Day 4-5:Caves and Rooms with Bathroom Slippers

After Chala, we relocated to the rural town of Akhaltsikhe for a night of rest and relaxation. We were comforted to find that the hotel did not only have a swimming pool, but also grazing cattle that frequented the roads that led us to the hotel. It kind of felt like home.

Our first item on the agenda was a trip to the school in Akhaltsikhe. It had a certain rustic feeling to it that included composite pictures of every principal and teacher at school as well rusted iron bars that guarded the class room with computers on it (this was not the only time we saw this). The visit went well but I noticed Curt, our fearless leader, was looking on to the next stop. A place called Vardzia.

After a bumpy ride through the hills (and by hills, I mean mountains), we arrived at our destination. We trekked up the first mountain to see three large caverns where Curt described an ancient civilization of Georgian peoples that strikingly resembled Mr. Tumnus from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Hilarity ensued.

Upon a climb, a few turns, and passage through a fort with gates to deter intruders, we beholded the 12th Century Cave-City of Vardzia.

Monks still live there today. For more information visit http://www.pilotguides.com/destination_guide/middle_east_and_north_africa/georgia_and_armenia/vardzia_caves.php

We proceeded to our final destination before camp, the coastal city of Batumi. Arriving into the hotel in Batumi, I immediately knew that this would be the nicest living accomadations that we would see during our time in the RofG. Wireless Internet, living rooms in our quarters, disinfected up-standing toilets and our own personal bathroom slippers! Impressive.

After a Coke Light/Camp Planning break we hit the sack. We knew that the upcoming days at camp would define the success of our trip to the Republic of Georgia.