Tbilisi, Monday

1316 Back at same table at that German-y place off Khote Afkhazi. Having an omelette (no cheese), massively expensive orange juice (GEL8; same as the omlette) and a black americano. Could have gone somewhere else but seen a little of the place on walk over here and what the hell.

Woke up about 0030 as I think blogged but couldn't get back to sleep until about 4 or 5. Had been hoping I could naturally get up 7-8 but no, probably due to going to sleep at 4 or whatever I woke up tired to alarm at 930 and drowsed heavily then finally got up about 1130. Shower (no shit or shave, I will shave later I guess) and left hostel maybe 12-1230. Plan is to eat here then go up the funicular, there is some sort of walk from there which takes about 45 mins then you get the cable car down. I did see the cable car earlier as I ended up by one of the bridges.

Had vaguely planned to have a free coffee in hostel kitchen had I got up 7-8 but as it was not happening.

Passed a stretch with a few bars (probably bit touristy but WTF) on walk earlier, including a karaoke bar. ;-) May go out for a few beers tonight, dunno, let's see how I feel. Tonight/tomorrow I do need to start planning my onward trip, look into when trains are, where to actually go, book hostel etc. But let's actually do something here in Tbilisi first today.

Massively thirsty due to only having that 500ml bottle of water and needing to keep saving it to clean teeth. Definitely want to get a big one later. Passed couple of shops with fruit earlier today but having no water on me to cursorily rinse it off not going to chance it.

Oh, short sleeved shirt with jacket and I'm not cold. BBC weather says 17C or so if I remember rightly, quite sunny, next to no wind. Almost perfect. A smidge warmer (or a few more long-sleeved shirts with me) wouldn't hurt but this isn't bad at all.

Practically inhaled the omlette. Flicking through appallingly formatted and hyperlinked Lonely Planet guidebook on phone. Vague inclination is to head west since most of the country is that way, try to see the mountains first then maybe the (west) coast, I can then return to Tbilisi nearer end of time here and perhaps go to Davit Gareja as a day trip from here. Frankly it's monstrously unclear what is safe (border areas), easy to get to and doesn't involve being the sort of person who owns hiking boots and a Gore-Tex jacket. I think it wil require cogitation back at the hostel with the F&CO website and a half-decently sized screen. I'd also really rather go by train than bus, at least to start with. Anyway. Need to get on and go see the funicular.

Getting bill. 1349. Sunset is IIRC 5pm ish so time perhaps a smidge short but I don't think it is particularly relevant, the cable car operates til midnight and the funicular til 7pm IIRC and while I'd rather not be anywhere too desolate I don't think it is unsafe here at night. Bill 21.78, hoping to get some coins in change and maybe make it 25 but we will see. I still owe the hostel 2 because neither of us had change when I checked in. Was going to ask when they took the money but there is some bloke on today whose English, while immeasurably superior to my Georgian, is not so great. (I ordered off one of the women from yesterday, hence able to ask for no cheese in the omlette.)

Need to withdraw some cash if I can find a cash machine that doesn't look like it runs at a huge commission by virtue of being a standalone one outside shop. Got 5 note and 3 coins change, will make the tip the 5 cos I need the coins. Running massively over budget I am sure. ;-)

Anyway, go go gadget legs.

1435 In crammed funicular car. Opens 9am-4am! Woman at desk (modest queue) wouldn't give change. I didn't want to spunk my hard-won and needed-for-hostel coins so queued up again and paid 6 instead of 4 which I think is a non_refundable deposit of 2 for a card plus 2x2 for trips. Card will be a souvenir and I may be able to use it on cable car. Withdrew some cash but not stashed it away yet. Snapped a few random photos while walking about. Feeling fairly good in general, if still sadly lacking trust in my own body and specifically its bowels. I hate those bastards.

1453 At top. Rather nice view, snapped excessive photos for panorama generation. Not at all clear where to walk but let's chance it. The leaflet I got with the ticket suggests there is a kind of funfair-esque collection of stuff up here, none of which particularly appeals, and shows an unlabelled path running off the edge of the map. Let's see what happens if I head that way. There is a cafe bar up here but it's set back a bit from the edge so the view is probably not amazing and it doesn't quite feel like beer o'clock yet.

Oh, strike my earlier temperature comments. If anything it's slightly too warm, not that I'm complaining.

Aha, Google Maps seems to reveal a path. This is apparently Mhatsaminda Park up here. Now it has a name I feel compelled to wander around it before taking this path which hopefully runs about 45 mins round to the top of the cable car.

1506 Park OK but nothing spectacular, as I say it's a bit funfairy. There is a big red and white steel industrial looking tower (Tbilisi Tower?) up here. Wandering round the base it looks like you can't go up it, it is presumably some kind of aerial installation (though it looks damned substantial). That would really have been the business.

1514 Just remembered that right now I am not constructing a feed between BARX PB and CLH. Feel even better.

Billy Joel's Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (?) playing over speakers. All the music is English language.

1527 This path is elusive. Guide book makes no mention of it. There is a sort of path down the hill but it isn't signed or marked and doesn't coincide with the GPS/Google Maps. It also distressingly turns chalky white at some point with the white leading back up to what looks like a drain further up the hill...

Guide book says best views are from the ferris wheel in the park. I am not sure I can go on that as apparently I would need credit on this plastic card, and I don't have enough. Surely there must be a top up machine round here? I think I will wander round and see, and unless concrete signs of this path emerge will write it off. (It was mentioned in the free guide leaflet the hostel gave me, but there was no map AFAICR otherwise I'd have brought it out with me.)

1740 At what might be Aqua Pub somewhere near Kofte Afkthzai or whatever. Serious thirst on. Ordered a draught Natakhtari for 2.90 GEL. Not intending to turn this into a session but may have two (or more if they are small). Sat in garden round back. Sunset obviously not at 5 but it is now starting to get slightly twilighty. Not drank anything since left that place I ate this morning, have walked miles and it was moderately warm. Gonna stop writing this when the beer turns up and resume after.

Temperature v pleasant now but need that beer. Come on come on come on. Ah, I think it's coming. Looking like it's probably a half litre. More practically, it appears to be about four swallows' worth, since it's half gone after two. Will buy some water on the way back to the hostel; as I say, this won't be a session, I may or may not come back out tonight nearer 8 or 9 for food and a wander and see what crops up. May also try to have a Spanish lesson though as I say I also need to look into onward travel.

Anyway, I found that path hidden behind a police car but went back into funicular terminal to put more credit on the park card. Put 10 GEL on which was way too much; time permitting I probably have a couple of prepaid funicular rides to take before I leave the country.

Ferris wheel view surprisingly unimpressive for no clear reason. Still, cool to have done it.

Most impressive views were from the bits of the path which weren't obstructed by trees. Genuinely spectacular, took loads of photos. Path way longer than I expected (sign said it was something like 2.1km), largely deserted though towards far end an increase in not really threatening but somehow disconcerting small groups of youths or youngish couples. Actually started to go downhill a bit early at the end as I was getting desperate and only seeing the cable cars made me go back up and get to the cable car terminal.

They use a plastic card which is shared with the subway, so I paid 10 GEL for the card (2) and some credit. I think the cable car only cost 1 a go but do intend to try the subway, and I may need it to get to a station or bus terminal anyway. The cable cars slowed down so quickly coming into upper terminal they visibly tilted maybe 20 degrees. Not like that, or at least didn't feel so much anyway, on the way down. Views not bad from car but it's pretty quick.

Walked around from lower cable car terminal, crossed nearby bridge back to hostel side of river, seeking bar for this beer. Some slightly touristy but more offputtingly rather empty bars, did go past Stenze Haus or whatever my 'usual' place is called but deliberately avoided it. This place seems low key and unintimidating, which is what I wanted.

Slightly tempted to eat here but I am not enormously hungry and I think it makes more sense to go back to hostel and look into onward trip and maybe call parents and maybe see if I can squeeze a Spanish lesson in, then I can go out for food and a few drinks (but not intending to be out til 2am or anything) 9-10ish. No idea what times the nightlife runs here but I am fairly confident I can get food at 9-10, if nothing else Stenze Haus is supposedly 24h so I should be able to eat there if desperate. As I say don't intend this to be a session but this is probably my best chance to have a night out; tomorrow night I will need to be up to check out (not that I intend to be up really late tomorrow, but I can be) and need to be in a good condition to travel, and depending on where I go they may be less lively than here. I am tempted to shove an extra day on here given it seems quite nice and Sunday was a write off, but if I am going to do that better to shove the extra day in at the end of the trip.

Just ordered another. Natakhtari a perfectly acceptable lager. I have no idea how strong it is, but if I'm having only two I suppose it's not too big a deal. Yawning a bit, which is slightly worrying but we'll see how it goes. I guess if I feel knackered come 11ish it's not a big deal.

Hope my head didn't get sunburned today; I didn't put any cream or a hat on. I don't think it was that hot nor was I in direct sunlight all that long. Tomorrow will tell...

Thinking I might have to develop a taste for banana - "the peelable fruit". I don't like them much, though to be fair I am not certain I've ever eaten one, but I'm not crazy about banana-flavoured confectionery stuff. However, I merely don't like them much, they are near the top of the scale of things mayonnaise is at the bottom of, and they undeniably have hygienic qualities which appeal to the traveller with a chronic mistrust of his own bowels. ;-)

Little black and white cat on the wall. Seen quite a few street-ish cats, which at least don't look too horrifically malnourished. It has wandered over and is crouched near me. Not sure if I should stroke it even if lets me.

I kept saying no to ice in coke/juice at Stenze Haus, I don't know if that is hygienically necessary here and I feel a bit ashamed to refuse it. On the other hand, while I suspect the drinks are bottled so I don't get any extra by refusing ice here, I usually decline ice back home too since I figure you get more drink for your money with the draught coke in pubs. And really, not that anyone cares, if it's not cool to be paranoid, I suspect it's not cool to get sick either. ;-)

TV is showing some crooner with full band. The tune sounds very much like 'Love Me Tender'. Yes, he is singing in English now I know what to listen for but I assume he is Georgian.

1842 Got bill. Good natured but difficult conversation asking waitress to give me a lot of coins in change. Let's see. Bit irrationally narked about the onward plans looming unpleasantly in tonight's schedule. I think I need to take it easy and just putter westwards and see what I see and fuck what I don't see.

Got lot of change, I hope 2 GEL tip on a 5.80 GEL bill isn't insulting. Anyway, back to hostel, taking care not to fall down any holes and buying big bottle of water on way.

1901 Back at hostel. Surprisingly deserted. Paid the 2 GEL I owed in reception. Bought bottle of water at shop, woman didn't speak any English but it was clear she wouldn't give me change for a 10. Proferred change and she took a coin, which seemed too cheap (I could have sworn it said 2.20 on shelf, tho not very clear) but meh, her business. Oddly embarassing but as I say I can't learn the language everywhere.

Oh, poster for Kazbegi on back of door to reception. You can do paragliding there (tho you can here too according to guide book, I just haven't had time and figure I might try it in two weeks when if I break something at least I've had two weeks of travel first), however that may be worth investigating.

Gonna send this now before I lose it, will do a separate entry if do anything tonight.