Day 22 - Tbilisi, Georgia

Kublai Kooks - Mongol Rally 2017
Day 22 - August 6, 2017
Tbilisi, Georgia to Tbilisi, Georgia
Countries: 22 KMs/Miles: 497/5901
Breakdowns: 8 Time @ Borders: 24h 22m

A fun night of clubbing left everyone feeling a bit rough. So did the house which was a literal sauna by early morning. Only a few rooms had A/C and those lucky enough to notice that when they checked in had a good sleep. The heat wasn't they only thing that awoke the team as a few loose cabooses made a log jam at the baño. Even in this oven, it was hard to get people moving and head our to see what Tbilisi has to offer.

Off to the old center they went. Splitting up in different cabs is alway a good idea, especially when the taxi drivers don't know where they're going. Lunch and a cold beer would be the perfect thing to cool them down and make them feel better. And mist, the restaurant must have mist! The typical Georgian dish of four cheese pizza was ordered by Joel and eaten by the rest while Mikey's pistachio "dip" was a hit with the crew. John's youth advantage didn't seem to be working unable to drink his way out of this hang over. Suck it up buttercup, the fellas got some sight seeing to do before meeting the Dutchies for beers. As well as another rallier whose team is breaking apart leaving him in limbo.

As much as the Kooks lacked real exercise, most of the team couldn't bear the 15min walk uphill to see the historic church. Taxi vans were hired and the A/C was cranked. Another group shot taken by a stranger who doesn't seem to grasp the fact that boys would like the monument they are standing in front of, as well as the themselves, in the picture. They do always seem to get about 15 feet of forground in though. So that's great. The church was quite impressive and different from the others they've seen. Georgian Orthodox. Large and cavernous on the inside with little or no decoration. Bare. Cold even. Definitely not warm and inviting like the Blue Mosque.

The price of the gondola and the thought of being enclosed in one in the heat settled the deal, they wouldn't go to the castle today and go in the morning with the cars. Ya right. Same old song and dance. The went on a mission to find some shade and a chilled Georgian cerveza. A quick nap while Geej searched for an escape plan. Its never fun travelling when things are moving so to speak. One pint there then off to the kitschy outdoor venue that felt more like a beer gardens.

Joining the Kooks were the Dutchies, another one of their friends and his dad who were on a hiking trip in Georgia, the Australian who was looking for a new rally team to join or at least get a ride to Baku, and the U.K. team. The table grew to 16 all exchanging round after round of Georgian beer. Everyone had had late nights before but there's always time for one more while you're putting your jacket on. The conversation was interesting a varied, and for the Kooks, a nice little break from only rally talk. So much for a low key night.

New friends. New brimmers. New adventures. Hopefully they can make that party invitation in Amsterdam in September, that would be a happy ending to the trip. Just hope there isn't a $50 cover to leave. End transmission.