Managed to leave the guesthouse after an extended breakfast at 12pm and went to Guram’s place to say good bye. Well, I was force-fed with more bred, egg, cheese, melon … Took a fare-well picture of the family and myself and finally left their place at 2.15pm(!).
The first 10km were a pleasant down-hill ride into the Alazani valley. Then the road turned east and I followed the Alazani river, which flows towards Azerbaijan.
In the village of Akhalsopeli I stopped because it is going to be my jumping-off point to the confluence of 42°N and 46°E. That point hasn’t been visited so far.
I asked for a hotel (ok, that question was fake, I knew there wouldn’t be any in Akhalsopeli). The first guy I asked, owner of a car repair shop, offered me a bed at his place. I tried to explain from the start that I was going to hike to the mountains tomorrow, and that I’d like to stay another night after my return, and he partially understood, I think.
In town I met Heather from New Zealand and Stu from Scotland, a cycling couple on their way to Baku. Chatted with them briefly and exchanged phone numbers before Sura, my host, took me to his father’s place were a supra was held for/with me and I was drunk before I could resist. No further comments other than this: Georgia is awesome (to some degree ;) !
Cycled: 55km
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