Sunday - Telavi

We piled back on the the coach and re-tracked our route along the narrow dirt track back to the main A302 Tbilisi - Sagarejo road. On the way back we passed some carts with the hay harvest.

The trip to Telavi was 3 1/2 hours. We stopped by the road side on the way to purchase some bottled water and some Churchkhela, which were made of grape juice which had jellified on a string of nuts.

We arrived at Telavi in the Kakheti region, known for the wine growing. This town appeared to be in a valley, and our coach took us up the side of the valley to our accommodation.

We we split into three groups, staying in different private houses next to each other. All the meals were in the main house in which we were staying. The house was very smart with wonderful wood floors. Our bedroom overlooked the valley, and in the night you could hear all the dogs barking to each other.
We had a quick walk into town and bought some bottles of beer to drink before supper. Quite a long walk down hill and back. Supper was at eight, it was a Georgian style feast where more and more plates of food were added to the table as the meal progressed. There were stuffed aubergines (walnuts), cheese, salads, stuffed peppers, BBQ lamb and port, coleslaw, bread stuffed with cheese. Wine (which was cloudy as was all wine in Georgia). During the meal we had our first of many power cuts. It was so beautiful, there was not a light to be seen, other than the most gorgeous moon I have ever seen,no light pollution anywhere.

The American, Ray, told us of how he'd blown up his $160 car with home made explosives he had brought home from work. He and his wife Marilyn were chemists.