If you love big mountains, the sea and the beauty of pristine nature, then Georgia is a must-visit. It’s impossible not to fall in love with this country on the first day.
Firstly, there are very picturesque mountains, the cleanest air and the most delicious water. Secondly, the most hospitable and friendly people. Thirdly, inexpensive delicious food and excellent wine. Fourthly, security in the country is at a very high level. Fifthly, you don’t need a visa or insurance, and the Russian language is understood by 80% of the population over 40 years old. Young people understand English better. Sixthly, Georgia (Iveria) is the first destiny of the Mother of God. It accepted the Orthodox faith and baptism more than 600 years earlier than Rus'; the country carefully preserves its history, thousand-year-old churches and monasteries.
Georgia has everything: mountains, sea, waterfalls, caves, canyons, steppe, desert, grape valleys, mineral waters, healing sands. Any Georgian will tell you a beautiful legend about how God distributed lands between nations, when everything had already been distributed, the Georgians came. When asked why they were late, the Georgians replied that they were admiring the beauty that God had created, having feasts and making toasts in his honor. God liked these cheerful, hospitable people, and he gave them a small piece of paradise, which he kept for himself. They called this land Georgia.
I hope you have already started planning a trip to this wonderful country. Today I will show you photographs of our trip and tell you about all the main organizational aspects of the trip to Georgia. In the next part of the report I will show the main attractions (with addresses and coordinates) that we saw (I hope to write about them in detail over time, believe me, they are worth it).
So, in the first part of the report you will find the following information about Georgia:
Travel planning
This trip was a birthday present for me. I think many will agree with me that the best gift for a traveler is to visit a city or country that you have long dreamed of. On such a special day, I always try to choose a place with an atmosphere of happiness, a place that will be remembered for many years.
This time the proposal came from my husband, and even just before leaving for a big summer trip to Belarus, Lithuania and Poland. He simply said: “Do you want us to go to Tbilisi for your birthday?” “Well, of course I want to!!!” I immediately open Booking, book an apartment for 3 days in the center of Tbilisi and leave to travel to Europe.
There was no long preparation, because initially we were going to go only for reconnaissance, see a little of the capital and sit in a good restaurant, celebrating the holiday. But appetite comes with eating. The more I theoretically studied Georgia, the more I wanted to see it.
Literally 10 days before the trip we finally decided on the timing, place of residence and route:
- three days Tbilisi;
- three days in Batumi;
- one day Stepantsminda (Kazbegi).
Preparation, documents, navigation
There was no preparation as such. All decisions were made spontaneously, almost on the fly. So we made our life more difficult, and our vacation turned into a continuous road because of the desire to see all the beauty of the country at one time. Despite this, I still remember with delight every stop on our route.
Route map.
The car must be prepared carefully. After all, this is a country of mountain roads and serpentines, so the oil, tires, spark plugs, and battery must be checked.
You will not need any documents other than a passport. And, of course, documents for the car.
Navigation is more difficult. We have iGo maps downloaded and updated, but not all roads are marked there. A good helper was the program on the smartphone Maps.me - offline maps.
Best time to travel to Georgia
Georgia is good at any time of the year. In winter, ski holidays are actively developing; such resorts as Gudauri, Bakuriani, and Svaneti are known far beyond the country’s borders. Spring has its own charm in the awakening of nature.
In spring and early summer, when the snow on the peaks begins to melt, mudflows may descend from the mountains. The road connecting Georgia with Russia is closed for several days until it is cleared. We have to take a detour - through Azerbaijan and Makhachkala, and this is an extra 1,000 km. Entry and exit through Abkhazia and South Ossetia is prohibited.
Summer is the time for mass tourism and a large flow of cars at the border.
Autumn is comfortable in every sense. For myself, I concluded that the best time in Georgia is from August to October. An abundance of fruits and vegetables, a warm sea, what can I say, I’d rather show you the September photographs of our trip, you will see everything for yourself.
Border
You can enter Georgia by car only from the Cross Pass. The path to the border crossing passes through the Republic of North Ossetia, the city of Vladikavkaz, to the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint.
I was driving through North Ossetia for the first time. I read a lot of reviews about traffic police ambushes on the roads, but we followed the traffic rules, we didn’t notice any ambushes, the roads were good. We entered Georgia at dawn and returned home in the afternoon. The traffic police stopped us once, asked how many people were in the car, looked at our licenses and wished us a safe journey.
From Vladikavkaz the mountain road to the border begins; during the season there are traffic jams in front of the checkpoint.
I didn’t see any conflicts or cunning people trying to avoid the queue before the border, everything was calm, patrols were keeping order.
During our trip, the checkpoint was open during the day from 04.00 to 19.00. This mode of operation is often practiced, it is associated with safety on mountain roads at night. We arrived at the end of the line at 02.00. My husband talked to the drivers ahead, who said that we were standing nearby and there was no point in sleeping because... cars will constantly move and go around ahead.
The border is often opened ahead of schedule. At 03.50 we had already crossed the Russian part of the border. Standard procedures: checking documents, stamp in passport, checking interior and trunk.
To get to the Georgian Daryali checkpoint you need to drive about three kilometers along the Daryal Gorge between the mountains, through 2 tunnels and the noisy Terek.
The photos of the border are not in chronological order (I’ll show you there and back at once), somehow I didn’t think about the fact that I would write a post with the technical aspects of the trip.
Time in Georgia is an hour ahead compared to Moscow. Oh, how we missed this hour all the time. At 5.00 am we already went to get acquainted with the country.
Currency
In Georgia, all payments are made in the local currency - lari. There are a lot of exchange offices. There is no big difference in the course. The rate at exchange offices is better than at banks. It is a little more profitable to exchange dollars and euros for lari. The most unfavorable ruble exchange rate was in the exchange offices of Stepantsminda and Batumi; it was cheaper in Tbilisi.
Along the Georgian Military Road in Tbilisi (the road from the border to Tbilisi), souvenirs are sold near attractions. Many sellers offer to buy for rubles, dollars, euros, but I don’t think that the conversion will be profitable for you, they round up in their direction.
We changed 200 lari at the border, the exchange rate was good, not overpriced.
Roads
Immediately after crossing the border for 1.5 kilometers there was no road at all - a dirt road, in this place there was a mudflow and fortification was being made.
For protection in particularly dangerous places on the road, avalanche protection tunnels were built.
Roads in Georgia are mostly good. The surface is pothole-free and there are curbs. Almost everywhere there are two lanes, except for the main new highway (partially completed) from Tbilisi to Batumi, the concrete there is of excellent quality.
It is better to get to some attractions by taxi, since a sedan or SUV may not pass without consequences. Yes, and I would regret the jeep, sharp stones and holes on the way to mountain waterfalls, peaks and canyons are often encountered, and passing an oncoming car on such roads is a “special pleasure”. Local taxi drivers are specially on duty near such places in Delica and Niva minivans.
Convenient... they will bring you, wait for you while you walk around, tell you the history of the place, facts, legends, show you points with the most beautiful angles, take a photo of you if you wish, and deliver you to your car.
The cost per car is fixed, does not depend on the number of people, you can bargain. We used their services twice. We covered the remaining distances along the route in our own car. Everything went well, but they still acquired one small bump on the wheel through negligence.
Along the highway, passing populated areas, we observed spontaneous markets. The peculiarity is that in each place they sell a product of the same type. Somewhere there are only hammocks, somewhere there are clay products or only cheeses, then there are delicious sweet flatbreads “Nazuki”.
Georgian sweetness - churchkhela is sold in all tourist places.
A separate topic is animals on the road. There are many of them, often and everywhere. Moreover, on any roads, there are no exceptions: highways, mountain roads, village roads, forest parks. They are not at all afraid of cars, no signals help, only patience while waiting for them to leave the roadway.
Features of driving in Georgia. Police. Safety
The police in Georgia are strict and not corrupt. There are a lot of patrols. If you violate and are caught, do not try to “negotiate” with money, otherwise you will inevitably face serious punishment and charges of bribery. The police are friendly towards foreign tourists and will not stop you without a serious violation. If you have a problem or get lost, feel free to contact the police, they will definitely help and maybe even accompany you.
They made an extremely favorable impression on me - they were all smart, neat, beautiful, constantly at work and observing. They do not sit in ambushes, but monitor security and stop violations. On the road they can be seen from afar; they always drive with flashing lights. There are cameras on the roads, but there is always a warning sign in front of them.
The crime rate is very low. People are not afraid to leave their cars unlocked when going to the store. They are not afraid to walk around the city at night. The police respond to all calls very quickly. There is no corruption.
Driving in Georgia is not subject to any rules. If police beacons are not visible and there is an opportunity for safe overtaking, then rest assured that the Georgians will perform this maneuver and do not care whether there is a solid road there or not, or what sign there is. But the most interesting thing is that accidents on the roads are rare. And the traffic jams are also not as bad as in Russia. Although there are a lot of cars in the country, a used car is cheap there.
Don’t look at the mountain beauty along the way, look in the mirrors and at the road. The craziest drivers are minibuses; they will overtake you everywhere, even where they are not allowed. If suddenly a car drives into the oncoming lane, just take it a little closer to the side of the road, that’s how they do it. By the end of the first day, we were already accustomed to this kind of driving and considered it the norm.
At pedestrian crossings in Georgia, drivers have unspoken priority. Therefore, if you decide to let a pedestrian pass at a zebra crossing, make sure that there are no cars behind you, as no one expects such a gentlemanly act from you.
Parking. Taxi
In Tbilisi and Batumi, parking is paid daily, at any machine for topping up your phone account or at a bank; when paying, you indicate your car number. Parking for a week will cost less than $2. The control goes around the city, punches the car number on the tablet, if there is no payment for parking, then they issue a fine and leave it under the wipers.
I would also like to draw attention to one point. There are parking attendants in parking lots near public catering places and near attractions. Their job is that they help park the car in terms of driving in and out, they help someone, someone does a great job on their own, but when leaving they charge everyone 1-2 lari. It is up to you to decide whether to pay them or not for the service provided or not provided. Tourists think that they are paying for parking, but it turns out that in this way enterprising citizens in reflective vests are simply making money.
There are a lot of taxis in Tbilisi, they are cheap, you can and should bargain, name your price, if the driver does not agree, there is already a queue of other cars behind him. We didn’t travel around the city for more than 5 GEL.
Gas stations
There are many gas stations in populated areas, including Lukoil. We refueled at a Gulf gas station, the fuel was good. Serviced entirely by a tanker, no need to get out of the car. When you approach the pump, say how much and what kind of fuel to fill. After completing the transaction, you pay him, he will print out a receipt for you. During refueling, you have time to wash your windshield and headlights for free. There are modern gas stations on the highways, which are among the top ten gas stations in the world.
Hotels, apartments, guesthouses
Tbilisi
Apartment At 12 Baratashvili street is a large comfortable apartment with a fireplace and a piano in a historic house in the center of Tbilisi with closed parking, a beautiful view of the Kura River and the Presidential Palace. The owners of the apartments are intelligent and hospitable people. They greeted us as dear guests, gave us a phone with a local SIM card, and cards for travel on public transport and the funicular. This is the option when photographs do not convey the comfort and quality of the apartment. When the question arose about booking accommodation for the upcoming trip, there was no doubt - only these apartments in the very heart of Tbilisi!
Batumi
Here we lived in two places.
1. Cahabury Street Hotel. This is a private small 4-storey hotel, two rooms per floor, with private free parking. The guest house is not located in the center, but has undeniable advantages, which we were convinced of. At a very attractive price, the room has everything you need, peace and quiet.
The owner is a competent, well-mannered, interesting person, attentive without being too intrusive, who loves his country and knows a lot about the sights. It’s even just interesting to talk to him. And the breakfasts and dinners his mother prepares are simply fantastic! Well, it’s not for nothing that we are planning to go to this hospitable hotel this year.
When we were leaving, the hostess brought a bag of fragrant tangerines collected in the garden, despite their unripe appearance, they were sweet.
2. Piazza Boutique Hotel is a 4-star hotel on one of the most beautiful squares of the old town in Batumi. Which in itself is an attraction. Clock tower with a beautiful view of the city. The room is clean and aesthetic.
A room on the 12th floor with two balconies in opposite directions - a stunning view of the city at night after a walk along the embankment with a cup of coffee... what more could you ask for while traveling.
Breakfast is European and delicious.
The downside is the problem with parking. We parked on the street behind the hotel, having paid in advance for daily parking in the city.
Stepantsminda (Kazbegi)
Lia&Ramaz Guest House, to be more precise, the guest house is located in Gergeti, although I don’t see any difference, because Gergeti is located across the road from Stapantsminda. This is the first settlement located after crossing the border with Georgia. It was convenient for us to spend the night here so that we could leave for the border early in the morning when returning home.
I have never lived in a guesthouse, this was my first experience. Of course, not our format, but you can stay for one night. Moreover, we rented a room with a private bathroom and a balcony. The owners are friendly, helpful people.
We met the owner Ramaz on the first day. We knew that when returning from a trip, we would stop here for the night before crossing the border, and we would arrive late to check in with them. I wanted to see when driving past where the house was, so that I wouldn’t have to look for it at night. Moreover, the houses there are scattered chaotically throughout the village and the streets are not particularly visible.
In Gergeti, high on the mountain, there is the most beautiful landmark of the Georgian Military Road - the Trinity Church overlooking Kazbek.
I don’t recommend going up the mountain to the church in your own car, there is no road, potholes, stones. Having approached the house we were looking for, we saw the owner, got to know him, he earns money by giving excursions around the surrounding area. The weather was wonderful, early sunny morning, Ramaz offered to take us to the Trinity Church in his car, at a discount and without a time limit. We agreed immediately, because no one knows what kind of weather would await us on the way back. From what we saw there, a delight began that did not leave us all the days of our trip around Georgia. It's an indescribable feeling when the clouds are below the mountains.
We returned to spend the night at this guest house just before leaving home at 10 p.m., and early in the morning we stood for a long time near the yard, admiring the snowy Kazbek.
I was sad all the way home... the mountain beauty didn’t let me go.
Nutrition
A short overview of several cafes in different regions of Georgia.
"Salobie"
Located in Mtskheta on the Tbilisi bypass road. Coordinates: N 41°49"41" E 44°43"31".
Mtskheta - the ancient capital of Georgia is located in the suburbs of Tbilisi. “Salobie” is a cult establishment that has been operating since the 60s of the last century. The Georgians recommended it to us and strongly recommended that we try lobio, khinkali and meat pies.
The restaurant is large, there are many seats, it looks more like a canteen or a Soviet cafe. The service is not "meh". Not everyone understands Russian; the menu is in Russian. I was surprised by the serving of lobio in a broken pot, well, it was too authentic.
Tourist groups often dine, but local residents are also regular visitors to this establishment. Even the President of Georgia awarded the restaurant a special diploma and called “Salobie” the most popular restaurant. We liked everything we ordered, the prices were cheap.
When traveling around Georgia, we won’t pass by.
"Sanadimo"
Sighnaghi, Tamar Mepe Str. 3.
Sighnaghi is a small romantic town in Kakheti, a tourist place. When getting acquainted with the streets and attractions, we paid attention to the cafe, where the tables are on the terrace with a breathtaking view of the Alazani Valley. We couldn't pass by this magical view.
The food was not particularly memorable, everything was edible, but nothing more. But the view is the main feature of the establishment. I definitely recommend it as a place to relax in the shade of a vineyard with a beautiful view and a light snack.
Restaurant "Barbarestan"
Tbilisi D. Aghmashenebeli Ave. 132.
I chose this restaurant in Tbilisi purposefully for my birthday dinner. The table was booked in advance.
This is a family restaurant serving old Georgian cuisine in a European style. I would give 10 points out of 10 for unique dishes, high level of service, atmosphere, but my husband lacked the Georgian spirit and national food (but he’s already nitpicking, I should take him to dinner with a Lezginka next time).
A very interesting cozy place with its own history and beautiful interior. The owner of the restaurant personally gets to know the guests, talks about the history of the creation of the exclusive menu, gives them a look at the old recipe book of the Georgian Princess Barbara, preserved in a single copy, according to which they bring their dishes to perfection, showed the original wine library and recommended excellent wine made by the monks of the Alaverdi Monastery .
A wonderful place where you feel welcome and long-awaited, hospitality at the highest level, professional staff. Everything is environmentally friendly, natural, exclusive.
Restaurant "Funicular"
Tbilisi. Mtatsminda
Having admired the night Tbilisi from the height of the observation deck on Mount Mtatsminda, we went to drink “Lagidze Water” lemonade, try the vaunted donuts with cream and khachapuri.
Cafe "Vardzia"
Vardzia is a cave monastery complex - a 12th-century fortress in southern Georgia. The cafe of the same name is located on the banks of the Kura River. There, in the shade of the trees, tired and hungry, we found a table and a delicious dinner. Either the mountain air and a lot of impressions during the day, or the food was really delicious, but we liked everything.
Introduction to Georgian cuisine
I will share with you my thoughts on the dishes we tried.
- Khachapuri. There are many varieties. Adjarian in the form of a boat with suluguni cheese and topped with egg and butter. In Georgia, they are all large, and one cannot handle them alone. The two of us ate our fill without ordering anything else. Imereti round, the size of a pizza. The cheese was not always of normal saltiness, sometimes bland, sometimes not at all, sometimes over-salted. The dough is delicious, made with matsoni. In Megrelian style - sprinkle grated cheese on top. I like them hot. Rachinskie or Lobiani - filled with bacon and beans. In Borjomi we really liked the regular lobiani without bacon with Svan salt, sold at the hot baked goods stall.
- Lobio. Lobio is also prepared differently everywhere. This is a traditional dish that is eaten here every day. Somewhere it is prepared as bean soup with spices and cilantro, somewhere as a sauce with pureed beans, nuts, garlic and cilantro, and somewhere as an appetizer of whole beans with fried onions, tomato puree with spices. My husband liked the sauce option and took the flatbread in addition.
- Mchadi. Corn flour tortilla. Nothing special, can be used instead of bread.
- Khinkali. In Georgia, khinkali is most often filled with beef. The dough is thin, elastic, there is broth inside. They are cheap, sold individually, and very filling. Available fried and boiled. Georgians do not use sauces or sour cream with them.
- Chakhokhbili. Chicken stew with tomatoes, adjika, garlic, add a little hot pepper and herbs. Fragrant, satisfying, juicy. If the meat melts in your mouth, then you have come to the right cafe.
- Pkhali. Vegetarian dish - balls of stewed vegetables, spinach, beet leaves with nuts, garlic, spices. Edible, they didn’t make a splash.
- Chikhirtma. Stewed chicken soup with onions and egg yolks. I didn’t eat it myself, my husband said it was edible.
- Kharcho. Needs no introduction. We ate this soup in Vardzia and liked it.
- Satsivi. Chicken pieces in nut sauce with spices and herbs (saffron, cilantro). In Georgia, this is a festive dish that takes a long time to prepare. If you cook it with soul and diligence, and most importantly correctly, it will be very tasty.
- Adzhapsandali. A vegetarian dish of stewed vegetables. This is a familiar dish for me. I prefer grilled vegetables.
- Chanakhi. Roast lamb with vegetables in pots. Tasty.
- Kudabi. Meat pie. We liked kudabi Svansky lamb.
- Pita. I liked the hot one in the shape of a boat.
- Chakapuli. Stewed meat, usually lamb, with tkemali sauce and the addition of tarragon. Meat with sourness due to tkemali sauce.
- Churchkhela. Dessert of nuts on a string in grape juice with the addition of flour. Fresh classic churchkhelas are delicious. The price per piece is approximately from 100 to 200 rubles.
- Lemonade. All dinners ended with lemonade. It is delicious in Georgia.
- Shashlik. We didn’t see lamb shish kebab there; pork was on the menu everywhere, and we also concluded that kebab is not the strongest side of Georgian cuisine, unfortunately. If you really want barbecue, the tastiest food is made in Kakheti.
- Dolma (tolma). Grape leaves stuffed with minced meat. I took one to try, and didn’t want any more. Just like stuffed peppers, I make them tastier at home.
- Mushrooms in kets. Champignons stuffed with suluguni and baked in kets (clay frying pans). I liked this, I even bought ketsy for home, I cook it, but in Georgia they were tastier.
- Chicken tapaka. We really liked the Georgian chicken.
- Fried eggplants in nut sauce. A popular snack, the taste is different everywhere.
- Trout in pomegranate sauce. I liked the trout without sauce, and my husband enjoyed seasoning it with sauce.
- Fried suluguni cheese. Melted hot cheese in a crispy coating.
- Ostri or beef stew in Georgian style. I really liked it, but I asked not to add too much pepper.
- Pelamushi. It looks like frozen jelly made from grape juice. Not particularly impressed.
- Gozinaki. Our usual kozinaki. Made from honey and nuts.
- Shakarlama with almonds. Cookies with nut flavor. In Georgia it is served with coffee.
This is the kind of gastronomic experience we had in Georgia. I also gained two extra kilos of weight.
I noticed that the most ordinary cafes have the status of a restaurant. The quality and taste of food does not depend at all on the appearance of the establishment; you can eat the divine taste of khinkali by the road at a plastic table and not enjoy eating in an expensive establishment with an exquisite interior. Most Georgians in small towns do not bother investing money in the outer shell of the restaurant, expensive dishes, beautiful furniture. For them, the result is important - plenty of it, satisfying, tasty. Hospitality there is directly related to high-quality, tasty food and excellent wine.
Wine
Wine was a revelation for me. Previously, I was not a fan of Georgian wine, and in general I was indifferent to this drink. Now, if there is wine, then only Georgian from Kveri. I will give preference to wine produced at the Kinzmarauli Corporation, Shumi and Khareba wineries.
"Kinzmarauli Corporation" is the largest winery in Kakheti. We arrived there at the factory store and were given a free tour of the factory. They talked about the production of wines and cognac, and held a tasting.
I liked “Kinzmarauli”, “Mukuzani”, “Kvareli”, very tasty white semi-sweet “Kisi”, rare Georgian sweet wine “16x16”.
We bought separately wines from the Racha-Lechkhumi region: “Tvishi”, “Khvanchkara”. It’s a pity we didn’t pay attention to the Sarajishvili brand cognac. He gets a lot of praise. Here's just a piece of advice: if you want to feel the real taste of drinks, buy them exclusively in Georgia. The Georgian wine I purchased in Russia was disappointing; it tasted like heaven and earth.
Top 15 beautiful and unusual places in Georgia that I advise everyone to see.
So, the distance from Elbrus to the Georgian border is 250 km. we walked in about 4 hours. Apparently, due to the approaching May holidays, queues began to form at the border. We spent a total of 5 hours waiting and completing. Fortunately, I downloaded movies to the tablet in advance)) No special documents are required to enter Georgia: international passport, technical passport, license. If the car is not registered in your name, then you also need a power of attorney from a notary. I am writing this because once we were driving two cars to Transcarpathia and one car eventually had to be left at the border due to the lack of a power of attorney)))
Rida and I were already in Georgia in 2013 and during the last trip we saw 85% of all the main attractions. So we were more inclined to go on a gastronomic journey in advance, since we both adore Georgian cuisine: khachapuri, khinkali, sulguni, lobio and so on (I won’t tease too much)))).
One of the most beautiful places is located just beyond the border crossing - the village of Stepandsminda. A very beautiful place in the mountains with its famous church against the backdrop of Mount Kazbek. Having checked into the guest house of the famous Vasily, we immediately went to celebrate our trip with the first khachapuri.
Prices in Georgia: During our last visit in 2013, prices in local currency did not increase much. But the exchange rate has increased: before 1 lari cost 20 rubles, and now 32. Accommodation in simple guest houses costs from 15 to 25 lari per person (you can bargain a little, especially if you are staying more than one night). In almost any guest house you can ask the hostess to include breakfast in the price. On average, we spent 15-20 lari on food for two people at a time. Gasoline in Georgia is 35 percent more expensive, so in Vladikavkaz it’s better to fill up to capacity. Entrance to places of interest: monuments, zoos, cave cities costs a penny. Everything seems to be priced :)
Well, the main attraction in Stepansminda is, of course, the Gergeti Church on the mountain. You can get there by taxi, but it’s not sporty) We left the car in the lower village and, according to tradition, walked on foot, passing by the epic places where we parked on motorcycles 3 years ago.
The sights themselves are not so interesting to see a second time and we enjoyed the views around us more. During the May holidays, Georgia is visited by a lot of guests from Russia, we even met a large company from Ufa)) The Georgians themselves are very surprised by this invasion of our compatriots, apparently the closure of Egypt with Turkey is having an effect, and Georgia itself is becoming more and more popular every year, word of mouth is working. Only a lazy traveler has not been here yet)))
Another super cool place is Jvari waterfall. To get to it you need to drive back towards Russia for 7 kilometers and soon a sign to the left will appear. Then walk about one and a half kilometers. The waterfall in spring is simply gorgeous and powerful. I don’t know what it’s like there in the summer, but I think it should be beautiful too)).
We stopped at the usual hostel “Irina Hostel”. Address: Ninoshvili street 19b. They even gave us a small discount as regular guests :) Unfortunately, our favorite room was occupied and for the first two nights we spent the night in a dormitory - something like a barracks for travelers. There are 6-7 bunk beds in the room. Dorm is an ideal place for solo travelers: in addition to being budget-friendly, here you can find various interesting characters and travelers and chat.
Once, I spent the night in a dormitory in Malaysia and met some great guys from Belgium. As a result, we went together on one of the coolest trips deep into the jungle.
Below are some photos of the capital:
Having walked around the capital to our heart's content and tasted Adjarian khachapurka and khinkali in every second cafe, we began to think about where to go in a free couple of days. We decided to go to places where we had not been yet in order to gain new emotions. The choice fell on Borjomi, a well-known all-Union Georgian resort and hospital. From Tbilisi to Borjomi is no more than 170 kilometers. Most of the road follows an ideal highway. Now it is being actively completed, I think it should stretch to the Black Sea coast - Batumi (400 km). On the way we stopped in Gori, where Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was born and spent his youth. The museum, contrary to my expectations, turned out to be very popular, many people show interest in this person, especially many groups from other countries.
The museum workers themselves admitted that the administration is actively putting a spoke in their wheels and the museum is living on the edge of existence. I am convinced that by abandoning its past, society abandons hope for a fair future; we don’t have to look far for example, but let’s not, as they say, point fingers. The museum itself turned out to be very interesting, with many details and facts from the life of this great man. I highly recommend it to anyone who finds themselves in these parts!!
Borjomi is located in a very beautiful valley in the mountains. The town itself is not big, but very clean, well-groomed and cozy. Now there is a massive reconstruction of the old road and buildings, but overall the place is very pleasant.
The city park has a cable car to the top where you can watch the sunset.
The sources of the well-known Borjomi mineral water are also located there. I’m embarrassed to admit, but in a couple of days there I only tried a couple of sips. Well, that’s who we are, not connoisseurs of soda))) Half a liter costs 85 rubles, but there it’s free))
The discovery for us was that if you walk along the road after the end of the path in the park for another 5 kilometers, you will come out to open hot sulfur springs. This place was discovered and designated as a medicinal place back in tsarist times. There are three swimming pools with warm sulfuric water right in the open air. I, as a big connoisseur of thermal springs, of course floundered there like a frog))
In addition to the resort itself, trekking enthusiasts will be interested in the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. The park is very large, but it seems difficult to get lost. There are routes from one-day routes of 15 kilometers to three-day long routes. We chose the shortest one for the walk, 15 kilometers (black on the map). But due to the ascents and descents, it did not seem very easy to us)) Moreover, right in the middle of the route we were hit by a downpour, and then hail. But I still really enjoyed the walk. Bring plenty of water and snacks. In spring, a raincoat also helps)))
The ancient capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, should of course be on the list of places to visit. This is a place where the great history of the Georgian people, the inviolability of the Orthodox faith of Georgians is especially felt, and simply this is a place where, on a very small area of the old city, you can feel this very Georgia, breathe it in, touch it, taste it... finally fall in love !
From the history
So, Mtskheta. On the Internet you can find a lot of materials on the history of this city. Let me list just a few facts:
— Mtskheta is a holy place for every Georgian. UNESCO cultural heritage site.
— Located 20 km from Tbilisi, one might say a suburb, with a history that will give the city itself a head start.
— The city is called the “Second Jerusalem.” There is no other place in Georgia where you can find such a concentration of historical and religious monuments. It is here that one of the shrines of the entire Christian world is kept - the Robe of the Lord.
— The city was founded in the second half of the 1st millennium BC. Therefore, Mtskheta is rightly called the “cradle of Georgian statehood.”
- Only at the end of the 5th century. AD King Vakhtang Gorgasali decided to move the capital to Tbilisi. But even after this, Mtskheta remained an important religious center of the country, the residence of the Georgian Catholicos - the heads of the Georgian church.
— Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is a place of pilgrimage for Christians from all over the world and one of the most ancient and revered temples. Many legends are associated with this place.
— One of the largest religious holidays in Georgia, Mtskhetoba-Svetitskhovoloba, is also associated with the cathedral. Celebrated twice a year (July 13 and October 14).
— In front of the altar there is a burial place of Georgian kings, including Vakhtang Gorgasali - the founder of Tbilisi, Irakli II - the king of Kakheti, the kings of the Bagrationi dynasty and others.
— It is Mtskheta that is called the heart of the Georgian church. All major intra-church rites, including the enthronement of the Catholicos-Patriarch, are held in the Svetitskhoveli Church.
Our history in Mtskheta
We arrived in Mtskheta on the very first day of our stay in Georgia. We were tired from our 2500 km long road trip, from climbing Gergeti. We decided to stop here and not go straight to Tbilisi. Having parked in the very center, within walking distance from the main square and the cathedral, we go to look for accommodation for the night. The search took about five minutes maximum - this is a record for our trip.
We saw the “Old Capital” sign, a small three-story guesthouse building and the smiling face of George, the owner of our shelter for the night. About the hotel - everything is very simple and clean. We didn’t want to go and look further - we were too tired. The price is reasonable - 50 GEL/night (on booking.com 75 GEL). The location is simply gorgeous - the entrance to the old town is literally 20 meters away.
We asked Georgiy where to eat, he recommended the Georgian Dvor cafe, also within walking distance, and walked along the small, cute streets. Menu for the tired us: 5 khinkali, flatbread, soup, eggplant, chacha (bottle, for some reason not on tap). All this cost 44 GEL - not cheap, but there was a whole bottle, of which we tried no more than 100 grams. With a sense of accomplishment—the first day was a great success—we went to bed.
But! Not so. Georgiy was already waiting for us at the entrance to the hotel. And then it began... chacha, bison, beer, caviar (George took it out of the bins), crackers, dried fruits...
A couple of Poles joined our impromptu feast - interesting guys, traveling independently around Georgia, staying at the same hotel. In Russian absolutely nothing. In English, no way Georgiy. We don't speak Polish at all. It was a very nice conversation! The ladies eventually left and the Russian, Georgian and Pole were left to carry on the conversation... For some reason it all ended in a political moment and a headache for the morning.
From the vivid memories of that evening: George’s grandfather was a hero of the Second World War, awarded the Order of the Red Star. Georgy is very proud of him. The rifle with which my grandfather killed 47 Germans in 11 days is kept in a museum on Malaya Zemlya. After the war, my grandfather worked as the director of a recreation center, loved women very much, and died on a date, at 69, of a heart attack.
And in the morning we slowly got ready, Georgy treated us to delicious coffee, and we went for a walk around the old city. The rain slightly spoiled our plans and the resulting photographs, but not our impressions of what we saw.
Every square meter of this holy place is imbued with history and faith... In general, I really liked Georgian churches - there is no pathos, pompousness or desire for decoration. Everything there is very ascetic, monumental and very real... It’s difficult to describe, but they reminded me of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Stone, faces of saints, coolness, candles and history...
If you're in Mtskheta, just walk around the old city, along the cathedral square, look into the merchants' shops, listen to stories, taste wine... The main thing is don't rush!
Look at the photo below - in the distance on the top of the mountain is the Church of the Holy Cross - Jvari. It offers a beautiful view of the confluence of Aragvi and Kura and Mtskheta.
On a note!
Very close to Mtskheta there is an excellent atmospheric restaurant “Armazi Tskaro”. We had lunch there twice.
This place was recommended by one very good person who loves Georgia, often goes there and generally... knows a lot about all this.
“Armazi Tskaro” is translated as spring. Indeed, the restaurant is located on two banks of a small river formed by a spring. Tables on island-terraces on both banks, everything is surrounded by greenery, cool.
Rabbits, chickens, ducks - a mini-zoo at the restaurant.
Lunch 1: ribs, kebab, salad, bread, khachapuri, beer = 44 GEL. We ate too much and took half of it with us.
Lunch 2: salad, lobio, tongue, soup, kupaty, beer = 46 GEL. The second time was on the last day of our trip. Apparently, we really wanted to go home and ate too much Georgian food, which was not exactly a joy (we just wanted more of my mother’s soup, which was waiting for us at home).
You know, there are different opinions about Mtskheta:
- If you live in Tbilisi, go to Mtskheta for a day.
- If you live in Mtskheta, you go to Tbilisi. Housing here is definitely cheaper, everything is somehow behind the scenes.
- Our option can be said to be forced, but not bad at all: night + day in Mtskheta and then Tbilisi for a couple of days.
It’s difficult to advise, it all depends on capabilities and preferences. If you are driving a car, then this is not a big problem at all, except for one BUT! Where I parked the car, I had dinner there. What would a dinner be without wine in Georgia?
Updated 04/18/2018
We have returned! We rate the trip to Georgia at 5+ and we already understand that we will definitely visit there again! Of course, I would like to stay in Georgia longer, to visit all the places that we have planned, but..... two weeks of vacation are not rubber :)
I decided not to split the report into several articles and describe the border crossing and gas stations separately. Everything will be here, in one place. The only exception is the description of attractions; I will definitely include them in separate articles.
I really hope that this post will become a guide to action and I will try to describe all the nuances for readers planning to visit Georgia in their own car. What will I talk about? Route to Georgia from Nizhny Novgorod, description of the trip by day (briefly about the main thing), crossing the Russia-Georgia border, where to stay overnight after crossing the border with Georgia, gas stations, driving style, currency exchange, accommodation, attitude towards Russians, cost of the trip. And yes! Georgian food is worth a separate post.
Travel route Nizhny Novgorod - Georgia
From Nizhny Novgorod you can get to the border checkpoint in Verkhniy Lars through Volgograd or take a longer route - Voronezh-Rostov. We chose the longer route for two reasons. Firstly, it was planned to go to Belorechensk (my homeland) and secondly, the quality of the road on the M4 and M7 highways is much better than the potholes in Volgograd. In any case, you need to make the final decision between “short, but crappy road” and “longer, but excellent quality” immediately before the trip. The M7 is often repaired, which causes significant traffic jams.
We can say that we were lucky. Repair work on the M7 took place in the Lakinsk area, but we were hardly stuck in traffic jams. A108 is an ordinary toshnilovka, a lot of people and trucks. M4 is a great highway. There are several toll sections where the speed limit is 130 km/h. Beauty!
Theoretically, you can get from the border to the sea in one day, if you don’t stop in Tbilisi. By the way, in the case of Georgia, it is not at all necessary to carefully plan the route. There are no problems with housing, nor with the Internet. Initially, we booked 3 nights at sea (in Kobuleti), but ended up extending it twice :)
Trip plan by day
Departure from city N at 7.00. As soon as we got into the car we immediately discovered that the cigarette lighter was not working. We charge our phones, detector and navigator through it. Sadness. We decided that we would get there this way, and we would look for an auto electrician in Belorechensk.
I really love the moment of leaving on a road trip and it is radically different from returning. If, returning home, you stupidly press your slipper, then at the start you almost jump with excitement in anticipation of new impressions. Each revolution of the wheel brings you a little closer to your goal. I take a lot of photographs of the road in the “there” direction and am lazy to take photographs in the “back” direction.
At about 20.30 we arrived at the Slavyanka hotel on the M4 (598 km), where we stayed last year when... They took the most ordinary number. The cost for three is 1350 rubles. There is a cafe at the hotel where you can have a good dinner and breakfast.
On family road trips, we never drive all the way or sleep in the car. You need to sleep on normal beds at night so that the next morning you feel rested and not groggy.
By clicking on the link, you can choose for yourself several options for hotels on the M4 highway, depending on the km number - http://trassa-tour.ru/avtodoroga/m4-don
And again departure at 7 am. Whoever gets up early...... arrives earlier and has time for the festive table :)
The further you go south, the hotter it gets. How nice it is to take off your jackets and put on shorts and T-shirts! In general, the whole trip to Georgia can be described as “let’s steal a piece of summer from autumn?” and we completely succeeded.
For lunch we stopped at the new dining room at the Rodina Hotel (1076 km). Very decent and tasty. Prices are average. I recommend.
Not far from the village of Kushchevskaya we passed the “Field of Cossack Glory” memorial. They didn’t go in, they were eager to get there faster. Does anyone know what's there?
We spent the whole day in Belorechensk. We took a break from the road and looked for an auto electrician. It turned out that the breakdown was minor, the fuse had blown.
Departure at 7.15. Today the plan is to cross the border and check into the first hotel in Georgia. From Belorechensk to the border checkpoint - 556 km. At exactly 16.00 we were at the border. We passed several Republics along the way. The roads are good almost everywhere. The Caucasian driving style does not begin in Georgia. We felt all the power of temperament along the way :)
After Vladikavkaz, and even at the entrance to it, you can already see the mountains. As they say, there can be only mountains better than mountains.
There were no problems crossing the border. 22 minutes is practically a record.
From the border to the village of Stepantsminda it is only a 15-minute drive. We booked the hotel in advance on Booking - Red Stone Guest House. I would like to note that in the border village housing prices are quite high. Our triple room with shared shower and toilet cost 90 GEL per night. Translated into Russian rubles, this is 2,500 rubles.
All this is for a reason. Above the villages rises Kazbek, which loves to hide in the clouds and this is where tourist tracks and walking routes begin. Kazbek is not shown to everyone. We managed to capture both options on camera, with and without Kazbek. On the way back, the mountain with the icy top disappeared from us. I also thought then - what an ambush, people specially come to look at him and climb the mountain to the Gergeti Church, and he, ts-tsa, is capricious.
This day turned out to be the most eventful in terms of impressions and incredibly long. In the morning we climbed closer to Kazbek and, and in the evening we were already in Tbilisi. We can say that we spent the whole day on Georgian military road. Sights that were visited along the way require a separate post -
Please note - it is very sunny, and we are wearing jackets. At 8 am the smartphone showed 6 degrees Celsius in Stepantsminda. I will not show any more photographs from the Georgian military road in this article). Very beautiful! Let there remain a little intrigue))
We also booked an apartment in Tbilisi in advance, while we were still in Russia. We chose Sofia Guest House for its large area and proximity to the metro. We somehow immediately decided that we would not travel around Tbilisi by car. The cost of housing is 160 lari for two nights (approximately 4,500 rubles). Read more about the apartment.
We completely dedicated this day. For me, we looked at very little; we practically skimmed the surface. The capital of Georgia remained unclear. You can’t rush here and it’s better to spend at least 3-4 days in Tbilisi.
Behind me you can see the top platform of the cable car. Unfortunately, it didn’t work, and we were too lazy to walk up the mountain to the fortress. It was very hot in Tbilisi that day, I wanted to go into the shade and take a dip in the fountain.
We leave Tbilisi and move towards the sea. The night before, after some deliberation, an apartment in Kobuleti was booked for 3 nights (160 GEL). Then we extended them twice, because we just couldn’t tear ourselves away from the warm sea :). There is a separate post about apartments. Read
On the way back we stopped at. I really liked the city. You know, he has a sort of secular gloss. A real resort with a beautiful promenade and a well-equipped beach. I love this photo!
On September 28, we went back to sea again 🙂 There’s nothing special to tell. But on the 29th we decided to take a walk around, since it is located not far from Kobuleti. Such wonderful views open from the observation deck. The greens are actually so juicy, zero photoshop.
We left Kobuleti and headed towards home. But, we went to the vegetable gardens)), I wanted to look at and walk around. I really liked both of them.
October 1,2,3 we spent on the road. It's hard to travel for three days. Still, the ideal option is two days behind the wheel, then one day of rest. In autumn it gets dark earlier, so we got up for the night at 20.00 at the latest.
On the way back, the Georgian military road flew by much faster. We made only one stop - near the People's Friendship Arch. I didn’t like the return border crossing, but read about that below.
In Russia we spent the night twice in roadside hotels. I will recommend one of them, but not the other. The first hotel is “Elite” near Armavir. The roadside motel is inferior, although we were given a two-room suite for 2,100 rubles. Everything is kind of old and there are problems with hot water. I had to leave the cold shower and go straight to the reception to sort things out in a towel.
The second overnight stay was in the Lipetsk region, the Polet hotel (2,000 rubles for a triple room). It is easily recognizable by the real airplane in front of the hotel façade. I can recommend this hotel.
The trip to Georgia turned out to be very harmonious. All the puzzles fell into place: we were lucky with the weather, the sea was incomparable, the people were very friendly, nature was beyond any epithets, and the visa regime was as easy as possible for Russians. I know for sure that we will return to Georgia more than once.
Crossing the Russia-Georgia border
The border crossing procedure is very simple. The documents you will need are: an international passport, a vehicle registration certificate (technical passport) and a driver’s license. We drove with a Russian driver's license. They didn’t ask for any insurance (medical or auto) at the border. However, be careful! From January 1, 2016, the Georgian side promised to require a green card for cars. The country joins the Green Alliance. I still bought it for the family, you never know.
If suddenly the owner of the car refuses to go with you to Georgia, then at the border you will need to present a notarized power of attorney in English. Russians do not need a visa to Georgia(if your stay does not exceed 90 days). The stamp is placed on the passport right at the checkpoint.
You can get from Russia to Georgia by car only through one single checkpoint near Vladikavkaz - Daryali.
Do not attempt to enter Georgia through Abkhazia or South Ossetia. Relations between the countries are, to put it mildly, strained. By the way, if you have a stamp on entry into Abkhazia or South Ossetia in your international passport, then you need to postpone your trip to Georgia.
The procedure at the checkpoint is as follows:
- drive up to the Russian border and roll down all the windows on the car. Before the barrier you will simply be asked how many people are going to cross the border;
- drive further, choose a line for passenger cars and wait for your finest hour;
- drive up to the booth, take the documents and give them to the border guard. The driver of the car approaches first, and only then the passengers;
- you may be asked several questions: the purpose of crossing the border, where you are going, etc.;
- at the request of customs officers, open all the car doors and trunk (they may not check);
- load into the car and drive through neutral territory to the Georgian border;
- at the Georgian checkpoint, passengers must get out of the car and cross the border separately (there is a special room on the right);
- the driver must approach the booth, hand over documents and politely answer the border guards’ questions;
- Next, you need to open the trunk again to show the car to the customs officer and remember to pick up your passengers.
From personal experience: we crossed the Russia-Georgia border like clockwork - it took 20 minutes to do everything about everything, but on the way back we got stuck in a huge traffic jam in which we were stuck for 3 hours. The Georgian border guards let us through very quickly, but the Russian side was clearly in no hurry. Cars were launched in batches + there was a huge queue of trucks. Our car was not inspected. Eh, I should have taken more wine! We didn’t take any risks and bought exactly as much as allowed by the rules: 3 liters per person.
On the approach to the border (both there and back), you will most likely see a whole line of trucks. There is no need to queue for them. Feel free to drive around them, even if you have to drive in the oncoming lane.
The checkpoint does not work at night due to the threat of mudflows. Information is current as of September 2015. Be sure to check the situation immediately before your trip. Most likely, this is why huge queues of trucks accumulate. The threat of mudflows is very real. On the Georgian side, just after the checkpoint, there is a terrible section of road. It was just washed away. You need to drive very carefully.
Gas stations in Georgia
The cost of fuel in Georgia is higher than in Russia, so do not forget to fill up a full tank before the checkpoint. As a rule, Georgian gas stations do not indicate the gasoline brand number, only the designation: regular, premium or super. It's simple: regular - 92, premium - 95, super - 98.
Almost all gas stations accept bank cards. Cash can be given directly to gas stations. They will go to the cashier themselves and bring you a check and change.
Fuel cost in Georgia: No. 92 - 1.88 lari (52 rubles), No. 95 - 1.99 lari (55 rubles). More expensive than in Russia, but cheaper than European prices.
You can track the current cost of fuel on the website autotraveler.ru. This is a very useful resource for car enthusiasts, so I highly recommend it. There you can also familiarize yourself with the main traffic rules of Georgia.
Driving style of hot Georgian men
This is complete trash, especially if you’re not used to it :)
Changing lanes without a turn signal is quite normal. If the car changes to the left, then you can hope that the driver will turn on the turn signal. But if a car pulls off to the side of the road or turns right, you won’t be able to wait!
The traffic is chaotic, everyone is late for somewhere and honks at each other a lot. At first, this was terribly infuriating, and then we realized that signals in Georgia are a means of communication. If they honk at you briefly twice, they are simply warning you about their maneuvers, and they will overtake you. Well, yes, of course, that’s not what turn signals were invented for. If the beep is sharp and drawn-out, then in the literal sense it means: “Where are you going, freak.” Can you imagine the cacophony on the roadway in a large city?
In Tbilisi, we generally left the car at home and moved by metro. We don't need such adventures. If you can somehow get used to maneuvers on the road and even adapt to the general flow, then there is a problem with pedestrians in Georgia. Both sides are to blame. There are pedestrian crossings in Georgia, but people cross the road wherever they please. I can still understand unreasonable pets who can calmly walk along the highway, peacefully chewing dusty grass, but people... Drivers are no better. No one lets anyone through at the pedestrian crossing. It's really scary to cross the road.
I started talking about animals, I think I’ll finish my thought. Just like in Abkhazia, in Georgia cows are sacred animals. They can lie peacefully on the highway in the shade, quickly cross the road and, of course, not notice cars. In addition to cows, goats, sheep, pigs and chickens are sacred animals. This entire zoo faces the road in small towns and blocks traffic.
Yes, and one more thing - they will overtake you through a continuous road and under a prohibiting sign. This is normal and you will quickly get used to it. The main thing is to quickly restructure your thinking on Russian territory).
Currency exchange
You can travel to Georgia with rubles. There are no problems with exchanging Russian currency. For 1000 rubles they give from 30 to 35 lari. The most profitable exchange was in Tbilisi - 34 lari per 1000 rubles (no commission), and the greediest money changers work in Stepantsminda - 30 lari per 1000 rubles.
According to my observations, exchanging rubles at a bank is a little less profitable than at ordinary exchange offices. We paid by card in stores and gas stations.
Current exchange rate: 1 lari = 27.61 rubles. To understand the high cost of a particular purchase, we multiplied the purchase price by 30. Be sure to check the latest GEL exchange rate before your trip.
Housing in Georgia
I already touched on the topic of housing above, so I’ll just summarize. I don’t know about the season, but in September we easily booked an apartment for . You can also choose apartments and rooms on Airbnb. I will say more, upon arrival you will also easily find accommodation for yourself. After all, not all landlords have the opportunity to register on Booking.com.
An apartment for three cost us from 45 to 90 lari per day, depending on the city. We were looking for a certain level of comfort. Of course, you can find cheaper accommodation.
I saw a couple of equipped campsites near the sea. The cost of 15 lari is imprinted in my memory. I just don’t know if it’s from a person or a car. If you love tents and romance, then welcome to Georgia. One of the campsites is definitely operating on the territory of the Botanical Garden, and the other is outside Kobuleti.
Attitude towards Russians
I didn’t notice any special attitude towards myself. Everyone is very friendly, there is no language barrier at all. If any difficulties arose, they always came to our aid.
One of the roadside cafes did not have a menu in English, only Georgian. The woman (for some reason it seems to me that it was the hostess) told us everything and recommended dishes.
I'll tell you about one episode. In Tbilisi we took a taxi and the taxi driver started talking. We didn't force him. Honestly. He said that all the people on the streets were sad, but before they always smiled and were cheerful. There is no work, locals leave for Russia or Europe. I sincerely regretted that Georgia ruined relations with Russia. This was the most ordinary truth from the most ordinary resident of Tbilisi.
The cost of travel
I usually calculate the trip so that later I can analyze the cost of the pleasure.
Given: 3 people, Kia Soul car, 5,500 km, 15 days of travel.
Per 1 person it turns out to be 24,198 rubles. It’s probably not very correct to compare two trips, but as an example I can give you a New Year’s trip. For 8 days of travel we spent 80,297 rubles.
In general, the cost of food in Georgia is approximately at the level of Russia. You can easily find familiar Russian goods in stores. In cafes and restaurants they left about 50-80 GEL for three, wine in a store costs from 10 GEL, travel costs 0.5 GEL.
This is how our trip turned out. The Georgian issue is not closed! I have something else to tell you :-). Here, for example, is a post about what you can bring as a souvenir.
Read about that in a separate article!
I had been dreaming of going to Georgia for a long time, but Lesha was skeptical. The Caucasian peoples, at least those of their representatives who come to Russia, did not arouse the slightest sympathy in him. Nevertheless, I did not retreat and gradually Lesha gave up.
It didn't take long to find fellow travelers. At first, Vitya agreed and invited his girlfriend from St. Petersburg to join us. She, in turn, brought up a friend from Moscow (whom we had to pick up in Vladikavkaz). Shortly before the trip, Masha (who is from St. Petersburg) fell ill and had to urgently look for a replacement. As a result, Anya, also Vitina’s friend, joined us.
Thus, 5 people gathered who knew each other little. Lesha and I knew Vitya, Vitya knew Anya, and Marina didn’t know any of us, because her friend Masha got sick and was forced to cancel the trip at the last moment.
Accommodation was booked in advance only in Stepantsminda (1 night) and Tbilisi (3 nights). All accommodation was booked on www.airbnb.ru
We decided to look for overnight accommodations in other cities locally.
We agreed to leave on April 28 at 19:00. Anya was just finishing her classes with the kids she teaches dancing to. Lesha was on vacation by that time and was responsible for preparing things. I worked very hard before the trip, so I didn’t have any time to prepare and get ready. On the day of departure, I decided to work until lunch, and as a result, I just got free at 18:00. I flew home, got myself in order, put my things in my bags (naturally there was a vain hope for Lesha) and ran after Anya.
Hurray, we left the city closer to 21:00.
The road was empty and calm. Fortunately for us, fears about dirty tricks on the roads in Stavropol and North Ossetia were not confirmed. We didn’t violate anything, we drove as expected, and that’s why we managed to avoid traffic jams.
But the chaos on the border (only on the Russian side), about which everyone who happened to cross it wrote indignantly, felt it to the fullest. We arrived at the border at about 15-16 and were at the 15th hour. If it weren’t for the terrible behavior of cars with 15 and 25 regions, we would have crossed the border in a maximum of an hour, but no. For 5 hours we observed the rudeness and impudence of the Ossetians, who cut off and brazenly wedged themselves into the queue, while the border guards turned a blind eye to this, pretending that nothing was happening. Moreover, a man openly walked around and offered to quickly cross the border for 5,000 rubles.
When the degree of human indignation began to rise, law enforcement services arrived (which someone called), but they were of little use. After walking around and looking at what was happening, after a while they stepped aside and began casually chatting among themselves, and then left completely.
It is worth noting that this did not happen on the Georgian side. They quickly checked my passport, wished me a pleasant trip and let me go. Everything took 5 minutes, no more.
