Zugdidi, Thursday

0025 Just checked door on a whim prior to actually going to bed proper and it opened. I have to assume that was due to me locking it with the double opening-inward doors not properly together. Does seem locked now (and it was trivially opened before, I didn't force it) but I also don't want to try too hard in case it turns out it isn't really possible to lock it properly. ;-) I'm sure it's safe enough but this is the only door between me and the street, so I do sort of care. Anyway, sleep.

1327 Just had a shower, bathroom while in downstairs courtyard is very nice, hot water too. Snoozed on second alarm until 1pm alas; seemed too cold to get up and the enormous list of things to sort out put me off. (Also the possibility of having to be up at 6am tomorrow didn't help.) Of course as soon as I left the room it was quite a warm day out.

Will speak to Maria about laundry when I get back to room and put it in, if I have to wait for it to finish not the end of the world. Will also see if I can pay and ask her about best way to get a bus to Mestia tomorrow. Time permitting I will go out to that museum but if it can't be fitted in so be it. Should be OK, largely depends if I have to wait for washing machine to finish or not.

1357 Maria knocked on door while I was sorting out laundry, she is popping for out half an hour. She said I could put washing machine on, I just did - there is a quick 30 minute programme so have done that, this way I can hang them up no problem before I go out for the afternoon. It's not as if they're mega dirty, I only a do a short wash cycle at home and it must still be at least as good as a hand wash.

1800 At Kafe Diadema again. Interesting afternoon. Tried some good-smelling restaurant earlier but they didn't speak English and I didn't get a "let's have a go" vibe. Taberna Pirate door open and they spoke a bit of English, but no food til 10 apparently!? Ordered khatchapuri and beer, if khatchapuri not mega substantial will have a pizza as well. Want to get back to hostel in time to see if Maria had any luck asking about bus to Mestia tomorrow, but plenty of time. Ideally would also call in at a supermarket and buy a bottle of water and maybe a few provisions, though still have tin of peanuts and some chocolate left from when I went in Tbilisi.

Washed clothes fine, hung out on terrace. Maria offered me a tea so we had a chat for maybe an hour, which was nice. Will spew out random bits of that below. Went to Diademi museum, set in attractive park. Three cops outside the entrance and it was a bit unclear it was the museum so I asked them if it was. They were super helpful, one spoke English, they assisted me at ticket office, including telling me there was a guided tour for 5 lari. (Young, quite attractive guide spoke excellent English but the tour was a bit whirlwhind and I was drowning in details of the family tree. Nice building though and some interesting exhibits including a death mask of Napoleon and a clock in the shape of a steam train, the latter apparently made in England.) Spoke to cops a bit when I came out, the English speaking one translating. There are two buildings in the park, thanks to the cops I also got a ticket for the other one (it doesn't sell its own) and got there. Handed ticket to a guard who led me through deserted lower floor to upstairs where an elegant little old lady came out and showed me round the photos; she spoke a very little bit of English.

Khatchapuri here. Decent sized, same as yesterday's small pizza.

V warm today in sun.

Had khatchapuri and beer. Torn but think I will have a second beer, two a day is hardly insane and should give me ample time to find a supermarket and get back to hostel.

Oh, after museum and little wander in park walked around town up to railway station. Sort of just looking around, sort of looking for restaurants, sort of thinking it would be good to maybe case out the bus to Mestia situation. Ended up near station about time the train was due in from Tbilisi so stood on platform and videoed it arrive and took a couple of photos. Camera battery suddenly plunged from fully charged indicator to showing low battery so I need to charge it tonight, I guess at least it happened now when that's convenient.

Slightly pushy taxi driver spoke to me in English when I was wondering if I dared go through the booking hall onto the platform (I didn't, after speaking to him). He said I couldn't get a bus to Mestia today but could tomorrow 7-8am. So if Maria can't help I will just have to go there and wing it. He kept offering me a cheap taxi ride or a hostel so I wandered off down street instead of going in via booking hall to get away from him. (Also had stupid England-style fears of being caught on platform without a ticket, even though a) it would have been no different being there 'cos I'd wandered on frokm the street b) clearly it's OK cos loads of people hanging around on platform and with so few trains it's clearly different.) Was poster in English for my hostel on the booking office door.

1839 Just asked where toilet was (sapirpareso - yay for electronic dictionary). Despite this place being quite swish (as was the toilet, to be fair) they have a squat toilet, which was a surprise. I only needed a piss, fortunately. 2/3 through this beer so should be plenty of time.

Music here quite a lot in English; James Blunt You're Beautiful earlier and a song I heard here yesterday as well which sounded modernish about 'eye of the tiger' (*not* the Survivor one, totally different lyrics).

Took another 480 GEL out earlier; I had quite a bit of cash left but want to keep a fair wedge stashed away for emergencies, and although I suspect it's fine I don't want to assume there will be an ATM in Mestia. Had to try three cash machines before I got one to work; PrivatBank may not like my card, the National Bank of Georgia machine worked, I think I used theirs in Tbilisi as well. I can probably burn through my leftover stash the last few days in Tbilisi where I am more confident of having ATM access if I do suddenly need more. Within limits some leftover notes might make a nice souvenir, or I can save them for a subsequent visit in a few years or change them at the airport. (Also a slim possibility I might be able to spend them at the airport in Kiev on return flight, though probably not.)

1913 Back at hostel. Bus to Mestia will call outside and sound horn at 7, will be 20 GEL. Sorted. There will doubtless be the usual bus pick up uncertainty where it doesn't turn up til 7:30 and I wonder if I should hike into town ;-) but it should be fine. Got bottle of water and some 'orange nectar' in little supermarket, as I was dithering trying to find orange juice the woman at the counter came up and asked me in English what I wanted.

Was 9 GEL at Kafe Diadema, I changed a 100 note and left 2.50 tip, so plenty of small notes handy too. Washing collected from line, virtually dry, might wear the newly washed T-shirt tomorrow as then it can stay out tonight to help it dry that last smidge (and if it is still damp it will dry as I wear it).

1933 Owners just left, won't see them in morning. They said bus might come at ten past or something, I said I wouldn't worry if it wasn't dead on time. I was going to shave but there is no mirror in the toilet/bathroom off the kitchen and I am not going down into the courtyard just now, it can wait. Besides, who doesn't look better with two days' growth of ginger beard?

Thinking - although to be honest there are clues aplenty to identify the place should anyone care to try - given I am going to write about what Maria told me in conversation and my initial negativity about the place I am not going to identify it in the blog even once I've left, so it's a bit more anoymous. I will (assuming I don't get murdered in my bed and the bus turns up OK :-) ) leave nice reviews on tripadvisor and hostelworld instead.

Oh, Maria recommended booking.com when we were talking, I should check that out next time I need to book (i.e. post Mestia). One thing she said was that she recommended Usomething, highest occupied village in Europe, which is 40ish km from Mestia but (I asked) can't really be done as a day trip, since the roads are so bad. I may go there but it depends how I feel about time. Current plan has my last night in Mestia on Sunday, so if I did an overnight in Usomething I would need to be back in Mestia for Tuesday night, then say the 11h bus Mestia-Tbilisi on Wednesday. I suppose that might be OK, would give me Thursday and Friday in Tbilisi, time to go to Davit Goreja or whatever it's called as an organised day trip and if I don't make it this time I could do it some time in the future. I guess we'll see how the bus is tomorrow and make a call then.

0037 Finally in bed. Probably not going to sleep immediately but should at least try. Hope to make some notes on conversation with Maria but it's not happening tonight, fingers crossed tomorrowed. Spent evening surfing web mostly, didn't do any Spanish or Georgian study, Skyped parents v briefly and v late, did tiny bit of work re tedious situation with my self assessment return, i.e. I replied to an e-mail from my accountant. Going to have to print a damn letter off when back in UK, need to write it up first so it's as mindless and quick as possible when I am back. Anyway, bed.