Day 1
I woke up at 4 . Quickly dressed and went to bus station. I was earlier worried about getting a visa. Yesterday a fellow told me that you only need Qatar Rp and Indian passport. I took the flight. The security line was unusually busy.my gate was D24. It was far. When I got there, I looked around for any Indian faces. I could find one couple but unfortunately I didn't talk to them. By my side was a beautiful woman. I just sat there staring at her exposed thighs. She was speaking with some other guys in Russian. The flight had a stop at Baku,Azerbaijan. The arrival was nit that smooth too. On my way, I saw snow capped mountains for the first time. I thought it was Alps. But I was very wrong. It was Iraq. I didn't knew that Iraq had snow. It was beautiful. And after sometime I again saw snow capped mountains. This surely must be Swiss alps. I was wrong. When I arrived at Baku,when I saw the workers wearing very tight wool, I was afraid. I heard that it's 5 degrees now in that flight, a man fell sick. The doctor came. His fellow passenger was asking them to feed him Whiskey. ohh those Russians...
An hour later, we arrived at Tbilisi airport. I was glad that I was not the only international visitor. I could see some Philippines as well. When we arrived at visa counter, the guy asked purpose of visit. I said tourism. He said how long. I said 2 days. He wasn't happy. I could the question ' will you go back after 2 days, what assurances do we have ' from his face. He asked me to go to another counter. I was getting a but nervous. I was happy to see some African natives. Suddenly Cathy from Qatar Airways came and he asked me if I was a staff. I didn't take the Qatar Airways Id card. However, in the backside of my passport was a seal of Qatar Airways. The guy took me to another counter. The woman looked sharply and gave me it. I didn't gave them the ticket or hotel rreservation. Probably that's why they weren't so happy.
Anyways, I went out and saw my driver holding my name. I went to him. He said money exchange and then I remembered that I should take money. Outside was cold. But only my hands was feeling bad. In the car the driver told me that he doesn't know English. He knows Georgian, Russian. The road to hotel was ironic. It was beautiful and it was bad. When I arrived at the hotel, I was afraid that the driver was kidnapping me. It was a ghetto. Anyway, the host, maka was good. She knew English. I went to my room. It was a good room. I put my bag down and came back. She advised me to take a metro. The station name was Isani. I have to go Agarveli. And then to liberty square and then to rastaveli avenue. She wrote it all down.I was confused. She went out with me. She asked me to cross the road only using a subway. And she said that I would notice a supermarket and to the right of it is metro station. on my way, I went to supermarket. I wanted a cig badly. They confused it with cigar. I came out. I went to a small shop. I said cigarette she pulled out L&M I said lighter. She frowned and took the lighter. I took the lighter. She reached out to cigarette to put it back. I said NO and she was relieved. On my way, u saw a boy asking for alms. I looked at him. He looked at me. Then he ran after me. I didn't gave him anything. He cursed me. With help of some natives I finally located the metro station.
I have to buy a metro card now which can be used in bus and cable car. I gave her 5 gel. then I swiped the card. The elevator going down was too long. It smelled very bad. I waited for metro. I got into the first one. Reached avalabari. it was a busy station. I saw a church. Maka was telling about churches. I thought that was the church. I didn't feel awe . I was disappointed that if this was the awesome church. Then I stood there studying maps. I crossed the road, went down a stone paved road and reached Europe square. I saw a cable car going up to what looks like an old fort. I remembered her talking about narikala fortress and a 6th century church. I took the cable car. Two Arab speaking guys were sitting there. I said ' aslamu alaiku ' to them. They returned the compliment. Up top, I saw mother of Georgia, a big statue.
I saw a coffee shop and ordered an Americano. I couldn't hold the cup. My hand was freezing. Coffee was dripping all over.
I then went down to the fort. It also had a 6th century church.
On my way up to the fort, my camera fell down. I heard the sound by mere luck. When I reached home, I realized that I lost 40 GEL. After that I retired. I was very tired. I ordered food
I couldn't eat that so I left it for next day. I also met the owner Maya. She told me a lot about Georgia and all. She also gave me some home made wine. I slept with my purse tucked inside my underwear. There's no place else that I would trust.
Day 2
I woke up at 4 . Quickly dressed and went to bus station. I was earlier worried about getting a visa. Yesterday a fellow told me that you only need Qatar Rp and Indian passport. I took the flight. The security line was unusually busy.my gate was D24. It was far. When I got there, I looked around for any Indian faces. I could find one couple but unfortunately I didn't talk to them. By my side was a beautiful woman. I just sat there staring at her exposed thighs. She was speaking with some other guys in Russian. The flight had a stop at Baku,Azerbaijan. The arrival was nit that smooth too. On my way, I saw snow capped mountains for the first time. I thought it was Alps. But I was very wrong. It was Iraq. I didn't knew that Iraq had snow. It was beautiful. And after sometime I again saw snow capped mountains. This surely must be Swiss alps. I was wrong. When I arrived at Baku,when I saw the workers wearing very tight wool, I was afraid. I heard that it's 5 degrees now in that flight, a man fell sick. The doctor came. His fellow passenger was asking them to feed him Whiskey. ohh those Russians...
An hour later, we arrived at Tbilisi airport. I was glad that I was not the only international visitor. I could see some Philippines as well. When we arrived at visa counter, the guy asked purpose of visit. I said tourism. He said how long. I said 2 days. He wasn't happy. I could the question ' will you go back after 2 days, what assurances do we have ' from his face. He asked me to go to another counter. I was getting a but nervous. I was happy to see some African natives. Suddenly Cathy from Qatar Airways came and he asked me if I was a staff. I didn't take the Qatar Airways Id card. However, in the backside of my passport was a seal of Qatar Airways. The guy took me to another counter. The woman looked sharply and gave me it. I didn't gave them the ticket or hotel rreservation. Probably that's why they weren't so happy.
Anyways, I went out and saw my driver holding my name. I went to him. He said money exchange and then I remembered that I should take money. Outside was cold. But only my hands was feeling bad. In the car the driver told me that he doesn't know English. He knows Georgian, Russian. The road to hotel was ironic. It was beautiful and it was bad. When I arrived at the hotel, I was afraid that the driver was kidnapping me. It was a ghetto. Anyway, the host, maka was good. She knew English. I went to my room. It was a good room. I put my bag down and came back. She advised me to take a metro. The station name was Isani. I have to go Agarveli. And then to liberty square and then to rastaveli avenue. She wrote it all down.I was confused. She went out with me. She asked me to cross the road only using a subway. And she said that I would notice a supermarket and to the right of it is metro station. on my way, I went to supermarket. I wanted a cig badly. They confused it with cigar. I came out. I went to a small shop. I said cigarette she pulled out L&M I said lighter. She frowned and took the lighter. I took the lighter. She reached out to cigarette to put it back. I said NO and she was relieved. On my way, u saw a boy asking for alms. I looked at him. He looked at me. Then he ran after me. I didn't gave him anything. He cursed me. With help of some natives I finally located the metro station.
I have to buy a metro card now which can be used in bus and cable car. I gave her 5 gel. then I swiped the card. The elevator going down was too long. It smelled very bad. I waited for metro. I got into the first one. Reached avalabari. it was a busy station. I saw a church. Maka was telling about churches. I thought that was the church. I didn't feel awe . I was disappointed that if this was the awesome church. Then I stood there studying maps. I crossed the road, went down a stone paved road and reached Europe square. I saw a cable car going up to what looks like an old fort. I remembered her talking about narikala fortress and a 6th century church. I took the cable car. Two Arab speaking guys were sitting there. I said ' aslamu alaiku ' to them. They returned the compliment. Up top, I saw mother of Georgia, a big statue.
I saw a coffee shop and ordered an Americano. I couldn't hold the cup. My hand was freezing. Coffee was dripping all over.
I then went down to the fort. It also had a 6th century church.
On my way up to the fort, my camera fell down. I heard the sound by mere luck. When I reached home, I realized that I lost 40 GEL. After that I retired. I was very tired. I ordered food
I couldn't eat that so I left it for next day. I also met the owner Maya. She told me a lot about Georgia and all. She also gave me some home made wine. I slept with my purse tucked inside my underwear. There's no place else that I would trust.
Day 2
woke up at all odd times. even woke up at 6 . it was too dark and too cold. finally i woke up at 9am. breakfast time. Maka served some sausages,bread and some other things. i couldnt eat most of it. i actually thought that they would arrange for a guide. but it didnt happen, she wrote me some places in a paper.and asked me to take a bus. i went to some station by metro and outside i asked for bus. a guy took me all around and finally i saw the bus station. it was 1 GEL. i got into the bus. i try to ask the place to some people bu they were all embaressed because they didnt know english. they replied back to me in georgian. i atlast reached swasthavakeli. i may be wrong about the place . while i was walking towards a church , i saw a philippine. i was relieved. i asked him in english. he knew english. he guided me with Google Maps. i now understand the importance of Google Map in Solo travel or in a place where they dont know the language. the church was amazing. in the backdrop of that church was Juari, my next destination. it was on a hilltop. Maka told me it would be 15 GEL. but she didnt tell me if it was two way or not. i went into the church. its work was very old. when i got out , i saw a tourist information center who has an english speaker. she asked me why so many indians are coming . i said because of visa regulations. she wasn't satisfied, then i came to know that Jesus's tunic at the time of crucification was supposedly in the church. i walked outside. it was stone paved. i was walking in a stone paved way for the first time. i saw a pakistani man and his beautiful wife and a child. i tried not to look at her as much. one of the wine sellers gave them the wine with honey flavour, i knowing that he is a muslim, took it. outside i saw a taxi ,i only asked Juari. he didnt know how to say 25 so he typed it in his mobile. i agreed. maka said 15 .so i calculated 30 and its a profit.
So thus my travel to Juari.when i reached there, i was mesmerized. it was so beautiful. i took some photos. on my way back, two americans was also in my car. one girl and one boy . they said thank you in Georgian. all the time i was in case i was worried that Maka said it was 15 GEL for two way. when the american's gave 10 GEL for one side, i was OK. then i dragged myself to a monastery. i saw a child being baptized. it was only a couple of people. thus ended my day. a girl helped me with catching a bus to Tblisi. i went to Rastaveli avenue, there , i heard was a beatles Club. i couldn't find one however.i saw an Elvis Club. people were pointing it in all directions. and atlast when i found a map, i was sure that i was closed down. i had a beer and went to a museum. on my way, i saw a Jehowah witness lady , Lini . she said 'mera nam Lini hei'i was impressed. i said to her that the work she does is very good. she wanted me to come to their daily meeting. i bought a beatles 'strummer' i got back to my hotel tired i had some food leftover from yesterday. i ate it and slept. this time i didnt took drastic steps like hiding purse inside me.
Day 3
Day 3
