We visited the Holy Trinity Cathedral and some markets and that was about it for the day.
Thursday 19 September 2019
19/9/19 Touristing round Tbilisi
It was a lazy day - hard to get motivated to keep on being a tourist.
We visited the Holy Trinity Cathedral and some markets and that was about it for the day.
We visited the Holy Trinity Cathedral and some markets and that was about it for the day.
18/9/19 Flight back to Tbilisi
After the early morning low cloud cleared, it was a stunning day, so we headed out to get some more photos, with a plan of going up to the glacier in the afternoon.
Before heading to the glacier I decided to run down to the airport, just to see if there was any chance of picking up a flight back to Tbilisi rather than the 3hr bus trip and 5hr train ride that we were planning tomorrow. And there was, but we needed to be there in 30minutes. There wasn't anything available for the next day but we could go on a waiting list just in case there was a cancellation.
I phoned Dermot and we decided we'd give it a go packing up really quickly and getting back down there. I found a taxi to take me back to our hostel, grab Dermot, plus my stuff and take us back to the airport. Then we had to wait around for another hour!
A really memorable, spectacular flight for only AUD45 each, which included a 1hr minibus trip from the Vanilla Airways airstrip into the centre of Tbilisi.
Before heading to the glacier I decided to run down to the airport, just to see if there was any chance of picking up a flight back to Tbilisi rather than the 3hr bus trip and 5hr train ride that we were planning tomorrow. And there was, but we needed to be there in 30minutes. There wasn't anything available for the next day but we could go on a waiting list just in case there was a cancellation.
I phoned Dermot and we decided we'd give it a go packing up really quickly and getting back down there. I found a taxi to take me back to our hostel, grab Dermot, plus my stuff and take us back to the airport. Then we had to wait around for another hour!
A really memorable, spectacular flight for only AUD45 each, which included a 1hr minibus trip from the Vanilla Airways airstrip into the centre of Tbilisi.
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| The airstrip, Mestia, Mt Ushbar and the road up to Kuraldi Lakes |
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| The road from Mestia to Ushguli and the valley heading off at the bottom right up to Ushguli |
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| Not sure which glacier |
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| A pass only accesible by bike I think. We met some Germans who were heading this way |
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| More spectacular views |
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| Not far from Tbilisi |
17/9/19 Rainy day in Mestia
I'd arranged a couple of nights ago, to spend some time in the restaurant kitchen to learn some Georgian cooking. It was a tiny kitchen, no English spoken. I spent a couple of hours there, cutting up some onions and seeing how the meat mixture is prepared for Kubdari. But I still wasn't feeling too great, and was suspicious that I was sick from eating at that restaurant so didn't stay long.
Lots of rain, but we managed to see some sights during clear spells.
Lots of rain, but we managed to see some sights during clear spells.
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| The Sveneti towers of Mestia. Our hostel is the highest one. |
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| Dermot getting the perfect shot |
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| Fresh snow on the mountains |
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| A raging torrent |
16/9/19 Ushguli
Yesterday Dermot had a ride back down the hill with a good driver in a good car and found out about going to Ushguli with him, so we decided to head there today.
Johnnie said he'd leave at 9am, but when his vehicle wasn't full he kept on delaying. There was only one other couple - Bebbe and Joost from the Netherlands. The forecast was for rain in the afternoon so we were pretty keen to get going. Eventually we changed vehicles and headed off. This seems to be a common occurence - the drivers are pretty keen to wait around until they have a full load.
I'd thrown up during the night so wasn't feeling the best :-( I think it was something I'd eaten. It meant I didn't have much energy to go exploring, but just wandering around the UNESCO village of Ushguli, with all its Sveneti towers was great.
Unfortunately a lot of the buildings are empty and falling down, and I think tourism and development will rapidly destroy the place. The village is at 2,100m in a beautiful valley, surrounded by mountains, with horses and cows grazing in the hillsides and people working in the fields.
We even got to see Mose from the film Dede that we'd watched last night.
Johnnie said he'd leave at 9am, but when his vehicle wasn't full he kept on delaying. There was only one other couple - Bebbe and Joost from the Netherlands. The forecast was for rain in the afternoon so we were pretty keen to get going. Eventually we changed vehicles and headed off. This seems to be a common occurence - the drivers are pretty keen to wait around until they have a full load.
I'd thrown up during the night so wasn't feeling the best :-( I think it was something I'd eaten. It meant I didn't have much energy to go exploring, but just wandering around the UNESCO village of Ushguli, with all its Sveneti towers was great.
Unfortunately a lot of the buildings are empty and falling down, and I think tourism and development will rapidly destroy the place. The village is at 2,100m in a beautiful valley, surrounded by mountains, with horses and cows grazing in the hillsides and people working in the fields.
We even got to see Mose from the film Dede that we'd watched last night.
15/9/19 Koruldi Lakes
While we were down at a cafe having some breakfast, a Romanian woman approached us asking if we wanted to share a 4WD taxi with her and her Dutch husband up to Koruldi Lakes at 2,500m - a very steep rough track up there. 75GEL/couple (about AUD38.50). So we agreed.
Then we saw the vehicle we were going in - a very old clapped out Lada. Dermot wasn't impressed - dust pouring in through the almost non-existent wheel hub. And the woman never stopped talking all the way. And a Dutch couple in a 4WD in front of us were way out of their depth trying to negotiate the track and our driver kept on having to stop and help them. We eventually got past and the driver took off in frustration, but way too fast for the conditions. After being yelled at, he slowed down.
Our mates got out here to head off on a 7hr hike, so Dermot decided to get out too. I was happy to keep going up to the lakes. They're not that impressive, but the views were, looking across to the other side of the valley where we were yesterday.
You can't see them but there are actually 2 trail runners in this photo! Who knows where they came from or where they were going.
The driver took it really carefully back down and delivered me safely back to Mestia.
During the evening we went and watched the film Dede. Set in the Sveneti region, mainly Ushguli, with mainly locals in the cast. It's worth watching for the scenery alone. I think you can download it.
Then we saw the vehicle we were going in - a very old clapped out Lada. Dermot wasn't impressed - dust pouring in through the almost non-existent wheel hub. And the woman never stopped talking all the way. And a Dutch couple in a 4WD in front of us were way out of their depth trying to negotiate the track and our driver kept on having to stop and help them. We eventually got past and the driver took off in frustration, but way too fast for the conditions. After being yelled at, he slowed down.
Our mates got out here to head off on a 7hr hike, so Dermot decided to get out too. I was happy to keep going up to the lakes. They're not that impressive, but the views were, looking across to the other side of the valley where we were yesterday.
You can't see them but there are actually 2 trail runners in this photo! Who knows where they came from or where they were going.
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| Our trusty Lada |
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| Looking down on Mestia with the chairlift going up the other side of the valley |
During the evening we went and watched the film Dede. Set in the Sveneti region, mainly Ushguli, with mainly locals in the cast. It's worth watching for the scenery alone. I think you can download it.
14/9/19 Hatsvali Ski Resort
Woke up to a beautiful day. Caught the chairlift half way up to the top of the ridge south of Mestia. The chairlift to get all the way to the top wasn't going, so a tough couple of hours getting to the top up the ski slopes.
The view from the top, across to Mt Ushba at over 5,000m and a glacier.
From there it was a 3km hike out to what was meant to be an even better lookout. We met a young couple, Hannah and Lawrence from Wales and England, along the way so walked with them.
View from the top, then a steep trip back down.
In the evening, we went to a great restaurant with Hannah and Lawrence. Local Georgian food and singing.
The view from the top, across to Mt Ushba at over 5,000m and a glacier.
From there it was a 3km hike out to what was meant to be an even better lookout. We met a young couple, Hannah and Lawrence from Wales and England, along the way so walked with them.
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| Great views along the way |
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| Perfect campsite |
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| Hannah and Lawrence |
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| Doesn't look anywhere near as steep as it actually was |
In the evening, we went to a great restaurant with Hannah and Lawrence. Local Georgian food and singing.
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19/9/19 Touristing round Tbilisi
It was a lazy day - hard to get motivated to keep on being a tourist. We visited the Holy Trinity Cathedral and some markets and that was ...