Just kidding of course. But, the power of first impressions is amazing. We, Yuri and Milene, have made it a habit to meet each other just 10 minutes after arriving in a new country, as now in Georgia, asking the question: “And? What do you think?" It hardly takes a few seconds to form a judgement. Sometimes this turns out to be accurate, while other times it is completely wrong with reality.
In just a cursory glance, as short as three seconds, someone can form an opinion about you. Your appearance, body language, posture, mannerisms and choice of clothing play a key role. With each new contact an evaluation is created and a new impression is formed. These first impressions are often difficult to change and often set the tone for the remainder of the relationship.
Travel enthusiasts that we are, we always write down our first impressions to evaluate at the end of our adventures whether these intuitions were true. Back in Turkey, a country that I, Milene, know well, it remains intriguing to enter a new destination without any prior knowledge. It is like traveling from the familiar to the unknown, from the familiar landscape to the untouched horizon.
Rickshaw and Sawadee offer ready-made tours for Georgia. Sawadee mainly focuses on group trips and family tours, while Riksja sells more individual trips.
At Riksja you can also use building blocks. A day less or longer here or there is no problem. You then actually put together your trip exactly the way you want.
- Good price / quality ratio
- Very flexible
- 20 years of experience
The architecture of Batumi
And indeed, Georgia is a country that appears to be largely terra incognita for us. Our first introduction to this country is characterized by its striking architecture Batumi (Location here). It feels like we are in the Georgian equivalent of Las Vegas or Macau. Buildings with a unique character adorn the skyline and there seems to be no end to the construction plans. A true paradise for Yuri, who has a passion for architecture.
Although many people ignore Batumi, this city is emerging as a true gem to stroll through, laze on the beach and be embraced by the diverse cultures that come together here. An excellent starting point for those starting their journey through Georgia from Turkey.
A remarkable sight that you encounter everywhere in Georgia are the gas pipes that protrude above the ground like lifelines. High vehicles often cannot even reach the courtyards. These pipes have become, as it were, the signature of the landscape. Even in the most picturesque villages, gas pipes accentuate the street scene.
Erratic driving behavior
What we were less impressed with, however, is the driving behavior of the Georgians. They are incredibly reckless! An inimitable tangle of cars coming from all sides, zigzagging towards their destination. They seem to have no trouble creating space where there isn't any.
Some cars have left-hand drive, others right-hand drive. Mainly because there are no specific rules for this in Georgia, at least until recently. Meanwhile, cars with the steering wheel on the right no longer appear to be imported. Add to this cars without fronts, backs or sides, and you get an idea of the accidents that occur regularly.
Lack of money means that people simply continue to drive a damaged car, without a front or door, for example. You definitely don't want to be hit by such a vehicle, the sharp protrusions could literally chop you to pieces.
Although we have been on the road for three months and have traveled more than 12.000 kilometers, for the first time we have seen someone get hit by a car. Georgians seem to have their own rules on the road, with the 60 km/h speed limit more often ignored than observed, with speeds ranging from 80 to 100 km/h, if not faster. Although there are lanes on the roads, they seem blurred into a creative chaos. “When you see free space, you create a new lane,” a bartender tells us with a laugh. To be honest, driving in Istanbul seems like child's play compared to being in traffic Tbilisi.
Friendliness
Despite this turbulent driving behavior, the people of Georgia appear to be extremely friendly and helpful. Strangers spontaneously offer us cherries, invite us for dinner and pour us a beer. People lend us a helping hand to repair our bus, share local tips and selflessly provide us with stickers for our car. It is not about what we receive for free, but about the feeling of receiving it without expectations. Hospitality and friendliness are written in capital letters here.
Culinary delight
For those who follow us on Instagram, it will come as no surprise that we are true foodies in the making. In Turkey we have tried every possible delicacy and we are not done yet! Returning is an absolute must. However, in Georgia, culinary discoveries are increasing even further, or should we say, becoming even tastier.
We discovered this with some relief Ayran, a refreshing yogurt drink, is also available in Georgia. But then…
We thought we could finally lose some kilos again. But we had not counted on the Georgian penchant for high-calorie dishes! The delicious bread, filled with cheese on both the inside and outside, was just the beginning. When a new friend treated us to a culinary feast, our table was loaded with delicious dishes. “You can't eat it all, but you can try it all,” was his motto. The next morning we were still full!
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And we're not done tasting yet! In the bar below our apartment in Tbilisi we were given a list of dishes we absolutely had to try. We have therefore made it our mission to taste as much as possible. But it may be wise to plan a few days of hiking to balance the culinary adventure. Cooking on the bus? That doesn't seem to be happening for the time being.
Conclusion
These are some impressions we gained. Not everything was formed within the first 10 minutes; the chaotic drivers, unusual architecture, hot temperatures, car maintenance workshops everywhere and many Turkish culinary influences were the most striking aspects. But there are still countless first impressions to be formed. For example, we still need to explore the mountains and engage in deeper discussions with Georgians about Russia, a delicate topic. Perhaps we will visit the border, which is occasionally shifted by the Russians. This means that Georgians living in Georgia today could suddenly live in Russia tomorrow.
Have you been to Georgia? Do you recognize our impressions?
Rickshaw and Sawadee offer ready-made tours for Georgia. Sawadee mainly focuses on group trips and family tours, while Riksja sells more individual trips.
At Riksja you can also use building blocks. A day less or longer here or there is no problem. You then actually put together your trip exactly the way you want.
- Good price / quality ratio
- Very flexible
- 20 years of experience
Plan your holiday to Asia here
- Specific tours : Bali travel, Thailandtravel en Srilankatravel.com.
- Worldwide tours : TUI, Asiadirect, rickshaw travel, king monkey, sawadee, shoestring en Djoser.
- Flight tickets for Asia you book via Skyscanner.
- Hostels & Hotels in Asia you book with Hostelworld en Booking.com.
- Rental cars book yourself Sunnycars, Alamo en rental cars.
- Tours and Activities in Asia you book via GetYourGuide.
- travel items such as suitcases, bags and more you can buy at Bol.com.
- SIM cards and e-SIMs for Asia you can buy from International sim.
- Parking at the airport you can arrange via Parkos.
