After a bit more time of sorting out details for visa applications at the internet cafe we left Khnashuri mid day. The road was bad! Lumpy pavement, not much of a shoulder and crazy Georgian traffic. To our delight, shortly before Gori the road turned into a four lane divided highway with a wide shoulder. Just wonderful. The wind was great and riding was fast.
In the evening we pulled into a small town to ask for permission to set up our tent somewhere. At the first house we knocked a man with a very sweet, kind face and the air of a village elder answered the door. Once he understood what we were looking for he immediately disapproved of our request for a tent spot and led us over to his house. Guests don't sleep in tents around here. They get a comfy bed indoors!
Shortly after our arrival it was time to collect their family cows from around the village and bring them home. Once that chore was completed it was almost dinner time. Our host apologized several times that they did not have enough time anymore today to slaughter and roast a pig for us. Supposedly that's what they normally do for guests. We were told that two years ago they had housed another cyclist and butchered a pig for him because he had showed up mid afternoon.
Even without a pig the dinner was another fantastic feast with endless amounts of home made wine. I don't think we got to bed before 1 in the morning. One toast after the other, and more food. During that whole time, our host's ten year old grandson Temo who is learning English at school acted as translator. He was great!
YOU GUYS WERE SUCH A GREAT FAMILY TO MEET. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR UNCONDITIONAL HOSPITALITY, IT WAS WONDERFUL. ALL THE BEST TO YOU ALL!
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