27/5/22
Today was moving day. I’d already spent over a week total in Tbilisi and it was time to see something different. I headed from Didube bus station to Kazbegi, the second highest mountain in the area after Elbrus in Russia. I tried to find better hiking shoes in the market since the grip on my trainers has long since worn away. I had no luck and headed to my shared taxi to leave. It was a taxi full of girls and we set off stopping to see a monastery beside a beautiful reservoir, a Russian – Georgian friendship mosaic with a great view, and of course, for hundreds of sheep being shepherded down the road. One of the girls in the taxi was also solo and started talking to me. We exchanged numbers and decided to meet for dinner in the evening.
When we arrived in Kazbegi (Stepantsminda), I went to ditch my stuff in my guest house before going for a walk along the valley to the next village. It was very pretty, if industrial in parts, and I was surprised to find a natural spring pool for swimming. I didn’t opt for it since one, I did not have my swimmers and two, I was alone. There was a couple with a van enjoying the pool though – it looked refreshing!
I met my new friend, Natalie, (a Ukrainian who’s office had relocated her to Georgia a week before the war), at a recommended local restaurant. It had a great view of Kazbegi mountain from the terrace. We drank wine, chatted, ate and drank more wine. At some point, the owner came to wrap us in fleece blankets since it got pretty chilly at night!! After dinner, we headed to Natalie’s terrace for another wine and chocolate with a different view of Kazbegi. The hotel had a supply of blankets which we used all of! I headed home in one of the blankets at around 22.30 since I had a biiiiig hike planned for the next day!
28/5/22
I got up early and ate my breakfast I had bought the day before, before leaving the guest house at 08.30 – not a bad effort I thought!! I hoped to reach the glacier next to Kazbegi, but it was early in the season so I was unsure how snowy it would be. Apparently, the hike took 7-9 hours so I figured if I allowed 10 hours, all should be well!
First I hiked up a valley past the famous Gergeti church, which is as much as most people see of Kazbegi! Bizarrely, although Georgia has amazing hiking, most people (Georgians and tourists alike) don’t hike. The majority of people drive or get a taxi to the church, which is an hour walk from the town, and nearly noone goes any closer to Kazbegi mountain!
I saw two girls going up, who disappeared after the first hill or so. Later, I chatted to a friendly Russian couple just as we met the snow line and since I was dressed without a coat, they were a little concerned for me and even offered me a hot drink!! On the way down I saw more walkers, an Israeli couple, a German couple and solo German guy, named Herman. The Israeli couple offered cookies around, which I obviously accepted (gratefully of course!), and I chatted to the German guy awhile since he was trying to figure out his Georgia route.
I returned to visit the church around 3pm to find it packed out. The view was nice, but obviously not as good as in the mountains. I walked back down the valley, stopping at the first cafe on the edge of the town for a tea and kachapuri. The guy spoke no English, but was very friendly and in the end, he was so keen that I tried his family wine, he gave me a large glass for free! It was nice for free wine, and the garden had a gorgeous view!
After showering and changing, I headed back out to meet Natalie for our second dinner date, and to return the blanket she had lent me the day before!! We ordered shashlil, Georgian kebabs with salad and bread, which was very tasty, and if course more homemade wine. Once the sun had gone down, we went our separate ways as I was very ready to sleep after a long day of being outdoors!!
29/5/22
I met Natalie early in Stepantsminda as we were going to travel back to Tbilisi together. Luckily, there was a marshutka about to leave as we got to the bus ‘station’. We grabbed a bakery breakfast before beginning our journey back. It was going to be a long day for me – once I arrived in Tbilisi, I would change buses and continue on to Kutaisi!
In Tbilisi, I said goodbye to Natalie and headed in search of my next bus. I found one and got in. We left within the hour. I arrived in Kutaisi a longggg while later, fed up of buses!!
wanderingwelshie travels 