I’m late. Tardiness has become second nature to me these days. And yeah, yeah, I’m not proud of it, now don’t give me the look.
Alright, back to Georgia. My second day started on a bad note. You know, I’ve become so prone to mood swings that it’s hard to predict whether I’m actually in a foul mood or it’s the hormones doing their job.
I sulked throughout our excursion at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, the largest religious building in Georgia. It was a sight to behold. As we enter the gates, a large archway provides a scenic vista of the gorgeous structure of the church. The many steps that need to be climbed might seem like a downer but you would be so pulled by the allure of the erection that the steps would actually seem like a fun activity.
The interiors were astonishing and the intricate paintings of murals left me wide-mouthed in awe. A few tourists lighted candles and offered prayers to God. We explored the surroundings for a few more minutes, admiring the multi-coloured flower garden, bell tower and a small pond.
I was still deep down in the dumps by the time we exited the church. But an instant uplift showed up in the form of an adorable duo, monkey and macaw.
Ah, animals just make my day.
Then we took a funicular to the Mtatsminda mountain at an altitude of 729 meters above sea level. There we went on a short hike to see the statue of Kartlis Deda, also referred to as the Mother of a Georgian. On the way, we also tried out local outfits in which we looked like lost tribals.
Next, we climbed down hundreds of steps to get to Narikala, an ancient fortress overlooking Tbilisi. There wasn’t much to see and do as I was advised against climbing rocks. But I would highly recommend prospective tourists to climb the rocks and take in the breathtaking view of the city from the top.
From there, we went to see the famous heritage site, Jvari monastery. Perched at the edge of the well, you can have a clear panoramic view of the vibrant city of Mtskheta. There we also realized how small the world is when we caught the filming of an Indian movie. It was probably a regional flick since we couldn’t recognize any of the actors. But excited tourists clicked pictures with them, giving them ample confidence boost.
The tour guide gave us an insight of what to expect the following day, which would be the last day of our trip.
When I heard the word paragliding, my heart sank to my feet in disappointment as I was advised against that too. For a second I thought, ‘What am I even doing here forgoing everything I love?’
The third day passed by swiftly. It was a long 4- hour drive to Gudauri, the famed ski resort. But there was no snow since it was summer, and hence no skiing.
But what we saw in Gudauri, we wouldn’t have been able to see when it’s covered with snow—the verdant valleys, hills dotted with many-hued cottages, chirping birds in the tree hollows.
As we went further along, we were able to see remnants of snow on the mountains. There were beautiful streaks of white running down each of the mountains as we passed them on our way up to Gudauri.
When we got down from the car, a cool gust of wind stabbed us like the sharpest knife and sent us running back into the vehicle scrambling for shawls and cardigans.
It was so cold that even fifteen minutes of picture-clicking seemed impossible. But the views were too awesome to let go. We tried our best to get some credible snaps and left the place huffing and puffing. As soon as I was inside, I noticed that my nose started running. So predictable. Slightest provocation, it starts running a marathon. From then on, I continued sneezing, blowing, sniffing . . . it got converted into a serious cold and that was the only bitter memory of our remarkable trip to Georgia.
Now I can rest for a few months and let my husband breathe easy till the time comes (very soon hopefully) when I start chalking up another trip.
Toodle-oo!
LASS IN A MESS 