Back to Batumi

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In order to get back to Turkey, I had to head back here (a six hour marshrutka ride from Tbilisi).

Back in Yerevan I had to head out early to make sure I got on the minibus to Tbilisi. Unfortunately for everyone I had to sit beside I didn't get time for a shower...

Back in Tbilisi I had to head out early to make sure I got on the minibus to Batumi. Unfortunately for everyone I had to sit beside I didn't get time for a shower... Sound familiar? I think you can guess why I was such an unpleasant brief acquaintance.

The thing is, I thought that since it was cloudy and rainy today in Tbilisi, I could get away with donning my jeans and a flannel shirt.

I was tired after so many days of consecutive travel that I sort of cheated. This morning I waved everyone good-bye at the hostel and headed out to take a metro. Some of my new pals were heading in the direction of the Tbilisi flea market which was on the way to my metro stop. They turned the corner and I bid them safe travels. I waited, and waited a little more and as soon as they were deep enough into the crowds I approached the nearest taxi man- Didube?

I had to shrink in my seat as we passed them again crossing the bridge from the park.

It was then that I noticed the vehicular heat. My shirt rapidly started to pull down on my shoulders with the humidity of the taxi. Perhaps, just maybe, I should have showered this morning.

I got a quick break sitting in the shade waiting for the minibus (a strange man who spoke nearly perfect cockney English told me to wait there as his mate was going to Batumi at midday. So I did. And he wasn't even lying).

I climbed onto the bus and a wave of stagnant heat hit me, like the reverse of stepping off a plane at your holiday destination. Six hours of this was not going to be too pleasant, I thought.

I sat at the back, arms clamped down, just in case. But I felt myself melting into the faux-leather chair. The bus was entirely windowless apart from a vent on the roof which some heat-retardant oddball kept ramming shut.

In order to cool off I tried to create a bigger surface area by stretching out, but it's rather hard when the seat in front is about 1cm away from your nose. The only way one could cool off is if your legs were so short they went straight of the chair...

Anyway, I've showered now so I no longer too offensive.

Although I did stay in for half an hour, which did offend some of the hostel goers.

I just couldn't get my feet clean!