We started real early today. Woke up at 6:30, left at 8:20 with a jeep to a place called Truso Valley, which is some 15km south of Kazbegi (toward Tbilisi), and then a few more km's due west. There used to be a bridge there up until the last year, which broke. This is a problem since it requires hiking up and down a mountain to get around it - a 2.5 hour detour each way :(
The locals here don't seem to really know that much about the place, and they hand't told us the detour is drivable with the jeep. As we arrived at the drop off point, we insisted to be taken up (thanks go to Sharon). Typically, I wouldn't mind the extra walk, but time was short. So at 9:20 we were dropped off at the top (taxi was going to wait for us at 15:00 at the bottom from where we came). We headed down and toward the end got a ride with some type of a truck.
Beginning of valley (before hopping on truck)
Truck ride down
The valley itself is really nice. It has various colors due to its different minerals, and one can smell the sulfur as well. The weather, was far from perfect, with cloudy skies and a couple of drops. But it could have been much worse.
Walks the walk
At 13:00 we were already back from the valley and started hiking up towards the pickup point. The hike up had nice views and wasn't too hard for some of us, yet more so for others..
Nice view
Tough time
At the top a three jeep convoy caught up with us heading our way. The first and last were EU. When we asked for a ride the guy told us they cannot give us a lift because they're not allowed. Then he asked if anyone was injured, and suggested the right answer would be "yes"…
Sharon rode in the first jeep, I in the last. It was a very informative drive. The two guys I drove with were from Hungary and Poland (originally Georgia). I finally managed to get a proper explanation to the whole South Ossetia and Abhezia situation.
Go team Europe
At 14:30 we arrived to the randevouz point, and surprisingly the taxi driver (a young Georgian dude who spoke no English) was already there.The guy drove real quick - causing everyone to feel nauseous - yet we did enjoy some really nice views along this beautiful road.
At 17:20 we arrived in Tbilisi and, as usual, went to Ata Hotel to room 103 (for the third time…).
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