Sveneti: In the Land of Mountains and Towers

“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

After the rocky pass we ended up straight away in the first village in Sveneti, the most popular mountainous region in Georgia. The 2,100m high town claims to be the highest inhabited village in Europe (which seems funny after visiting towns over 4,300m in the Himalayas), but what makes it truly spectacular is the beautiful glacier covered mountain right next door, and the 1,000 year old stone towers which are still standing tall.

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Passes, Mountains, and a Few Companions

“I love the feeling of being anonymous in a city I have never been before.”

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What constitutes the perfect pass? A paved gradual incline without much traffic, and two friendly Georgians waiting at the top to give you a handful of grapes. Needles to say, by the time we completed a short downhill to the lake below, we were in very high spirits.

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Hostel Hopping in Europe: How to Stay For Free

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

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Before arriving in Tblisi, the capital of Georgia, I checked hostel prices only to find that they were quite a lot more than they had been in India. Though ten to fifteen dollars a night may not seem like a lot in the west, when you are use to living our of your tent (for free), or in a two dollar a night guest house, it’s hard to imagine spending that much. I decided to email a half dozen hostels with a proposal. In return for a free room, Kevin and I would work a few hours a day (cleaning, checking people in, or doing whatever else is needed). Much to my surprise I got two different places saying sure, we can work something out, come on over.

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