Lahic

24 September 201

I am starting to head west towards the Georgian border stopping at places along the way.

I have spent the last two days in the gorgeous mountain village of Lahic ( pronounced 'luggage'). On my way here, the bus stopped at a junction close to the nearest town and the driver pointed to the boot of the bus saying ' luggage '. I dutifully got out and went to the rear of the bus to retrieve my rucksack thinking that he wanted me to get ready for disembarkment at the bus station in the town when we arrived there. He continued saying the word 'luggage' and pointing, this time towards a waiting car which two passengers from the bus were now getting in to. It was then that I realized the shared taxi was going to the village and the bus driver had kindly and rightly assumed that I would need a lift. It's all in the name!

I camped in the apple orchard of the Ismailov family on the outskirts of the village and did some great walks into the mountains. On one I was reflecting on how I had not seen rain for nearly six months and how this enabled you to be outdoors all day every day. As if to remind me never to take things for granted, we sat through a spectacular thunder storm later that evening.  The brightest lightning illuminated the valley and torrential rain poured down through the night. The good old Montbell tent withstood it all!