Photo: Riga - Airport I flew thru. Unrelated, Uploading Pix now.

On Saturday We climbed Mt. Kazbegi. It is a huge mountain, which I just found out today is right on the border with Russia (and South Ossetia), but didn't know that at the time. It was a long drive in a bus, the distance between the seats being just less than the length of my femur (YAY!), and lost of singing (YAY!)... Five hours, thru back roads, and as we neared the mountain, along cliffs. Then we hiked an hour or so just to get to the base, over streams and fields and snow. Had lunch before heading up, and trying to get acclimatized to the air. That didn't work well for me. I have trouble breathing at normal altitude, in the mountains, I have no stamina. But on top of that, my hip started hurting and shoes slipped around: great for walking, less so for near vertical surfaces. It was a steep climb, and I didn't exactly know how to deal with that, as in manner of walking. The views, both on the way to the base, and going up were very pretty, thankfully my fear of heights is gone: standing on a near vertical surface looking down a couple hundred feet is disturbing. It also makes you appreciate the wonders of the human foot. About halfway up, tho, I wished I could have used my arms a bit, as they were being useless.

I was slow, far behind the main group, and didn't get above the grass line. Partly due to fatigue, but mostly because a storm had come up. It started with wind, follwed with rain, rapidly turning to snow. I got soaked quickly (luckily my clothes dried fast on the way back). I thought going down would be hard, wht with balance easier going forward, but there werre parts which had snow, and I just boot-skied on those. Others in the group were skipping down the mountain, and then I realized that if you could control your steps, such is not dangerous, and speed gives control. Anyway, long walk back, rolling my ankle on the way :(, it's fine now.

On the drive home we stop for k'ngali, the dumplings with soup, and have a Georgian feast. BYOB and bought vodka. At dinner they make toasts, to whatever people choose, this time mostly about the mountain and related things. Soo much leftover, we ate k'ngali the next nite too. The toasts made me appreciate Nini and Mariam's translation ability: Georgian to English and back, on the spot, about abstract things. I got drunk, and then had a bumpy four hour ride, suffice it to say that it's the first time I got carsick.

Anyway, classes started today, a seminar on Parmenides, one of the most difficult/confusing readings from freshman year. As Kelvin put it, the 'nar was "very freshman," with circles and personal opinions, and confusion about terminology. To be expected, and once I realized that we were there to teach, I was not annoyed anymore.

I've been having odd pains, adjusting to the food and air. There's more singing then revelry, and not enough politicking for my tastes. I guess that's women, or large groups. I wish there were men here, the other guys are all boys, and the rest are girls. I get along well with Acacia (closest in personality, and longest known), but she's a girl. There are some things that don't cross sexes.

About the Georgians: Nini and Mariam's parents are awesome. Mamuka,the father, doesn't speak English, but I love his attitude, he's a cool guy. In Georgian, mamam means dad, and dada mean mom, go figure. The guides for the were cool, not too much interaction, as no English. The rest of the people (outside of the classes) I've met are Mariam's girl friends, both who come to the house, or at a concert we went to (it was OK, not the best, kinda in a back alley). They all speak English, but I don't really have much to talk to them about. They are cute tho, but it mght just be that age. Nini's friends are all away, unfortunately, I get along better with her than her sister.

Trying to put the rest of the trip out of my mind for the time being, so I won't get anxious. I'm getting complacent here: things are taken care of, and I'm not seeking out attractions. The main worry is in traveling for so long, you are never with the same people, as in college, so it is very different from that sort of being away from home. It's really funny who you miss and why.