THE SIGN HUNTERS

GEORGIA: The Kutaisi sign project

Written by Laszlo, 22 January 2018

Writing a travel-related post when you are on the go all the time - and in your spare time you also work, study, spend quality time with your family, and God knows what else you need to have time for - is not easy. However, here comes your dedication and efficiency into the picture: as I am flying home from Georgia, I use the available five and a half hours to put something down here. ...although, I got distracted so my ‘essay’ writing had only lasted for these few lines only.

I have only spent five days in Sakartvelo (Georgia’s name in Georgian), but I have absolutely fallen in love with the post-soviet, Caucasian country, and I am already planning to go back and do an extended trip in the wider region including Armenia and Azerbaijan. Still, I have managed to cram quite a lot into these days and, most importantly, I have carried out the projects that I previously planned. So, in the end of the day, it does not matter whether you stay only five days or five months, as long as you work hard on your trip, you will eventually have a great overall picture of 'things'.

My day one was a long walk from Kutaisi Airport (which is near Kopitnari) to Kutaisi city centre. The walk for me took about 5 hours which eventually equalled 24 km. I am telling you guys, I was often properly knocked out of my comfort zone! But I carried on walking and I had no choice other than dealing with my emotions and, eventually, I achieved successful breakthroughs.

I enjoyed this trip as I had the chance to see what was outside of Georgia’s second largest settlement. I could also see the periphery, the least known and least tourist-friendly 'attractions'. And also, I could successfully carry out the Kutaisi sign project - I thought that if I walked, I would not miss it. I was right. There were, of course, a couple of more settlements that came along the way (Partskhanakanevi and Kvitiri) and I took a photo of their signs too. But anyway, I have collected a bunch of photos here of Kutaisi now (overall, I have not taken many anyway) which cannot give you a full picture of Kutaisi or, especially of Georgia, but I hope you will enjoy going through them and will get encouraged to take a trip to this beautiful country clamped in between Europe and Asia.