CHAPTER 4: Back to Adventure!

CHAPTER 4: Back to Adventure!

SIGHNAGHI / TELAVI / Uplistsikhe

This month I had the chance to escape to four new places (in just two days).

First, Sighnaghi, a lovely town whose name means “shelter” or “trench.” The town was built during the reign of King Heraclius II, who had a fortress constructed to defend the region from attacks by Dagestani tribes.

Next, Telavi and the Ksani Fortress. The ascent was quite special. The path was rather rough and uneven, and there was a lot of wind.

Finally, Uplistsikhe, meaning “the Lord’s Fortress.” It is an archaeological site with the ruins of a rock-cut city dating back to the Iron Age. It is one of the oldest sites in the Caucasus.

RED MOUNTAINS (Again)

This time I discovered the mountains from another perspective, accompanied by Jaco, Inga, and Kathleen. We crossed the desert on foot.

It was warm and the sun was shining, almost like a summer day. The journey was long, but we reached the mountains without too much difficulty. The place was calm and silent. Along the way, off the trail, we came across a few flocks of sheep and some horses roaming freely.

On the way back, we hitchhiked. An Azerbaijani vet eventually dropped us off in Rustavi.

GALLERY

During an outing in Tbilisi this month, I discovered a new artist while visiting a gallery: Merab Abramishvili.
A Georgian artist, his work is inspired by medieval Georgian iconography and religious art. His paintings particularly moved me because of their dense compositions and the richness of his colors (gold, ochre, deep reds), which recall ancient frescoes.
I especially appreciate the mystical atmosphere that seems to hover over his paintings.

HITCHHIKE TO ARMENIA

I rarely leave at 6 a.m. In France, it would usually be to go hiking somewhere or surfing at dawn. But as you might guess, there are no waves in Georgia and certainly not in Rustavi.

That morning, however, I was up at sunrise. My backpack was ready, and so were my signs (which I had carefully written in Armenian). The plan was to leave on my own, but Inga eventually joined me on this adventure (after being turned away at the Armenian border the day before. A long story she might tell you herself one day).

The journey there went smoothly. Cars stopped easily and, in about six hours, we reached our destination: 

Erevan.

Once there, we met a few volunteers who were already in the city. The next day, we explored the surrounding area: some must-see places, certainly very touristy. Such as Garni Fortress and the Geghard Monastery, which is particularly impressive because it is carved directly into the rock.

That same evening, still motivated, we started hitchhiking again. The first person who stopped even wanted to invite us for a coffee at his home.

But the rest of the journey turned out to be longer than expected. Night was falling, cars were becoming scarce, and the Georgian border still seemed far away. One last car finally stopped. It was the most uncomfortable moment of the trip: two young Armenians, intentions that were hard to read, and me insisting several times that they should not take us anywhere else. It was too late for detours. We simply wanted to go home and not drinking more coffee. 

In the end, they dropped us off at the border.

After midnight, there was still the road back to Rustavi. But once we crossed back into Georgia, the relief was immediate. "Back home".

Two more cars picked us up and, finally, we reached Rustavi. I was exhausted, but happy to find my bed again.

In total, twelve vehicles gave us a ride during this trip. Beyond the journey itself, it was above all a social experience. Communicating with people who don’t speak English is a real challenge... but somehow, you always end up understanding each other.

My favorite moment remains the time spent in the big trucks, sitting on the high middle seat, chatting with the drivers while watching the road roll by.

WINTER AGAIN

To end the month, I returned to the mountains accompanied by a friend and some dogs. Heading toward Birtvisi Canyon. Snow is still very present in the region. We were walking through the snow, sinking down to our calves with each step. 

See you soon, next stop: unknown !