SAKARTVELO 2022
HitchHiking
from Batumi to Tbilisi
Due to my expired passport, absence of wish to be boringly transported by train or bus and inspired by previous experience of hitchhiking in Sakartvelo my friend and I decided to go back to the capital with road fellows. Said goodbye with gratitude in our hearts, we took the best point on the exit of Batumi.
After a few minutes of patience, the road to Tbilisi began with the extreme driver Luka. On the background soundtrack "Riders in the storm" just like in NFS UG2, in the place of conversations. We drove mainly along the median strip at least 100 km/h to Kobuleti.
When our common path came to an end, he let us down at the bend. Having driven off the highway on the most suitable section of the road, he said goodbye with several drifts of
360 - 460 degrees.
The second - Mirza picked us up on the way to work in the port in Poti. Driving to work was clearly different from the previous one. It was obvious that he was going to get there. Having listed the standard package of knowledge to the question whether we speak Georgian, he translated -
"miu di vart Tbilisi." which meant "going to Tbilisi". At parting with red flowing eyes and sweets on his hands, he asked the final question - "Do you love?" and held out a good piece on the path.
Having picked us up from the divarication in Poti, we went with Mamuka and Bacho to Lanchkhuti. Seemingly brothers to me at first, there was little communication with them because of the language barrier. Unless Bacho showed a diagram of the entire solar system on his wrist.
On the way out of the village of Lanchkhuti, Gocha picked us up in a sports car. Having known that we are from Baku, the next question was whether we speak Azeri. As it turned out, in the 2000s he was in Baku. He also studied tourism in Turkey and worked in Kemer during his student years. Speeds above 100 on a sports car felt different, especially with the sound of "Sagi Kariv - first time".
Over a cup of cold coffee, Gocha told the story of the
Over a cup of cold coffee, Gocha told the story of the
Georgian brothers Gocha and Khvicha.
"After birth, the brothers were sold in Turkey on "Kapali Charshi" to different families. Years later, having become commanders of two armies and fighting with swords, they mortally wounded each other. Before their death, one starts to sing a lullaby to his mother in *Kartvelian, the other finds out that this is his brother."
"After birth, the brothers were sold in Turkey on "Kapali Charshi" to different families. Years later, having become commanders of two armies and fighting with swords, they mortally wounded each other. Before their death, one starts to sing a lullaby to his mother in *Kartvelian, the other finds out that this is his brother."
Having told the legend and treated homemade khachapuri and water, our paths parted at the turn to Kutaisi airport.
Chapter 2
After 20 - 30 minutes of waiting at the turn to Kutaisi, we just decided to walk. Then suddenly stopped a Turkish truck that had been on its way from Istanbul for a week, the driver told us later.
At the beginning, after talking with Rahman about the politics and economy of Georgia and Turkey, I learned that in the year 2023 the sanction imposed from the Second World War on non-extractive underground resources ends, which will result in great economic growth. The first stage of communication smoothly switched to turku for us "Ismail Turut - Azerbaijan destani" which later was repeated several times.
After a few hours of travel and long communication, we stopped for dinner. Before that, the driver's cabin was already impressive with two berths and a refrigerator, and the kitchen, fully equipped, was in the most unexpected place at the rear wheel. Opening the door that became a table, the driver took out stools for everyone. Then he began to prepare dinner from his wife's preparations. The meal turned out very tasty. At the end, putting everything in that compact cubic box, thanking him and conveying gratitude to his wife in Turkey, we headed further towards the goal.
At the entrance to Tbilisi it was already dark, but in spite of this, just getting off the truck, less than two minutes had passed and a large black SUV stopped to pick.
The driver was silent, and between the seats was a walkie-talkie. Having observed all the details in the cabin yet decided to ask his name. In response, the driver answered in a heavy voice - Azrael. Having asked again, in a more cheerful voice, he already answered "Azrael. Yes, I know the name is tough." And this was the third Turk. Lives and works between Georgia and Turkey as he told me on the way.
Having taken us to our area, he got out of the car, shook hands and bid adieu. On such a positive note, we said goodbye to the last fellow traveler with the name of the angel of death.
The experience of hitchhiking is comparable to a quick preview of life. You meet people and since everyone knows that you are unlikely to meet again, so most are very open and tell the strangest stories, if you speak the same language of course:)
After listening to different stories, you can silently ride to the point of divergence, contemplating how life behind glass slides along the road.
After listening to different stories, you can silently ride to the point of divergence, contemplating how life behind glass slides along the road.
*Kartvelian - Georgian (ქართული ენა, romanized: kartuli ena, pronounced [kʰɑɾtʰuli ɛnɑ]) is the most widely-spoken Kartvelian language, and serves as the literary language or lingua franca for speakers of related languages.
Georgian is the language of the Kartvelian family, the official language of Georgia, the literary and national language of Georgians. One of the languages with a long literary tradition. The Georgian language uses writing based on the Georgian alphabet based on the phonetic principle.
*Türkü, literally "of the Turk", is a name given to Turkish folk songs. Türkü refers to folk songs originated from music traditions within Turkey.
Georgian is the language of the Kartvelian family, the official language of Georgia, the literary and national language of Georgians. One of the languages with a long literary tradition. The Georgian language uses writing based on the Georgian alphabet based on the phonetic principle.
*Türkü, literally "of the Turk", is a name given to Turkish folk songs. Türkü refers to folk songs originated from music traditions within Turkey.
