Georgia – home port in the Caucasus

After my time in South Asia I travelled back to Armenia, where the bus had been stored for four months. Then I spent a lot of time in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.

Back in January I had got to know part of the local Georgian T3 community there. I stayed in touch and helped out some of the members. I also put a lot of time into improving my bus.

I sent various suspension parts to Georgia, and family members and friends also brought some bulky components with them. I spent almost two months in Georgia, exploring the region around Tbilisi, partly on my own and partly with friends and relatives. Friends I'd met in Turkey and seen again in Nepal were in Georgia too, and I helped them with some work on their vehicle. Later the Italian I'd met in India came to Georgia as well. It felt good to see someone who had by then become a good friend again after six weeks.

The bus ate up several weeks of hard work, as I rebuilt the entire suspension and gave it a slight lift. All bearings, bushes and rubber parts were renewed in the process. I also wanted to fix smaller problems, so it would be in top shape for the trip to Iran at the beginning of July. The work was tough, because I had no pit or lift and did everything on the ground with jacks and my on-board tools.

I went on several trips with the T3 community. Eight T3s drove to a classic car meet in Telavi – very interesting and lovely, thanks to the glorious weather and the many participants.

In May we drove to Vashlovani National Park near the border with Azerbaijan. The tracks we took there were pretty punishing for drivers and vehicles. The landscape and nature were just as wonderful as the warm company of the Georgians.

Later, in June, we spent a weekend driving to Asureti, a German village, to Vardzia, an ancient city carved into the rock, and to the Tsalka Canyon. The trip and the camping were a unique experience, and the community's solidarity is as impressive as the warmth with which I, as a foreigner, was welcomed.

My Georgian friend, through whom I'd joined the T3 community in the first place, helped me just as I helped him – working on his bus or advising him on building its interior. His family took me in and let me work on the bus in their yard. We did lots together, and they helped me when I had problems or wasn't doing well. I'm grateful for the openness and kindness they showed me.

At the beginning of July another friend is coming from Germany to Georgia. Then it's on via Armenia to Iran. 40 °C in the shade in midsummer, in a 32-year-old, 85 hp vehicle – definitely a wild combination.

VW T3 Trip Georgia - Vashlovani - VanlifeGeorgiaWatch the video on YouTube