There have been many great adventures so far, but occasionally things don't go as planned and get a bit weird. That being said, here are the three most weird/unexpected occurrences of the trip to Georgia so far.

Third Place: The Quest for Food

It was a seemingly normal Friday evening in Tbilisi as I sat in the hostel, working on this very website. Recently, I had just made friends with a new travel buddy, Julie, and together we had agreed to go grab a bite to eat later on. That later on time turned out to be just after 7:00, so, feeling quite hungry, we exited the hostel and hit the streets.

At first everything appeared quite normal, but only a few minutes into our journey, we heard a low rumbling off in the distance. Looking up, I saw something on the horizon moving forward at an alarmingly fast rate: dark and ominous clouds. Our destination, a restaurant that was recommended to us by locals, was still 2km (1.25 miles) away. What were we to do? Turn back and have a bite to eat at the hostel instead? Of course not! We were hardened travelers. A few droplets of water and volts of electricity weren't going to stop us!

Sensing our huburis, the sky opened up and began to pour upon us, all the while spitting out flashes of lightning at an alarmingly fast rate. In responce, we broke out into a run. First we crossed the main street, Rustaveli, and then bolted down a narrow side road that spilled out into a park with fountains. Normally, this would have been the opportune place for a photo, but there was no time for such distractions in our current state. The restaurant was getting closer and there were bridges to cross (literally). The rain seemed to lessen a bit, but the lightning increased its intensity, now forming spiderweb designs in the sky.

Julie looked down at the directions, and to our relief, we were now only one minute away. Then we saw the building... but unfortunately, something seemed off. All the lights were off and the there were no signs of human activity. We walked up to the door and it was bolted shut. All this struggle was for naught. As a last ditch effort, I asked a random passerby if there was a decent Georgian restaurant nearby, but unfortunately he shook his head. He did tell us though of this nice place in the center, but that would involve pretty much going back to where we started. Nonetheless, we agreed to give it a shot and made our way, now tired, wet and hungry, back to the center.

Thankfully, this place was open, and they gladly welcomed us crazy looking foreigners. And best of all, the place had glasses of homemade wine for just 2 lari (80 cents). Thus, the night was salvaged.

Second Place: Babushka Fight

Sometimes good intentions do not lead to positive outcomes. I personally learned this the hard way on a trip to Mtskheta with another travel buddy, Kira. As we arrived, an old woman with a hunched back and a limp approached us and asked us for money. Wishing to do some good and to give the impression of being a masculine yet kind, I reached in my pocket and handed the woman one lari, which she happily took.

That part was all expected, but then something happened that I was completely unprepared for. Another elderly woman beggar ran over and started shouting and cursing at the woman I just handed the lari to. She said that it was her territoriality and that the money should be hers. However, the first woman refused to back down, saying that she rightfully convinced me to give her the lari. The two faced each other, shouting and cursing in a mix of Georgian and Russian. Then they charged (albeit quite slowly). They met and began throwing fisticuffs with quite a ferocity, and only were stopped when a nearby police officer had to run over and intervene.

I simply stood by completely stupefied and watched the events unfold. Here I was, thinking I had done a good thing, but instead caused a literal fistfight among two old ladies. Eventually, I slinked away, not to return to that street for the remainder of the day.

Winner: Tracks on Tracks

Believe it or not, strange things can sometimes be found near old, abandon train tracks. I first saw the sight upon my arrival to the Georgian town of Borjomi. Overgrown by grass and plant life, they followed along a river before vanishing off into the woods, and I, being curious and feeling like a cat, had the idea of following along and seeing where they went. However, no more than three minutes into my journey, I came across a short, stocky, middle-aged man in jean shorts and shirtless. Seeming to appear out of nowhere, he approached me.

Speaking in Georgian, he began saying things to me, but since I didn't know anything in Georgian other than to say hello, his words fell on deaf ears. I asked if he knew Russian or English, but he shook his head no and continued talking. That's when things got a bit strange. He began pointing to a hidden spot around an abandon shed, and, motioning with his hands, he acted out shooting a needle into his arm. I stood there, looking perplexed, and he pointed again.

"Heroine. Heroine." he said, pointing first to him and then me.

Well, I thought, this wasn't quite what I was expecting. Usually locals just offer food or drink. Eventually, I shook my head no, but he was persistent. He kept mimicking the action of shooting up and again motioned for me to follow. Again, I refused, and again he insisted. This went on for another five minutes until I eventually realized that I was half this man's age, significantly taller, and in much better physical condition.

So, without another word, I turned and left, periodically checking over my shoulder to see if he decided to follow.Thankfully though, he did not. And just like the babushka fight before, I decided not to return to the tracks for the rest of my stay in Borjomi.