G e o_s y n_c h r o n i_c i t y

Start of the journey, Nodar's apartment, Tbilisi, August 2004

This is exactly where and how it almost always begins. My 4-wheel drive 1991 Niva is readied for its arduous mountain trek at a garage, complete with several essential spare parts. We collect empty plastic bottles to refill at the destination with Svan mineral water, good healthy stuff. Luggage is packed into and onto the car - I always manage to take too much, and also we rarely travel with more than one empty seat. We also take food items which are unavailable up in the mountains: I'm sometimes asked to cook Asian food, for example. Gifts for our hosts, especially useful items and any photographs from the previous trip. Then, off on a wing and a prayer.