Tuesday, September 16, 2014

4 Days Winter Solo Trip in Republic of Georgia

Gori - Kutaisi - Gudauri - Tbilisi tour
January 28 to February 01, 2014

"Our deeds still travel with us from afar, and what we have been makes us what we are." - George Eliot

My 30th country to visit, 27th solo backpacking trip, 6th visa on arrival application encounter outside Southeast/Northeast Asia, 5th winter travel and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure.

Georgia is strategically located in the Caucasus mountains and borders the Black Sea. It is slightly smaller than South Carolina and borders Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Turkey. There religion is nearly 84% Orthodox Christian. Christianity became the official religion in the fourth century. Georgia attained independence from the Soviet Union on April 9, 1991. Prior to that, it was called the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. Georgia has a pleasant Mediterranean-type climate due to its latitudinal location along the Black Sea but suffers from earthquakes as a hazard.
http://geography.about.com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/georgia10.htm

4 days Solo Trip in Winter Georgia (Tbilisi)

4 days Solo Trip in Winter Georgia Map

4 days Solo Trip in Winter Georgia (visa-on-arrival stamps in passport)

4 days Solo Trip in Winter Georgia (local food khinkali)

4 days Solo Trip in Winter Georgia (Tbilisi)

This another race against time, very short backpacking researched in somehow detailed manner has a compressed itinerary designed as follows: 

January 28 Tuesday:
Tbilisi City arrival and Gori short-visit tour
Kutaisi Afternoon tour

January 29 Wednesday:
Kutaisi to Tbilisi minibus trip
Tbilisi afternoon tour

January 30 Thursday:
Gudauri day tour

January 31 Friday:
Tbilisi day tour

February 01 Saturday:
Tbilisi City departure

TOTAL BUDGET : USD 706.41 = PHP31,082 (57.5% went to plane ticket)

Basic Words to Remember;
hello - gamarjoba;   thank you - madlobt;   I love you - miq'varkhar;   goodbye - nakhvamdis
yes/no - diakh (ki)/ara;   sorry - bodishi;   please -   tu sheidzleba;   excuse me - ver gavige
toilet - tualetis;   train station - matareblis sadguri;   airport - aeroporti

timezone - +0400H UTC;   capital - Tbilisi;   language - Georgian
currency - Lari 1 GEL = 25 PHP = 0.56 USD

visa - Filipino's are visa on arrival in Republic of Georgia (conditional)

4 days Solo Trip in Winter Georgia (Tbilisi)

4 days Solo Trip in Winter Georgia (Tbilisi)

4 days Solo Trip in Winter Georgia (Gudauri)

4 days Solo Trip in Winter Georgia (Gudauri)

4 days Solo Trip in Winter Georgia (above the mountains)

Interesting Facts about Georgia: 
1. The deepest known cave in the world is the Voronya Cave in Georgia.
2. One of the famous historic traditions in Georgia is; wine making.
3. Georgia is considered a transcontinental country, partially located in Eastern Europe and partially in Southwest Asia.
4. Georgia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
5. The country is divided into 2 halves; west and east by a chain of mountains called The Likhi Range of mountains.


Arriving from Tbilisi Airport;
As per Georgian Immigration requirement for a Filipino traveler to be able to avail the FREE VISA arrangement, I have to show a valid work residence visa on one of any three Middle East Countries. Upon arrival on Tbilisi Airport and showing this part on my passport, Tbilisi Airport immigration was one of my very relax encounter (totally no hassle) since my backpacking career. The Officers did not even asked any single question (accommodation, return ticket or itinerary). In less than 2 minutes I already bypassed the Immigration area and walking towards the airport exit.

Anyways, I divided this wonderful journey into different set of posts to be more specific on its content;


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