Arriving in Georgia - An Overview

I arrived in Tbilisi, Georgia on 21 July 2019. That was a while ago (it's currently 12 October).

First things first: passport control. If you weren't aware, Georgia allows US citizens (and probably EU citizens & al.) a year-long visa exemption. They stamp your passport and you're good to go - no forms, no nothing. This definitely made things easy from the start.

I took the bus into the city and immediately felt at ease. I think I extended my stay at the hostel within twenty four hours of arriving, knowing I'd be in the city long term. As usual, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to write, so let's break some things down into categories:

Phase III: Westward Bound

A few words before I get into Georgia, specifically, following on this post.

Where Phase I was well-planned and Phase II was go-with-the-flow, I still haven't figured out the characteristic of Phase III. I've obviously not ended up in the Middle East or Africa (yet) as originally planned, so that theme is out. Perhaps I should make Phase III the "final phase" (everyone likes a trilogy, right?) and call it the friendship phase - two friends have visited me in Tbilisi and I've made friends who I plan on meeting all across Europe and the Middle East.

Interphase Gear Update Number Two

As I've traveled, I've gained and lost stuff (not weight, unfortunately - despite what you may see in pictures). To continue in a transparent manner, I wanted to detail a few things that have hopped in and out of my bag.

• I finally wore out my flip-flops and bought a new pair in the Philippines (~$10 in Coron). This pair is currently falling apart as well, which is annoying, as I'd hoped they'd last longer).
• RC left a nice gray quick-dry polo shirt with me in Malaysia.
• My shoes also died and I bought a new pair in Adelaide, Australia. The shop I went into didn't have the exact ones I was wearing, so I bought a waterproof pair of the same brand (Keen). I'm so glad I did - especially with that waterfall hike in Indonesia. I kept the shoelaces.
• My cargo shorts ripped, which meant I was down to one pair of "outside" clothes. I purchased two additional pairs of shorts (6 AUD) from a thrift shop near Brisbane, Australia. As a note, I'm going "all shorts" as I'm traveling in warm climates - it also saves a bit of weight in my bag, I suppose. I had to get one of the new shorts taylored to add a fly (100,000 IDR).
• My least favorite pair of socks is dying. I'm debating replacing them, as I think I can make due with four pairs.
• Aaron left a tote bag that folds to the size of a golf ball, which has proven useful.
• I sent home three notebooks with Dan. Given that I'm only halfway through one big one after a year of travel, I don't need to carry them around.
• I have acquired two plastic peanut butter jars which I've cleaned and put odds & ends in to stop them from rattling around. These seem to be working better than plastic bags and I might acquire a couple more.
• I acquired a second lock - a tiny keyed luggage lock. It was necessary for a hostel that couldn't accomodate a normal lock (i.e. my combo lock). Now it's in my life forever, I suppose.
• A new box of Pepto chewables! Thank you Dan. I had ran out upon reaching Georgia.
• An even bigger quick-dry towel. I "stole" this from Dan. My other two were fine, but there were a few situations where a larger towel would have come in handy.
• I acquired and immediately sent home a t-shirt from a Japanese baseball game.
• Various pens have come and gone. I now have a red pen.
• My friend in Brunei gave me a bunch of little souveneirs - some I've kept and some I've given to other hosts and friends.
• I am in a constant state of having too much soap / shampoo or having too little. There seems to be no in-between.
• Various medicines have come and gone. I generally keep something for pain and for a cold, just in case. I think I also have some seasickness pills too.
• A waterproof "diving" bag with a hole in it. It's just the right size to keep toilet paper and a handful of things dry in the case of rain / splashes.
• Six thin moleskines - one of which I've given away - which I will eventually write in.
• One purple echidna stamp.