As of June 2018

Over the past four years, I've spent a lot time in the Republic of Georgia. Most of this time has been incredible, a little bit has been not so incredible, but overall I'd gladly do it all over again. But I am not here to reflect or analyze my past, for that would be dull. Instead I'm here to entertain! Therefore I have compiled a list of the best and worst aspects of living in Georgia from the point of view of a foreigner. This is entirely based upon my arbitrary subjective experience, and therefore I hope you find it amusing.

#5 Worst: Hangovers from Bad Chacha

Alongside wine, Georgia has a national liquor called chacha. It is a substance made from grapes (usually done in someone's basement), and is strong enough to remove paint from most houses. If you spend some time in the country, or if you encounter a group of middle-aged Georgian men, there is a very strong chance you will be offered and encouraged to drink chacha (usually many shots of it). While the experience may be fun at first, I can assure you (based on experience) the following morning and afternoon will not be so good... and by not so good, I mean you'll be in immense pain. Likely, you'll be able to feel you throbbing pulse in your temples and your stomach will feel like its being ravaged by piranhas. Even if you don't drink that much, chacha will still come back to bite you the next day. There were times when I didn't have enough to get drunk, but still woke up with a chacha hangover, and for that reason, it gets this spot on the list.

#5 Best: Street Art/Graffiti

Whether you find yourself in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, or even a smaller town or village, you'll likely encounter some of the coolest graffiti you've ever seen in Georgia. What makes this so unique, among other things, is the level of thought and effort put into every graffiti image you'll see. Unlike other countries and cities, none of what's here strikes me as mindless vandalism, but instead as a planned, creative piece of artwork. And this can range all the way from complex elaborate murals, to trippy psychedelic imagery, to quickly made sketches of lambs and khinkhali (Georgian dumplings). Some are thought provoking, others humorous, and few are just amazing to look at. Since it can be found nearly everywhere, seeking out Georgia's street art can make for an adventure in and of itself.

SEE MORE HERE:

Tbilisi Graffiti

#4 Worst: Public Toilets at Rest Stops

If you've ever walked inside one or gotten close enough to smell one, you'd understand why they are on the list. The horror. The horror.

#4 Best: Food and Wine

This may seem a bit cliche, but I must give credit where credit is due. Both the food and wine in Georgia are second to none. The first time I had Georgian food (and wine), my whole world changed. Never before had I tasted such a diverse group of flavors that complemented one another so well. It was like a religious experience, knowing that I was able to perceive a taste so wonderful. What else could be possible? Maybe there was hope for world peace and coexistence. Who knows? Yes, this may be far-fetched, but I truly believe that if everyone got to try this magical experience, the whole world would become a better place.

FOR MORE, CLICK HERE:

Tbilisi Wine Gallery

#3 Worst: New Hotel Skyscrapers (in Tbilisi and Batumi)

I find it particularly saddening here to see the claws of Western corporate tourism starting to creep their way into Georgia. To me, Georgia has been a place where you can stay at a family-run guest house in the mountains and get a traditional home-cooked meal, and a place where a brief conversation can end with you being invited over for dinner and wine. With each new mega hotel, I fear more and more that the hospitality I've grown to enjoy so much will be steamrolled over for the sake of some giant company's profit. As a visitor, staying at one of these monstrosities will block you out of an amazing cultural experience while simultaneously draining your wallet. But even worse, it will take away from the families that make their living from running and maintaining guesthouses. For many in rural areas, this has become a prominent source of income, so when visitors decided to book a sterile Sheraton room instead, it takes away from the local community.

On top of this, one of the things I've enjoyed most about Georgia's architecture is the historical fusion you can see from it being located on the crossroads between Europe and Asia. Seeing a giant Raddison hotel in the center of Tbilisi and mega multi-national casinos on the shore of Batumi stand up like a giant middle finger to the amazing culture and uniqueness that exists within the country. So please, if you plan to visit Georgia, do not stay at one of these hotels.

#3 Best: Guesthouses

Instead, make sure to stay at a locally run guesthouse instead! While most of the cities like Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Batumi have hostels, family guest houses can be found everywhere in the countryside and within small towns. As for me, I've stayed in guesthouses in Svaneti, Kazbegi, SIghnagi and Borjomi, and without fail, I've had amazing experiences in each one. Every single host went above and beyond to make sure I had an enjoyable and memorable stay. This has included cooking an enormous, delicious breakfast, giving recommendations of things to do and places to see, having long conversations (usually in a Russian-English mix), and in the case of Nato & Lado's guesthouse in Sighnagi, a free bottle of homemade wine. Personally, I couldn't recommend staying at a Georgian guesthouse enough. It's a genuine cultural experience and you'll feel treated like family.

#2 Worst: Plastic Bags Everywhere

Unfortunately, the concept of recycling hasn't really taken hold yet across the country. If you purchase anything anywhere, it will likely be placed in its own plastic bag before being handed to you. Even when I ask for everything to be placed in one bag or bring my own reusable bag, the cashier will usually give me a look like I have two heads and proceed to put everything in separate plastic bags regardless. There was one time where I had a five minute conversation with a lady at the bazaar in Kutaisi, where she refused to place the bananas I bought in my bag, insisting that plastic was much better than canvas. I repeatedly said "" but she was adamant. Ultimately, to her dismay, I switched them to my canvas bag and returned the plastic. As a result, you'll unfortunately see plastic trash in some of the rivers and discarded on the sides of roads. It's all made worse since the nature in the country is so amazing. Seeing it littered is depressing.

#2 Best: Welcoming People

Continuing off of what I wrote in the guesthouses section, Georgia has been one of the most welcoming places I've ever visited. Nearly every time I've spoken to someone, I get the genuine feeling that they are both happy to meet a foreigner like me, and they want to get to know me as a person. Often times, a simple conversation will even lead to me being invited over a family's house for dinner or wine, in which circumstances I'll be treated like royalty. On top of this, people will frequently offer me rides if they know I'm going somewhere, and they'll take the time to show me around wherever I happen to be. All in all, it helped me feel right at home almost immediately.

#1 Worst: Vehicular Transportation/Driving

While the chacha hangovers and soulless hotels are awful in their own right, they've never made me quite literally fear for my life. Driving on Georgian roads and taking marshurtkas (minibuses) from place to place, however, has... several times. For some reason, narrow mountainous roads don't mix too well with outrageously fast and reckless driving. Who knew? On average, I'd say about once per every hour of driving, it'll come way too close to either a head-on collision or speeding off a mountainous cliff into the abyss. And unfortunately, my very first experience in the country involved such a situation (which you could read about below), where a particularly aggressive taxi driver that gave me an all too real glimpse of my own mortality. And since I do kind of enjoy my life at the moment and would prefer it not to end in a mangled pile of machinery, this takes the spot at number 1. At least it made for some good stories though! Feel free to read those by clicking on the links below.

READ THE TALES OF TERROR HERE

Taxi of terror

Georgian Driving Guide

#1 Best: Nature/Mountains

I know that this answer lacks creativity, but honestly, there is nothing I can put ahead of the nature as the best part of living in Georgia. I've never seen any place on earth quite like it. Literally in just one day, you can see mountain taller than the Alps, the semi-tropical Black Sea coast, and a semi-desert open plane. Mix that all with enormous caves, wild rivers and untamed forests and you end up with the most incredible natural landscape I've ever seen. Plus it is not overly crowded or commercialized, so everything still retains an authentic feel. Some of my best moments ever traveling have been just wandering and getting completely lost on countryside trails for a entire day. In Georgia, you really can escape the noise, commotion, stress and industry of the modern world and feel at peace. Maybe even a friendly street dog will join you for a few hours, or a pack of cows will all stand and stare at you as you pass. Whatever happens though, it'll sure to be memorable.

CLICK THE LINKS BELOW FOR MORE NATURE PICTURES

Svaneti Nature

Kazbegi nature