9 May – To Kutaisa (Georgia)

The ride down the valley from Mestia was more gentle then up when on the way up and this laptop shut itself down due to the vibration of the truck. It was a sunny ,warm day and we were able to see the tops of the snow covered mountains this time and with the forests it was a pretty ride.

A view of the mountains

A farming village

Once out of the valley we drove through towns with many derelict buildings left over from the Soviet era. Like in other places some were being lived in, mostly with squatters I was told. One very strange thing I saw, and thought very dangerous, was a 3 inch gas line running along the road right next to the traffic with no protection for the pipe at all.

Gas pipes

Old empty soviet era building

At Kutaisa we stayed in the Argo Hotel Argopalace on the internet). Clean and comfortable with good food.

The view of Kutaisi from the hotel