancing moves were re-enacted and a cabbage was turned into a rugby ball before being eaten between passes.

Fuzzy heads and fantastic views the next day as we drove up to a 1,600m pass to within fifty metres of the Azerbaijan border.  Tight switchbacks, second gear only ascent, the way roads should be.  The views changed from snowy mountains and tree-lined roads to a semi-desert lunar landscape.  Rolling hills and derelict buildings from failed Soviet agricultural projects led us to the Davit Gareja Monastery complex.  We visited the main monastery, dating from the 6^th Century with some parts faithfully reconstructed.  Zaza our guide worked there for a number of years and was also married there so gave a great insight into the area.

Morning visitor the next day

Dismantling camp

Another friendly visitor collecting firewood

And a happy dog

Fresh bread for lunch

Davit Gareja monastery

Hels & Rogs catching the sunset 

Moon rise over camp

Another beautiful bushcamp, and not as freezing as expected, in fact the nights have been considerably warmer than the start of the trip in Tibet.  Bisto gravy and Coleman’s Mustard brought out from the UK accompanied tasty Georgian sausages, flavoured with pomegranate seeds, a surprisingly good mix.  Served with mashed potatoes, carrots and roasted beetroot.  Did we mention weight gain in Georgia?

A short drive into Tbilisi the next day where we had a an enjoyable relaxed walking tour around the city with Zaza. Wandering the old town in depth where European and Asian architecture meet.

A few nights spent in the capital enabled our group of weary travellers a chance to refresh themselves and also enjoy a great evening out, treated to some traditional Georgian dances that you won’t see the likes of in the night clubs back home!