The country of Georgia has been making waves in the travel industry lately, ever since its inclusion on the Lonely Planet ‘Best Places to Travel‘ list for 2018. A small nation nestled between Russia and Iran to the north and south, and the Black and Caspian seas to the east and west, it is a …
Georgia
Exploring Vardzia Like a Local
When my Georgian friend, Nino, was recommending things for me to do, see, and devour in Georgia, exploring the ancient cave city of Vardzia (ვარძია) was at the top of her list. Primarily constructed in the 12th century and the seat of power of the legendary King (Queen!) Tamar, Vardzia was abandoned during the Ottoman …
Hiking to Udziro Lake
My time in Georgia is drawing to an end. Three months, you might think, is sufficient time to spend in such a small country, but you’d be wrong. There are so many hikes I won’t have the time to do, so many places I won’t have the time to visit. All that means, though, is …
Trekking from Shatili to Omalo
Half of my initial attraction to Georgia grew from the pictures of mountains I saw — the regions of Kazbegi, Svaneti, and Tusheti. When I booked my ticket here from Korea, my ambition was to hike for months, exploring all the back-country hiking routes I could find and chronicling the experience. But life has a …
Tbilisi City Guide
Tbilisi has been my home for the past 2 months, and I’ve enjoyed exploring it and (mostly) eating as much delicious food as possible. It’s a great city for foodies, history buffs, music connoisseurs, and winos alike — all things which made this city a fun one to call home. I’ve put together most of …
A Foggy Weekend in Sighnaghi
The fog settled, thick and suffocating, as the marshrutka crested the ridge and dropped down towards Sighnaghi (სიღნაღი). What had been a lovely spring day turned gloomy; it was a matter of minutes before the town materialized out of the mist. I signaled the driver to let me out and set off down the steep …
How to Get to Davit Gareja from Tbilisi
One of the perks of living in a country as small as Georgia is the relatively short amount of time in which you can access nearly any part of the country. Tbilisi is a great base from which you can do a number of awesome day trips. Visiting Gergeti Trinity Church at Kazbegi is one. Exploring …
Day-trip to Gergeti Trinity Church
My memories of travel are a series of snapshots, vignettes of particularly potent experiences in each destination. A chance encounter, an adventure gone awry, or a spectacular meal cooked to perfection. Oftentimes, those vignettes are tied to the catalyst which led me to be interested in visiting that place to begin with. Descending over Ulaanbaatar …
The Cave City of Uplistsikhe
I have lived in cities for so long that it’s only when I leave that I realize how much I feel smothered by them. Drab worlds of concrete and steel, the press of bodies rushing to and fro, the sharp tang of exhaust fumes and rot choking my lungs… You almost get used to it. …
Five Things to Do in Mtskheta
While Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia and has been so for centuries, there was a time when the title belonged to another city. From the 3rd century B.C. to the 5th century A.D., the ancient kingdom of Kartli (or Iberia, as it was known in the West) occupied this territory with Mtskheta as its …