Days 24 (rainy night - and day - in Georgia) and 25 (Sunny day in Georgia)

During the night, there was a short thunder storm: just enough to wet the tent. We weren't due to leave camp until noon, because Ange (Australian) and Christopher (American) needed to go into town to get visas for Azerbaijan, so there should have been plenty of time for the tent to dry before having to put it away. However when I got up - early, as it happens - there was distant thunder and something about the light which made me think to put the tent away now, slightly damp though it was. This turned out to have been a good call, as not long after, the rain returned and all available hands where needed to move the kitchen equipment - mid prep for breakfast - and put the truck tarp up. It rained solidly and heavily for the next five or six hours by which time there was a river running through our camp and some of the tents belonging to less early risers were standing in several inches of water. I had to remove the bottoms of my convertable trousers and borrow Juli's flip flops to get down from the truck, where most of us had taken refuge, when... well, when I had to, if you know what I mean.

The two non Brits returned with news of partial success. (They have to return after the weekend, but their visas will be waiting.) Unfortunately, just as we were about to leave, Will noticed that we'd picked up a puncture somewhere en-route, which meant a soggy wheel change and a further delay to the other side of lunchtime. Consequently, Juli and I went off to investigate what the petrol station down the road had to offer in the way of luncheon fayre. Turns out they had lots. We chose a selection of tinned foods, including aubergines in a tomato sauce, borlotti beans and stuffed vine leaves, all marketed under the Tat brand, and very nice they were too. Thank heavens for our handy stainless steel chinese soup spoons from Nomad.

Wheel changed, we drove out of town on some tiny (for us) and rutted (not helped by us) side roads in search of the coast road. Fours hours later we arrived at Sataplia National Park to see the dinausaur foot prints and under ground caves there. Unfortunately, the park was closed and not just for the night. Disapointed, we turned round in search of a place to camp in the surrounding woodlands. After disturbing one couple, who were 'amourously engaged' and avoiding another small group, Will found a likely spot and we all set about puting up the truck tarp - it was still raining - before puting up our own tents. Looking around, though, it wasn't long before we noticed the used tissue paper, condoms and even the odd syringe. Seems we'd accidentally stumbled on the local dogging site by mistake. On the plus side, it had, at least (and at last) stopped raining.

***

The next morning, just before the alarm went off, it started raining again, just enough to wet the tent again.
The rest of the day, however, was dry, sunny and warm. The morning was spent wandering round the nearby town of Kutaisi, which, we discovered, is twined with Newport. While wandering, we happened across and old church - Georgia is a Christian country, the second oldest to so declare after Arminia, incidentally - plainly decorated save for several dozen small (say a foot or two in height) icon paintings. We wondered, because of their size, if they had been hidden during soviet times, to be brought out again once religeous freedoms had been restored. Next, we found our way up a long flight of stone steps to Bagrati Cathedral, a UNESCO site we'd read about, but which was, we discovered, closed for restoration.

After that, we met up with some others for a simple lunch of bready pastries stuffed with, well, we knew not what. We don't speak any Georgian, much less read or write it, and no one at the small cafe spoke any English.  cheese and meat. Fotunately, the very obliging staff went into the back, where the food was being prepared, and came out with the ingredients to show us which was which. Georgians are helpful like that. We chose one each of  cheese and sausage (we could have had kidney beans and/or mushrooms too) washed down witha glass of tea, which seems to be 'chai' in every language.

Continuing our journey along rivers through hills and mountains covered in greenery, we passed by small towns and villages lined with small stalls, each place seeming to have their particular speciallity: pots here, bread there, bedroom funiture somewhere else. Also lining the roads everywhere are cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys and various other wild fowl.

Eventually we turned off the main road at a signpost arrowed to the 'Armenian Border', which we'll cross tomorrow morning. Tonight, though, we're bush camped (our last for a couple of nights) in a lovely spot by a fast flowing river, on soft ground with the promise of our first shower in several days, albeit out of a bucket. Bliss!

TTTN - N