On April 30th we started travel season 2023. Departing from Frankfurt Airport together with our bikes and luggage we land on time four hours later at 1:25am in the middle of the night in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.
You do not feel that it is the middle of the night. The airport is alive. Everything is very unexcited. In front of the airport building, Rolf assembles the bikes and we cycle around 3am to the ‘airport hotel’ four kilometers away, cross-country on dirt roads, no problem. Thanks to our all-terrain bikes.
On our first day in Georgia, we decide to make a flying visit to the city center of the capital. It is 18 kilometers on the main roads and through the suburbs of the city of over a million inhabitants to the center. A good approach.
The city is magnificent, like other major European cities. There are the places and splendor boulevards, as you can find in Paris or Barcelona. Old and new mixed together. Beautiful views, as everything is hilly. Green squares, inviting cafes and restaurants. We also find a small bicycle store where Astrid buys a bell. There are already some nice encounters with people from all over the world.
Now we want to see more of Georgia first and return to Tbilisi later. One more night in Marco’s hotel and we are off on the first stage towards the southeast. Sighnaghi, the most beautiful town in Georgia, is our destination, 100 kilometers away from Tbilisi. We cycle most of the time on big roads. The cars, many trucks, rush, past us, but it is bearable. Fish, meat, dried fruits and strawberries are offered at the roadside. We have just left Tbilisi and are now on the wine route. Everything looks green and fertile.
The last 25 kilometers we have to climb quite a bit until we reach the plateau where our destination Sighnagi is located. In Maya’s Guesthouse we have a room for two days.
goodbye.The day after, we sit in down jacket on the porch, it is already raining cats and dogs for hours, 8 degrees Celsius temperature and fog with visibility of max. 100 meters. The hands are frozen. Good day for a first report. Tomorrow it should go further. Let’s see.