Svaneti. Beginning

Minibus is climbing up the mountain road. There are ten Georgians and five Russians inside it, three youngsters on the back seat and two older men separately from each other. Jeep-Honda overtakes minibus, sounds horn and makes it to stop. Two unshaven Georgian come out from the jeep, ask driver some questions and offer one of older Russians to get off with his belongings, put him into the car and take to unknown direction.
I do not know, what other Russians from the bus imagined, but I was that man taken as "a hostage" by "Caucasian terrorists".
Yesterday Koba through friends of his friends helped me to contact mapping team from Open Maps Caucasus - JumpStart http://www.openmapscaucasus.org/ working in Svaneti and they agreed to meet me on the way from Zugdidi to Mestia.

Manuchar - unchallenged driver on the mountain roads. He likes to be in command.



Vazha - calm and reasonable. In case of any troubles he is always ready to give a hand.



Guys did their job and took me with them. Everything was fine but while crossing one of the small rivers our car engine failed.



We pushed and pulled our jeep and just with help of Tengiz and his tractor we recovered it from the water.





But engine refused to run. Evening was coming, thunderstorm with heavy rain started, and Tengis towed us to his house. On the next day afternoon we could start engine and were ready to leave hospitable house.

From left to right: Tengiz' father, horse, Vazha, me, Tengiz



We were afraid to cross again the same river, so we went another way over the small bridge.



Back in Soli village, where mapping team rented rooms for their office and living place, I met third member of the team - Nino, all smiles, joy and beauty.