20/09/2025

Very heavy rain all evening and overnight with the grounds getting soft. I was concerned about getting Jez out of the campsite, but J guided the wheels over the best route. Phew. We filled with LPG (£ 0.37 per litre), replenished our cellar 🍷 and bought diesel. Lovely when the right things are empty / full.

We were headed for Kutaisi, but I plotted two activities en route.

The first was Vani archeological museum. Award winning as the exhibits really were well presented. Love the use of mirrors behind the artifacts. Vani was a cult temple / necropolis centre. Largely undisturbed and few tombs raided, with finds going back to C8-7 BC. A lot of gold and treasures were found. Mid C3 BC the Greeks arrived and there was a Hellenistic influence. And coins indicating trade. I was particularly struck by the bronze casts from C1 BC. They really were particularly fine.

Our second stop involved us abandoning Jez as the track was very pot holey and muddy. So were we (muddy not holey or even holy) by the time we had walked to Dikhashkho Sulphur Geyser. With our lack of on board shower, we didn’t fancy joining the others in the sulphur bath. I dipped my fingers in and the water was warm and smelly.

We parked up along the river in Kutaisi. A spot recommended by a motorhome builder / hirer. We are hopeful that he can perform magic on some of our needed repairs.

Kutaisi Twice

21/09/25

An over 20,000 steps day. We walked twice into Kutaisi. Back for 1.00 to meet Rustam. He builds small campers and rents them and motorhomes. Repair isn’t really his business but there just aren’t any other options in Georgia. He said he’d have a go at most issues, but wouldn’t touch the Alde wet heating. We gave him a key to Jez and he returned that afternoon to do the work:

• A screw had broken off that holds a window arm to the wall
• A drawer handle had come off and the threads sheared.
• The 220v system had stopped working on inverter. It works as if we are on hook up, or should. I’d tested the 220 by plugging in the external orange cable with an adapter, so I knew it was the connection. Rustam unconnected and reconnected everything between them. And it worked. Yay.
• The roof light over the bed leaked in heavy rain whilst driving. We’d had it resealed 18 months ago, but Rustam thinks it is a rooflight design fault. We had replaced a wind up handle roof light with a bar to open some years ago, saving about £150. We may be able to block the ventilation holes with a rubber strip.
• One shower drain had broken the tray around it. Rustam looked at the fitting of the tray, but to remove it would have involved first removing the shower walls. So we went for just sealing it over, leaving us with one drain.

Total price €150, so happy.

We just wandered Kutaisi in the morning.

In the afternoon we went to Bugrati Cathedral. One of the 4 most important Georgian orthodox cathedrals. Gelati Monastery, which is a must see, is closed for renovation so Bugati is doing a production line in weddings. A standing service is held off to the side. Seems to be a quick affair with no music or guest / family readings. Three weddings just in the time we were there.

Kutaisi Walking Tour

22/09/2025

We did a guided walking tour with one other couple … Hungarian father and daughter living in Geneva. He grew up in London from age 9 and spoke English with a plummy accent, she with a strong accent. A good tour and it cemented some of the history I’ve been reading. Our guide does speak Russian, but is reluctant to use it … we witnessed this when a Russian lady asked for directions. He also advised against visiting 2 museums as they’d been built by Russia. I asked about the flood of Russians (I had read 1.2 million) after the invasion of Ukraine (either to avoid conscription or as they disagreed with the war). He said if you heard a loud booze fuelled party late into the evening, it was Russians. He also said that Georgians charged Russians more to rent or buy property.

Lunch was fairly liquid, as one yummy glass of wine became 3. A recommendation from a young journalist who was at the next table. I got her to write down the names of some good wineries. We ate a hot chicken liver, onion and mushroom fricasse with iceberg lettuce – an interesting combination but it worked.
We had taken the large rucksack and I filled it with meat, fruit and veggies at the daily market.