Tbilisi, Friday

1037 Come into slightly touristy cafe off Freedom Square for breakfast. Alarm went off 930 and felt OKish if slightly desperate for a piss and bit cold. Snoozed on regardless; serves me right because just after 10 couple of new people shown into dormitory. This kind of forced me up but also robbed me of the bonus privacy I would have had to get properly dressed etc. I can handle that, it's the downside of the super-cheap bed. What has freaked me out a little is that there was a modestly sized spider crawling about on my main bag (I'd left it on the floor, not in the locker, since I was in on my own, and had left the laptop out charging). I am not entirely sure but I think I must have blown it off; no sign of the little fucker since, but I am a bit worried it will have got in my bag or something. Not much I can do about it I guess.

Cleaned teeth etc and fucked off out of hostel; could have had breakfast there for free I guess, but not in the mood. (Didn't shower or anything; wasn't intending to anyway, thinking will do that when I go back there late afternoon/early evening to 'pre pack'.) Still no sign of any waiter here actually. I might move to a more visible table and see if that attracts attention. OK, she just came over, getting English menu.

Fuck, this place is a bit pricey. Meh. I have in a limited sense money to burn, since I have maybe 150 GEL which I am not going to change back to sterling and only 24h to spend it. (I intend to get the bus to the airport for 0.50 GEL since I have plenty of time - checkout is 1130 and flight is 16xx, so even if I have lunch first I can afford a bit of time to risk bus problems before grabbing a taxi. But even if I do get a taxi that should be no more than 25GEL.) Not going to piss it away, of course, just a half-joke. We are looking at a few quid for breakfast here I think, nothing in the grand scheme of things. If I were absolutely out to save every last penny I'd have had breakfast at the hostel.

Wearing jumper which is still a little damp from the wash. Weather not really cold but bit overcast. Tis OK.

Having medium acharuli khachapuri at 7.80 and (although this isn't on the menu) a coffee. After this will wander down Kote Afkhaze where there is a post office and it's also on the way to where I hope that fortress is.

"Having" to get back to do the online check in and (the big faff) print off the boarding pass is annoying. I am not absolutely sure I need to do either, especially since I think I sorted out my seats back in London, but the idea of turning up at the airport (where there may well be no printing-capable internet cafe) with just the crappy printout from ebookers showing my confirmation code makes me a little nervous. In reality I suspect that would be fine, but the potential downside is huge. I am sure there will be a handy-ish internet cafe (I don't actually have to go back to the hostel to do it, of course) here in town, I just haven't spotted any (in Latin America they rather force themselves on your attention) and I haven't been massively on the lookout for them.

1127 Medium sized AK absolutely vast; left about a third of it, maybe more. Was OK but could do with about 50% less cheese in my opinion (this is the one with a soft egg yolk and a load of cheese in a sort of bowl formed of the bread). Definitely prefer the plain style or the one with hard-boiled egg I tried a bit of yesterday. Still, at least I tried this one. Coffee very small and could do with a decent-sized drink but will buy a bottle of diet coke or something from a street shop instead of paying restaurant prices for a teeny bottle.

1135 14.10, rounding up to 15. Use bog then off.

1337 Walked over to Davit Agmashenebli since google suggested there was a post office here (the one at bottom of Kote Afkhaze is clearly out of action), and there is. With a slightly pleasing neatness, the postcards are actually of this street - I assume it is more picturesque up the other end. Not entirely sure they will make it as I never saw any stamped attached but I paid my GEL8 for two cards and left them with the woman at counter so we will see.

(There were no postcards in the shop I went in of anything I'd seen or obviously touristy, e.g. freedom square or the fortress.)

Went up to Nariqala Fortress (didn't climb up to the top bit with the cross as I didn't like the overly climby scrambly path) and the statue of Mother Georgia - walked up, got cable car down and then walked over to here along river. Weather sunnier than this morning. Shall now stroll further up here, mainly since it was on postcards, then wend my way back towards the national museum (which shuts at 6; if I make it well and good, if not no huge deal) and sort of keep my eyes open for any internet cafes.

1621 Back at hostel, had shower (white T-shirt was getting a bit rank TBH), back in room giving phone a quick boost charge before go out to find internet cafe. Bound to be one on Rustaveli and if desperate there was one open til 10 or 11pm which advertised printing on street with post office.

Got metro from Mara something, two stops to Liberty Square (as it is translated on the metro, and sometimes elsewhere), could have walked but it can be very hard to cross the major roads here. Went to national museum including soviet occupation museum, moderately interesting.

1653 In internet cafe on Rustaveli. In fucking enormous non-moving queue. I suspect the queue is people having something done with visa applications - they advertise 'visa services' - but even ignoring language issues, since there is one member of staff I can hardly jump the queue to ask about using the intenet and a printer. So I guess I can wait in this queue for an hour or two and hope. What a fucking pile of shit. There are not so many internet cafes around that I really want to risk trying to find another one.

I must say Georgians don't seem big on queueing. The metro is a bit of a free for all, and there's no attempt to let people off before more people start to board.

Just checked guide book. There are exactly two internet cafes mentioned, one on Rustaveli (ie probably this one) and one on the street with the post office Davit Awhatsit (ie probably the one I saw earlier, which is a hike away - I couldn't use that then as obviously online check is somehow fundamentally impossible more than 24h before a flight, it would bring the sky crashing down if you could check in say any time the previous day). So there you go. Still, this place is probably open til 11pm and although I was toying with going to the flea market near the hostel I was told about by Katia yesterday I was not exactly desperate. Basically I'm not going back to the hostel til10 or 11ish so I have time to kill and this will stop me drinking too early.

Battery only at 63% but meh.

1726 Out. Guy at desk spotted me after a bit, he was apologetic, I said I didn't like to interrupt. All v civilised. GEL 2. Naturally the hand baggage allowance is a miniscule 7kg EVEN THOUGH YOU GET 23KG CHECKED BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE *FREE*. So why the flaming fuck can't I take a 9 or 10kg piece of hand baggage into the cabin if I'm not using my checked baggage allowance? I can't even put it down to greed since the checked allowance is free. You are also allowed a laptop on top of the 7kg but even so I will be pushing it. Guess we will just have to wait and see what happens and if I do have to check the bag it's not the end of the world, though it is annoying.

I'm leaving the more casual less rugged second pair of shoes I stupidly decided to bring behind next time. They're not mega heavy but every little helps, or doesn't help as the case may be. I haven't worn them once and I can't imagine doing so really, it was a stupid whim.

Oh, guy said he was entering these people for the US visa lottery, they do it every year. Joked he could help me out if I wanted to downgrade my citizenship. :-)

1811 At Cherry Garden restaurant. Prices outside bear no relation to the ones on the menu inside - it shows skewers of meat for GEL 6, cheapest on the menu was liver at GEL 8. Beer shows outside at GEL 1.5, inside I couldn't see anything under 4. Under other circumstances I might walk but fuck it. Not clear portion is going to be huge but there you go. Having chicken skewer with french fries and bread and a beer. I struggle to find places to eat so will go with this and save Stelzen Haus for an early lunch tomorrow. Also need somewhere peaceful indoors to struggle with unhelpfully formatted electronic guide book to try to find a bar to go to tonight (there is no hyperlinking between the numbered key on the map and the description of the bar, and they are 20-30 screens apart so lots of fun flipping back and forth, especially when you consider the faff involved in zooming the map).

My chair protrudes beautifully into a narrow corridor too.

1858 Food actually very good and with generous quantity of bread and some darkish sauce to put on it feel quite full. Ordered a tea, green (it's in the menu) if she understood. I have picked out a couple of possible bars - Cafe Kala (spellings wrong, from memory) and Sauze - and will wander around trying to locate them and see what they look like (if the rather out of date guidebook is still right; it mentions a place called Rock Club on Rustaveli which has live gigs but I haven't seen it and am sure I would have noticed it) but in order to reduce drunkenness and alcohol consumption and with it generally being a bit early a tea here will stretch things out. If I leave here 730-8 I will probably check out one or both bars (they are not super close but not miles apart, ditto with their distance from this place, insofar as I know where I am anyway) and be in one by 830-9 which isn't too bad. If they both suck or don't exist or I can't find them I might just go back to that place I was at on Rustaveli the night before last (not last night's place with "no toilet"). My alcohol consumption has been a bit high lately but it's not absolutely insane, and the last night here is not a night I intend to start taking corrective measures. Next couple of days should be low-to-zero alcohol (with flying and being back in London) and I can try to do things differently when I get to Bangkok. Am half in the mood to 'evaluate' how things have gone so far against my plans but not doing it right now anyway.

Wow, this *is* green tea.

1937 Finished tea. Let's get bill and go wander. Why does finding a bar here always seem such an effprt? Guide book (and logic) says you are never far from somewhere to have a drink.

GEL27 including 10% service charge rounded up (GEL24 before tip), so will pay exactly. Not too bad if not super cheap. Paying with a 50 note, will get some more small bills for convenience.

2053 At Scarlet Sails Tavern on Khote Afkhazi. Just me at a table and two americans at the bar, one of who is telling a lurid story involving FBI ages. Sign outside advertises live music from 2200, couldn't kill any more time. Let's recap.

Walked over to Cafe Kala, on Erekeli II. Passed (closed) Hangar Bar. Part of Erekeli II is completely unlit, joy.

Anyway, turns out Cafe Kala is on that little strip just off Khote Afkhazi where Stelzen Haus, Friend's House (karaoke bar) and Grace Garden are. Guide book held out some prospect of live jazz but not clear and the place somehow didn't quite appeal tonight. Some people in there but a bit of a restauranty vibe.

Walked over to Sauze (sp) at Dadiani 15. Missed it first time but on checking guide book it is unsigned basement bar. Did find it but it looked slightly intimidating, in a studenty sort of way. Might well have been nice but I'm in a funny last night mood; I doubt I'd strike up conversation with anyone giving the language issues, but frankly I really don't need any of that shit tonight. I just want to have a few beers and ideally a bit of music.

Spotted this place on KA while en route to Sauze. Place is very bar-ish, a kind of pseudo nautical tone but not too in your face. Ordered beer at bar and paid for it (GEL5) there, not sure if that's right protocol. I kind of decided to come here about 2030 but I walked down the stretch with the clubs on down towards the river on and took a few night photos (wouldn't normally have camera out at night but not been back to hostel since 1630 or whenever and didn't leave it behind then) before giving up on killing more time and just coming back here.

I am clearly out too early but especially with flying tomorrow I feel weird and don't want to be out mega light. I suppose the smart thing to do would have been to go back to hostel and had a coffee or two in the common area then come out about 930 or 10. But especially in this last night mood not feeling like it. What if I got asked to go out with some people? I kind of don't want to. What if I *didn't* get asked out? Probably be peeved. What if it was just quiet? Well, that would have been OK I guess.

Also I needed to *find* these bars. So in reality I'd have been heading back to the hostel about 2030 to come out an hour or so later. I guess that would have been OK, but it feels like a bit of a fag to be honest (I mean, if I had a private room in a proper hotel I think I'd be put off trekking back to the hotel to wait for an hour or so).

I do feel I haven't seen much nightlife here. Maybe I've always been out too early, but also until tonight I've always been here (Tbilisi) on 'non-weekend' days (maybe last night could have been OK, Thursday shouldn't be too dead, but one way or another didn't pan out like that). Not a massive regret but still. I haven't seen much nightlife anywhere really, though I guess I spent last weekend in tiny out-of-season Mestia.

Anyway, here's the todo list for next time I come to Georgia:

- paragliding - you can do this several places, I have not pursued it and it's never been waved under my nose as an easy temptation. Would like to do it and not all that scared by the prospect, but somehow I am feeling that doing it at the start of a long holiday could really fuck me over if I break something. If I broke a leg on a two or three week holiday it would suck, of course, but I'd just go back to work with a broken leg. Breaking something now would lose this whole trip.

- glacier at Mestia (Bernadetta saw this, said it was OK but not amazing, but maybe she's blasé, anyway, I would like to see it)

- kharketi? kazbegi? Obviously not a massive deal, these are merely thoughts unlike the 'I could have done this but didn't' of the previous two.

And how have things generally gone? What's gone well:

- Social. It's not been stellar, but it's been OK. Outside Tbilisi I don't think there have been that many opportunities, with the off-peak feeling, and if true that means in many ways I've done better than it seems.

- Drinking. I have been drinking too much (because more than 21 units a week is Bad, mmmkay), but I haven't routinely been drinking loads, in fact I'm not sure from memory I've ever had more than five in one day and one of those would have been at lunch. Frankly I'm not sure I even hit that.

- Spanish study. I've had about one lesson a week and I've done my homework for those lessons. More would be good, but I think this is still pretty good and should at least help maintain my level so I don't slip back, even if I don't move forward as much as if I was back in London.

- Language. I haven't got too badly hung up on having to rely on people speaking English. I've winged it successfully with a few words and tricks like the online dictionary and the good old written Arabic numerals. I think this will be less of a factor in India, Thailand and Singapore anyway.

What's not gone so well:

- Social. I could probably do more low key hanging around in common areas at hostels or what have you and get to know people through casual conversation. I do feel outside Tbilisi there weren't many people around to meet at hostels anyway, though. Doing this low key hanging around would also help with

- Quiet study/non-drinking. I was hoping to not feel obliged to 'do stuff' every night, partly to reduce alcohol consumption, also to avoid getting too run down and perhaps to study up on something like Java or Python. This hasn't really happened. I think in part this and the low-key hanging around suffer from setting a bit too quick a pace; more on this later maybe.

- Drinking. I haven't been tracking my consumption, and as noted above it has been technically excessive. Need to get myself a spreadsheet.

- Not wasting huge chunks of the day in bed. Especially given I *haven't* been out on the piss, I mght have hoped to get up a bit earlier than I often have. Then again, back in London and not out on the piss regularly I still struggled to get up early both during the week and at weekends. So this shouldn't be too much of a surprise. Nevertheless, there's scope for improvement here. I do wonder if a reduced pace might help here, since there'd be fewer days with an 'ohh, fuck, I've got to make arrangements for the next hop' vibe which disinclines me to get up. (Or with a 'fuck, I have to get a train at arse o'clock tomorrow morning, I'm enjoying some sleep today while I can' vibe.)

So, the pace question. Both based on overheard conversation back when I was first in Tbilisi and also actually having spoken to some people at the hostel here this time, other people seem to spend more time than I do in any one place. Maybe this means they don't see as much as me per unit time, maybe they get more depth to compensate. It probably leads to improved social opportunities as it gives more time to get to know people. As noted above, I also wonder if a slower pace would help with some of my other goals.

On the other hand, I booked three nights in Zugdidi and cleared off after two and I think that was smart. Arguably it wasn't quite so clear cut I should have done the same in Mestia when the weather turned, but on the other hand it probably did make sense. I suppose this Georgia trip being a fairly short sub-2-week stint put the pressure on a bit more. I had more time than I needed in Batumi, so I kind of did take a slow pace there. The only other bits were the initial Tbilisi stint, where I naturally wanted to push on to other places in my short stay and I also knew I'd be back here at the end of the trip, and this time when my departure is dictated by the return flight. (I have after all seen four places - five if you count Davit Gareja separately, which I probably should - in 13 days. I wouldn't have liked to have missed any of those out, except that if I'd known what it was like I probably could have sacrified the museum and park at Zugdidi and maybe spent just one night there, or even taken an overnight train and jumped straight on a bus out as soon as I got in. But I couldn't know that up front, and in a way it's nice to have seen the place anyway. I did also have a couple of quietish nights there, really.)

So maybe my natural inclinations aren't too much towards the rushed end of things and it's just this short stay which has been squeezing me. I suppose if I maybe err towards four nights instead of three for initial stays in the main city, and aim for three nights minimum (subject to changing plans as in Zugdidi, or where I'm pretty sure in advance a place is a hole not desirable to spend more than minimum necessary) in other places, that might help. That way if I end up with an extra night somewhere dull I can get a quiet evening (or even quiet whole day) in. I do need to be 'strong' and force myself to do a bit of study rather than just surf the web on such a quiet night though. Even in Thailand I have over three weeks, which should allow that bit of extra breathing room.

My left eye is a bit watery. It has been a bit funny since I walked into that door, though maybe I am imagining a connection where none exists. (It isn't black!)

When I checked in online earlier both flights showed my seats (which I'd checked weeks ago) and oddly enough both flights - both on 737s I think - showed only two seats either side of the aisle. That sounds oddly spacious.

2147 Moderately attractive but sour-faced woman behind bar just asked me to sit at the bar as I got a second beer, because there's live music and they don't like me occupying a table. Kind of fair enough but I was worried sitting at the bar might lead to conversation with a stranger, normally something I would welcome but not in the mood tonight. Also didn't really like the way she asked, but I assume she is Georgian so I guess I should assume non-native speaker intonation rather than malice. Anyways...

Gonna switch battery - this on at 16% - then try to switch back when I leave. That way if I can charge this one overnight I'll hopefully have 100%+60% charge when I leave hostel tomorrow instead of 100%+16%.

Also, the bar is just a tiny bit too high for me to be super comfortable, or the stools a tiny bit too low. Given I understand most height variation is in the leg I wonder if this isn't just me. Anyway, not a big deal.

Poster on wall advertising a bottle of vodka and six cans of Red Bull for GEL60.

Re-reading some Jerome K Jerome. Diary of a pilgrimmage, and now Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow. Really amazed how well it's aged, very good stuff.

2218 Place is pretty busy, which is a positively new experience for me in Georgia. Feeling rather uncomfortable at bar, mainly I think because I can't lean comfortably on it to read book on my phone. Band not on yet but maybe soon. Vague plan is to leave here about midnight. Will probably not clean teeth so as to minimise disruption in dormitory of going in to pick up my bathroom stuff from the top of the lockers then go out again. This is probably overly considerate of me. Maybe the others won't be there when I get back. Anyway, the odd night of not cleaning my teeth shouldn't hurt.

2225 Band seem to be making warming up noises.

2236 Nice cover of The Cure's I Will Always Love You to open. I feel hugely better all of a sudden. Band call themselves "1000 Miles Band".

2307 Band having a break. Not bad. Barmaid asked me to move to stool at end of bar, but she did at least smile apologetically.

Seems to be free wifi here too. If they have a bog the place has it all. ;-)

Woohoo. E-mail from ebookers warning off possible storm disruption to flights into southern England this weekend. Not much I can do about it now. I guess I will have to check tomorrow morning, I probably have to fly to Kiev anyway and while it would seriously fuck my plans up to have to spend a night there at least I don't need a visa.

Wow, they have a sit down toilet and everything. It's even clean. Didn't even lose my seat at the bar, which is nice as it is pretty busy in here.

Reading storm e-mail more closely it says Oct 27 and 28, ie not tomorrow (Sat 26th). I don't know if I got my flight London-Bangkok through ebookers or not or if this e-mail is because of Tbilisi-London. So I will probably get into London OK but may have shit at Heathrow on Monday 28th. I suppose in a way that is perhaps better, if I get stranded bigtime at Heathrow I can clear off into familiar London and rearrange my onward flight, and failing that at least if I am delayed on the way out I don't have another flight a day or two after.

Yes, the London-Bangkok flight is through ebookers, so although it doesn't mention which booking caused them to send it I assume this is probably more of a risk for the London-Bangkok flight. That does suck but it's still better than trouble on the Tbilisi-London flight, I will be in familiar territory suffering from any trouble. Territory where I have mobile internet and voice calls on my phone at non-extortionate rates and where I'm fluent in the primary announcement language.

Met Office website has yellow wind warnings for Greater London on Monday 28th (only), so odds on this is not going to affect my flight back but may affect flight out.

0012 Band stopped again. Not sure if will be back on or not.

0015 Does seem to be a bit of an exodus going on. I think I will nurse the dregs of this beer and see if it becomes clearer, but that may be it.

0028 Hmm, not really an exodus. I am not super confident band will come back on though. Were I not flying tomorrow I'd have another beer regardless, as it is I am prepared to stay on if the band are but don't want to if they're not. Think will give it a few more minutes. Band have not packed up their equipment, but that may not signify anything.

Hmm, there is a certain paying off of tabs (I think I am unusual in having paid as I went, but bar staff never waved off payment per beer) and a slight putting on of coats and slightly less rammed feel.

0035 Lead guitarist and drummer sort of noodling about but far from clear. I am tempted to go for a slash and leave, under the circumstances. Fuck it, doing "Easy" now (Commodores), might be encore but gettingone more. If lose seat having a slash can stand. Can leave beer if no more music.

0109 Band stayed on. 'Last song' was Don't Look Back In Anger. Rocking. A brilliantly smoky boozy night. Most of crowd probably local. Another song now but thinkwe are nearly done.

0131 Back at hostel. Left bar 0115, Queen's Friends Will Be Friends playing. Am almost perfectly slightly drunk. Had I not been flying tomorrow (today) would have stuck on, and had it been Latin America might have hoped to strike up a conversation. But also proud of myself for leaving on a high under the circumstances. May feel a little rough tomorrow but probably be OK, alarm at 10 is still an easy eight hours sleep if I can get off.