Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them

To Destinations Unknown

More dogs!! This farm had 3 gorgeous dogs (one with different coloured eyes!), 2 pigs and lots of cows ... so much animal entertainment!

80054568_2525940620854238_8621086835906445312_o.jpg 79422261_2525941070854193_6262025007187099648_o.jpg 78547923_2525940970854203_120726527053660160_o.jpg 78970056_2525940857520881_5263052769899577344_o.jpg 80048662_2525940777520889_4501433409075150848_o.jpg
 
Wild camping in a meadow, we set up and we’re ready to relax then realised there was actually a fair bit of traffic through this area - some people waved hi, some just ignored us and went on their way, some were cows ... then a surprise visitor with a large jug of his homemade wine arrived!! We enjoyed a lot of laughs around the fire, managing to have a small chat in English and Russian but mainly in charades, a great night with a local

78975137_2534679709980329_8569009219276111872_o.jpg
78820982_2534680323313601_3455956150669803520_o.jpg
78686200_2534680233313610_3114944290057355264_o.jpg
79183053_2534680106646956_5272916978338627584_o.jpg
78998737_2534680003313633_7727713095509868544_o.jpg
78748640_2534679926646974_2610319704752914432_o.jpg
79388097_2534679793313654_2997262942061199360_o.jpg
 
Tskaltubo - once a grand spa town, it is now known for its many abandoned buildings, some of which house refugees and displaced persons from the Abkhazian war. Some of the spas and hotels have been restored, but there are still so many abandoned buildings that can be explored, we wish we had more time to wander around.

79722827_2534690456645921_7810551199194677248_o.jpg
79087092_2534691283312505_1676363990902505472_o.jpg
78925406_2534691096645857_216642767500083200_o.jpg
79708885_2534690986645868_3337949566275158016_o.jpg
78416811_2534690919979208_885952161463140352_o.jpg
79755633_2534690826645884_7903823466363617280_o.jpg
79089082_2534690726645894_7571449613912113152_o.jpg
80191652_2534690616645905_4017828183263936512_o.jpg
 
Dogs of Ushguli - unfortunately so many stray dogs living here, talking us on walks around town, following us up and down the roads and hills, waiting for scraps at our dinner table. We wished we could take them all with us. We had heard of one dog who follows you out of town - he escorted us for 12km along the dirt roads, until he felt we knew our way

78954048_2530055553776078_7019930093178847232_o.jpg
78989098_2530055473776086_500755485490675712_o.jpg
79770170_2530055407109426_919792548090740736_o.jpg
78645018_2530055320442768_6686672894803574784_o.jpg
 
Los crayfish hermanos - we were so excited to find a crayfish restaurant, unfortunately they didn’t have the big boys anymore so we had to settle for the little ones, our first crustaceans in a long time. Tasty!

79469230_2544834452298188_3206925253833916416_o.jpg
79410454_2544834365631530_2764689402125877248_o.jpg
80569670_2544834248964875_704463366273368064_o.jpg
79014437_2544834182298215_8415450944304578560_o.jpg
80114215_2544834078964892_9059315989933457408_o.jpg
 
Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them
A night out in Tbilisi ... took ourselves across the river, on a tour of the old town and visited a gallery with some beautiful stained glass windows

79251249_2544905725624394_3155058425608536064_o.jpg
80639113_2544905635624403_3325467364815798272_o.jpg
80264333_2544905578957742_3216407742759567360_o.jpg
79254797_2544905505624416_6189341726608457728_o.jpg
79952285_2544905438957756_7650450288871997440_o.jpg
79777477_2544905355624431_2468754627739254784_o.jpg
79600156_2544905292291104_4502373706265264128_o.jpg
 
Tbilisi walking tour - always a great way to be introduced to a place, we spent the morning exploring Tbilisi and learning more about its history, often accompanied by one of the local stray dogs

79649874_2544914598956840_4289931678773673984_o.jpg
80489079_2544914528956847_4837755285659451392_o.jpg
79537493_2544914452290188_5113055177435250688_o.jpg
79411287_2544914358956864_7050803074016739328_o.jpg
79278039_2544914278956872_6832305013788770304_o.jpg
79201350_2544914212290212_569338197583069184_o.jpg
79537504_2544914142290219_406477341275979776_o.jpg
80408415_2544914068956893_3161697126493192192_o.jpg
76955551_2544913958956904_4947240826737524736_o.jpg
79939979_2544913882290245_4462914652010971136_o.jpg
 
Fast forwarding this timeline a bit to two days ago ... planning on replacing the whole thing as soon as possible. I think this is now going to be in Pakistan though. Assuming our visas are approved one day.

Had some more fun yesterday! We had a strange vibration for a few days and couldn’t tell if it was the roads in this new country or not. Felt more like bad roads at speed than anything else. Needless to say it got worse so I checked the universal joints on the side of the road and they all seemed good so on we went. Next town when pulling away from a roundabout had a huge horrible clonk bang clonk. Put hazards on and get out to see the front prop shaft had lost three of its bolts and the remaining one had bent and broken the end of the front prop shaft! Lucky nothing else was damaged ... there was a big scrape In the sump where it had a good whack. I removed the front prop shaft put the centre diff lock in and drove to the next town. They managed to straighten it out and weld a new piece on as well as refit it in under 1.5 hours. All for less than £15! Also did it straight away :)

7A9FF6B6-E571-4DEA-9E1A-C30CD45CA9D2.jpeg
7EE053E7-8E33-4DF1-A44D-71F76B94B211.jpeg
D8429693-1FAF-49EB-BD64-3CE98E6D5EF8.jpeg
58EF6CC8-222B-4578-A530-C85557FB2545.jpeg
 
Last night ... after our big day walking, we found a book store that served wine and cheese, a local craft beer bar and a great local restaurant. What a way to end a great week exploring with Sean & Tianna! Cha cha time!!!!

79644574_2544990022282631_770065980947693568_o.jpg
79413652_2544989962282637_8866891297475002368_o.jpg
79646792_2544989868949313_5720239157951856640_o.jpg
80060612_2544989772282656_2658663032002969600_o.jpg
80246582_2544989655616001_6408553958293372928_o.jpg
80361200_2544989565616010_5039341869209747456_o.jpg
79407460_2544989498949350_6342941825971519488_o.jpg
79429313_2544989412282692_7625577643634589696_o.jpg
79448668_2544989312282702_73132327999373312_o.jpg
80392016_2544989242282709_9214372967973126144_o.jpg
 
Last night ... after our big day walking, we found a book store that served wine and cheese, a local craft beer bar and a great local restaurant. What a way to end a great week exploring with Sean & Tianna! Cha cha time!!!!

View attachment 163747 View attachment 163748 View attachment 163749 View attachment 163750 View attachment 163751 View attachment 163752 View attachment 163753 View attachment 163754 View attachment 163755 View attachment 163756
Your third picture Grant, were they stuffed hearts? I loved them, my mum used to cook them for me, I haven't had them in many years.
Nice trip report and some great pictures, thanks.
 
Oh my goodness Grant, that prop flange did have a good go at destroying itself :angry-screaming:
The good thing about poorer countries is that willing and able help is much easier to find, especially when your in need of some creative thinking and doing.
I had one flange bolt come loose and fall out. I thought it was a stone letting go from a tyre tread, but I spotted it straight away and got it replaced. Just goes to show what can happen.

Good luck with the rest of the trip, life looks tough for you with all the pretty faces, good friends, good food and drink, interesting places to visit and driving an 80 every day, must be pure hell :lol:
 
Back
Top