Poly to russia, me and Nata to Georgia

Quick break in Armenia, by Sevan lake. We are going to georigia!

Chief of police to Nata: if you come live with me, you'll eat like that everyday

"Gavar Dzhobat!", Nata is hysterical, "Hello Georgia!!!" I have mixed feelings. Georgia is my dream place now but it also feels like going back. From here I could easily get to Turkey. How easy is it to cross turkey and go to Bulgaria. And Bulgaria, that's European Union already. A few kilometers to Ante and we're there! 

Stop the philosophical stuff, we're in Georgia now.

First we went to Tbilissi.

Eldar from Ozurgeti found us a place to stay, some relatives. Not easy to find because everyone was in other parts of georgia. Anyhow we ended up sleeping at some place with two iranian girls. I danced with M., it was great. I am still caughing and it is getting worse. I am afraid it could be Pneumonia. Poly is taking really great care of me. I really feel safe with her, from the medical side. As I feel safe with Nata for all things concerning this trip.

Today, Poly is leaving us. We will go with her on the military road and leave her at the border with russia. This is harsh, I wouldn't wish that on anyone. But it is the only solution if Nata wants to be in Iran in time.

Poly and Nata

Let me rewind a little and connect with Ilona for a little while. There wasn't too much Ilona in my posts lately but she was no less important in my travelling life. She managed to organize herself for the last week, occupy her time in Dilijan so I could travel to Karabakh. When Nata decided to go to Iran I asked Ilona for one more week. She said yes.

I met Ilona in Yerevan, she managed to find a place to stay for her and me. She didn't have any complaintsm she was a model of tolerence. And I can travel with Nata one more week in georgia, to see the places we failed to see the first time. Svaneti most of all.

Poly is a little stressed out, she is trying to decide what to do and Poly has a long decision making. I actually think she is trying to mentally prepare for her 3000 kilometers lonely ride with no tent. I can understand that 3 hour wait. Nata hates waiting and I can understand her too. Waiting without purpose is hell and that's why I am always late in life.

Poly hitchhiking in georgia

Hitchhiking is slow, the road gets worse, the night starts falling. We finally make it about 8 kilometers to the border. Poly will depart early in the morning. We have the eternal debate Park or Nature. Nata and Poly outvote me, it's park. There is a french gypsy with dogs and a camel camping nearby. It's kind of reassuring.

Poly buys me some herbs for coughing, I think she is really concerned. Nata's view is that I must just decide not to be sick and I will stop being sick. It sounds harsh but she is more right than she knows. Because I think my immunity gave up for psychological reasons in the first place.

Last camp with Poly

I will miss Poly. She is the sweetest person in my inner circle. And I don't want to be left alone with Nata. At the same time I want to travel just with Nata, she is the single most amazing person I know right now. If we don't feel this irrational need to protect Poly anymore, this trip can start to get wild.

Unfortunately it didn't. The weather wasn't kind with us.

We first went to the geysers; it was wonderful. The guy who drove us bought us tons of food and we had a warm bath, first bath ever actually. Breakfest in hot springs. First time in my life.

Geysers of mineral water

We stayed a little longer, just long enough to drink tea, and tea again, from the mineral water from the geysers.

We went to Svaneti and slept at one of Nata's contacts. I was drunk with Svaneti wine and I needed to sober up but Nata decided to sleep at Tomu's place. I don't know how to describe Tomu but let's start by saying he's hopelessly in love with Nata. He had a wife and daughter but that didn't stop him.

However, contrary to the Armenians, he was still a georgian and you cannot completly evaporate the democratic blood, even femme fatale Nata can't. So he wouldn't try anything without her conscent. He appeared to me as a stuck person, stuck in his love, stuck in his life, stuck between his couch and TV, stuck with his father, stuck with his speech. Everything in Tomu was stuck and Nata was his light. He would do anything for her and he didn't care about anyone else.

I was her brother. I don't like playing brother with Nata. It takes energy to play and I am exhausted by switching between fake fiancé, fiancé, husband and now brother. It's not just a label for me; I like to live my charachters, especially with Nata. Going from husband to brother was kind of demaning. I do feel some attraction to Nata and brothering it doesn't feel good.

I couldn't explain that to Nata, she wouldn't understand. Maybe because I couldn't express myself correctly. Talking to Nata isn't as relaxing as talking to Ilona. Ilona gives you time to tell your mind, to weigh your words, to correct your thoughts. With Nata, I have a time clock as soon as I start a sentence. If I don't express myself clearly and simply in the allowed time frame then my words fall on death ears or at least I feel so. It is an issue I still have to work out and I hope I will. I don't like giving up on other people or myself unless there is a rational reason to.

Back to Tomu. He was supposed to live at his place with his wife and kids. We were supposed to see him for three minutes. Instead, he was there alone with a 13 year old girl, Taco and his father. And we ended up staying two days at his place. I was really angry at how all things turned out. He tried to buy vodka and get drunk with me and his brother. No fucking way. I asked him if he loved his wife and if he believed a person should only live with one woman. He nodded, I think he was a little depressed. I couldn't blame him. His brother didn't like me. He tried to scare me, he told me that I was getting into big trouble. Fuck him and his advice.

I had to go out. All this was too much of a mindfuck I just had to take a walk. I was back in 45 minutes and everyone was looking for me. Nata was worried. She was right and this was a mistake I made. Usually, I am rational; usually I don't make mistakes. But this stuff just drives me crazy I can't keep my rational mind. Maybe I am not used to follow another leader. Or did I fall in love with Nata? Is that why it's so hard? Am I one of these stupid zombies following her like Tomu? I hope the hell not.

And then we leave Svaneti. I suggest to be hosted in Kutaisi at Sopo's place but it doesn't work out. I cannot contact them and finally I find out that they are not at home. Nata is right again but this time it's about an important decision. I am still rational enough not to put our expedition in danger just because I am holding a grudge.

We visited another of Nata's families. This one was better. They had real kids. Not just hypothetical ones. Of course there was a guy who wanted to marry Nata and probably build a monument for her but I am considering that like casual behaviour now.

They drove us away in their truck to some other hot springs. Amazing.

driving towards hot springs, again

A storm came. Lightnings. We took warm showers in the storm. Nata broke her electronic book, it fell into the water.

Bathing in geysers

Everything got wet. Clothes, sleeping bags, us. We knocked on a door and got warm dinner. Everything is OK.

The next day we arrived to Yerevan. Ilona was there. I was so glad to see her. Nata got her visa to Iran. Tomorrow, we are going!