Day 337-356: Tbilisi & surroundings - Part 2

 Trying to get away from the city again... meeting new friends at Bazaleti Lake

 The kind apple seller who gave me some apples to take on the road.

 Brooms for sale by the roadside

Kei & Yuki from Japan. Both nurses, Kei been on the road for 4 years, spent much of his time in China volunteering in remote villages and areas hit by disasters and while he was there, lost and found his bicycle! Yuki, Kei's friend, inspired by how they can volunteer to help others with their professional background, joined him from China since a year ago, never travelled, spoke no English then, not been on cycle tours and these never stopped her from pedalling out.

[Photo credit: Yinj]

 Where we called home for a few days

 Fancy some 5L of wine?

 Bonding with 6 month old Ku-chan, Kei & Yuki's little fur ball.

 Catch from the lake... fish

And when the night draws, we are out in the lake catching crayfish

 Kei in action in the 'kitchen'

Zhenya from Belarus found a new friend

5 stars Breakfast

[Photo credit: Kei]


[Photo credit: Yinj]

 Yuki with her little girl

 Patience... come on fishy
[Photo credit: Yinj]

 [Photo credit: Yuki]

 Friends from Japan, Malaysia, Belarus, America, France, Georgia
[Photo credit: Kei]

  [Photo credit: Kei] Us setting off to our new host's place

 [Photo credit: Yuki]

  [Photo credit: Kei] - On our way back to civilisation

  [Photo credit: Kei] Random guy from gas station

  Arriving at host place who previously gave Yinj a lift while she was hitchhiking to the lake.
[Photo credit: Yinj]

Fantastic view from the house

 When 3 cyclists unpack.... Ooops

Look how the wires are holding up Yuki's front rack

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 Tang Hua, our host who took us in for the rest of the many days. This is him busy with preparing dinner on our first day of arrival

 A mixed of Chinese, Japanese, Malaysian cooking for the rest of the days

 Making sushi

Mini Sushi for bunny Ku-chan - Kei's creation

 Ku-chan about to woof down the sushi

Thank you Yinj for making 'Mee hun keuh' for me... craving satisfied

And Yuki turned the remaining dough into Udon

Celebrating Kei's Birthday

 Otanjobi Omedeto

Followed by an early celebration of my Birthday

 Yuki made Okoyomiyaki - just the sweetest girl ever

 Ku-chan wanted to have a piece of cake too

Dining out...outside the entrance porch

Friends from US, China, Russia, Japan...

Picking neighbour's mulberry (shhh)

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To Mtskheta

 Thanks for the beer Kei

 mmmmm

[Photo credit: Yinj]
 

 View of Jvari Monastery

 

 [Photo credit: Yuki]

 Svetitskhoveli (Life-giving Pillar) Cathedral

 [Photo credit: Yuki]

With the 'Spice' man

 Yuki borrowed a bangle from granny for Ku-chan to pose for a photo

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 Yinj, a bubbly hitchhiker friend from Malaysia, been round China, Central asia and Europe, getting ready to go Armenia

 Bye girl, had a nice time with you, safe travel & keep on going. Can't wait for you to be on the bike like us... I'm waiting...

 Truth behind the photo above, coaxing the rabbit

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A hike in the village where we lived

 Ku-chan just had a bath

 The hike eventually lead us to the railway track... oh well at least it wasn't dead end

 [Photo credit: Yuki]

  [Photo credit: Kei]

Priceless expressions

 Can I be your friend?

 ++++

Cycled up to Jvari Monastery

Beer, snacks, with a view

 Can you tell its very windy?
[Photo credit: Yuki]

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Iran Embassy, Tbilisi

80 Chavchavadze Ave, Tbilisi

I have been hanging around here as I had to try to apply my Iranian visa again (2nd time!!) after knowing my friend, Yinj who didn't managed to get passed the Iranian border. I previously tried applying in Ankara but they told me Malaysian are allowed to enter visa free for 3 months (even our Malaysia embassy was shocked hearing this). Having been told by Iran embassy's counsellor that we are visa free and now my friend got refused entry, I had to try applying visa in Tbilisi now. Process was smooth, 1 application, 2 photos, 1 insurance and return the next day for collection. To top it off, he told me there was no visa application fees for Malaysia. So yes I paid nothing and finally got my visa but many weeks passed to sort out this visa and its overlapping my other visas.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, time is running out...