Ride to Batumi

I woke up quite early again after a great six hours of sleep. I had internet again so I checked the schedule for the ferry from Poti or Batumi to Ukraine. To my surprise it was leaving this evening! Oh no, I had to race against the clock again as the ferry is going only once or twice a week. I packed up and went for breakfast early in the morning.

I stopped at the gas station in Stepantsminda and asked for a polnii bak. The guy overdid it a bit a fuel was just not flooding out of the tank. Then there were some very impatient guys behind me waiting to get gas. They started a nice horn concert – I just replied in Russian style by saying “ticha ticha”… Georgians sure have a temper.

Now there was the superb Military Highway waiting for me towards Tbilisi. It was a great ride again. On the way I saw a magnificient mountain country, nice castles and a blue green lake.

The temperature rose quickly from about 20 degrees to a maximum of 43 degrees. What a heat to ride in! I had to cover just under 500km of which maybe 50km highway. So it was a challenging ride in Georgian traffic.

It was great to see the black sea again! Now just a short distance towards the Las Vegas of the East. I passed the harbour where I would check in later for the ferry back to Ukraine. Now I had to find the office in Kutaisi street. It was in the middle of the city full with Turkish and Georgian restaurants. Good to find some food later.

I was almost going crazy as the guy in the office said I had to wait until 2/8! Luckily I could convince him quickly to checkin today on the ship. Now I had to call him at 10pm in the evening to check when to board. And then 12pm in the night, and then the next morning.. Yes this was becoming fun!

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