Cycle Touring Georgia (2)
15 Days – 448 kmPattaya, Thailand to Tbilisi, Georgia
The journey to Georgia began not with a bang, but with a blur—two back-to-
back four-hour flights, a seven-hour layover in Mumbai, and the kind of sleep
deprivation that turns airports into surreal dreamscapes. I had left behind the
humid embrace of Pattaya, Thailand, and landed in Tbilisi, Georgia—a city that
once welcomed me in 2008 and now stood waiting, changed and yet familiar.
Tbilisi, the ancient caravan town at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and
Western Asia, has always been more than a dot on the map. It’s a place where
empires collided, where trade routes braided cultures together, and where
history clings to the stones like moss. I arrived groggy and disoriented, but the
moment I stepped into my guesthouse—a humble gem tucked away in the folds
of the old city—I felt as if I’d been gently transported back in time. The walls
whispered stories. The air held a kind of quiet reverence.
Despite my declaration that I was venturing into a new continent, Asia hadn’t
quite let go. As I looked around, I knew I’d be staying in this vibrant region for a
while longer as there is too much to see, too much to feel.
That first night, sleep came like a balm. Airports may be where dreams go to
die, but Tbilisi offered resurrection. I collapsed into bed and woke before dawn,
the time difference working in my favour. At 5:30 a.m., I brewed a cup of coffee
that filled the room with its rich aroma and stepped into the streets, ready to
meet the city.