Day 13

13. May 2000, Batumi to Tbilisi

Topic of the day in any conversation: quality of roads. Potholes seem to be especially filled up for us on the first section but it gets worse and worse. It seems that noone feels responsible for the maintenance of roads, there are potholes or even "open" roads everywhere. The other obstacle are roaming cows, pigs or goats and their droppings. In the rural areas, it seems, many hold private pets and let them wander around without concern about their safety. Cows are aware that cars will stop for them and they only start moving when a car gets closer or makes lots of noise.
The nature and landscapes in Georgia are amazing: High mountains are everywhere and most of the country is hilly. This results in a curvy route for us. The whole vegetation seems to be like a jungle. Georgians are amazed at our sight. They stare, wave, make light signals and some help us "showing us the direction" even on straight roads.
Towards Tbilisi the countryside gets dryer and flatter and the roads get better.

In the afternoon we get a chance to see Tbilisi, read about it tomorrow.

TC 54: Batumi OUT
8:
 31  
TC 55: Kobuleti
9:
 06 29.00 km
PC: Paradise
   
TC 56: Tbilisi IN
14:
 55 348.80 km

Overall 37 minutes penalty

The official results can be looked up on this website

curvy roads

typical West Georgia houses: on hills in the midst of green.

Snow-covered mountains can be seen from almost anywhere, even the sea. The yellow spots in the front right are azaleas

Free-roaming cows

If you decide to just speed over railway tracks, you might as well buy new tyres.

many old fortresses, churches, monasteries

towards Tbilisi the vegetation becomes more arid, more "Mediterannean".

  

Number 43 gets a lot of attention in TC Kobuleti

This is not a test section: This is the actual road between Kobuleti and PC Paradise

The rocks on the road are part of a "customs control". Notice the palm trees.

Free-roaming pigs

Passage check Paradise

First doubts about the quality of petrol are unfounded: Our sieve indicates no water in the petrol