2013_09_05 Thursday: Tbilisi - Omalo

Today was a travel day. It started with a proper nutritious breakfast (Nutella based), and followed by all things travel. At 11:40 we headed to the rail station (Go #2 - this time with passports), and got first class night train tickets for the night of Sep 12-13 from Tbilisi to Zugdidi. Tickets are real cheap - $9 a pop. This will serve as the first part of the travel to Mestia and isn't really relevant for now. 

I got to use the finest street phone..

After getting back to the hotel to pick up our packs , we started the day's journey, which proved to be somewhat eventful (not surprising, since I was a part if it). So here goes:

The plan:

1. Taxi to Ortachala (5min)

2.  Marshutka (minibus) to Telavi (2 hours)

3. Jeep to Omalo (87km, 4.5 hours)

The execution:

1. Taxi driver took us the wrong place where he and his many friends tried to persuade us to taxi all the way to Telavi. The folks seemed dodgy and since we were taken to the wrong place we missed the 13:35 Marshutka to Telavi. So we left the guy, didn't pay (due to the negative service), hopped on another taxi and reached Ortachala. There, right before getting on the Marshutka, the first taxi driver showed up (followed us?) and demanded being paid. I refused.

2. Got a Martrushka to Telavi that left at 14:20. The drive took a hit over 2 hours, yet felt significantly longer. He passed in the way the spot where the idiot taxi driver took us. So in some sense he was ok. Then again, that's not where we told him to take us.

3. In Telavi we expected to find Jeeps to Omalo. There were none. Instead, we got another Marshrutka to this place called Alvani, which is on the way about 15K toward Omalo. Before starting the drive, I got to experience the fine and memorable public toilets:

In Alvani we got a jeep (some negotiation took place. Ultimately, the price was 150GEL = $90) to Omalo. Google said it would take less than two hours. But google never drive there. The driver said it takes 4 hours. He did in three plus change. But since we started at 18:30, and it gets dark at 19:45 or so, this meant the bulk of the drive was in the dark. In retrospect, it was quite silly, in light of the dangerous curves, deep reveens, and heavy mist now and again. Fortunately, there was no car cash as is evident from this entry.

Omalo is a village that has a Lowe and upper part. The driver took us to a guesthouse by the name of Shina in upper Omalo. At dinner we met four other Israeli. As always, all places are filled with these. Fortunately, this not being Thailand, means they're ok. The plan was to go tomorrow on a three day hike. But perhaps we'll join these four on a one day trek and then do our thing. We'll see... 

Btw, it's pretty damn cold - 6 degrees, and no heat in the room.