You are not watching a trailer for a new suspense/thriller film. It’s just Kristin and I entering and swiftly leaving our Airbnb in Tbilisi. Surprisingly, the things you see in this video are not what made us leave.
Our First Airbnb Debacle
We get to the front door of the apartment building. It’s a self check-in Airbnb and the main door should be unlocked, but unfortunately it is not. It’s getting late and starting to sprinkle. Kristin and I wait under an awning messaging and calling the host. We finally receive the door code, punch it in, and enter.
The building has seen better days. There is evidence of a recent fire in the main entrance, but we march forward towards a staircase that sports significant lean. What are we getting ourselves into?
Walking past large cracks in the wall we get to the door and turn the knob. Although most of the building looks abandoned, the apartment is immaculate. Two bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and two big balconies that look out onto the street below. We can do this, right?
Well, I turn on the faucet in the bathroom and a steady flow of brown water comes out. I remember that we are the first people to stay in this apartment, so maybe this water has been sitting in the pipes for a while. I am trying to give this host the benefit of the doubt.
The final straw finally rears its ugly head. There is a potent smell that we both believe is natural gas. Great. We open all the windows and immediately call and message the Airbnb host. No response…
It is now about 10:30pm and the smell is not going away. We cherish our lives, so we grab our bags, and leave this place behind us. The next day, Airbnb gives us a full refund and even pays for our night at the impromptu guesthouse we book. Made me wish we booked a fancier hotel.
The City
Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia and home to over one million people. Mountains surround the capital and make for some stunning views looking down on the metropolis. Transportation is very inexpensive, with the metro or bus costing 40 Tetri. Tetri is the equivalent of cents in the USA. This means a ride will cost about $0.15. The easiest way to use the public transit is to buy a metro card, load a few dollars on it, and then get ready to explore.
The Sights
Wedding Crashers: Tbilisi
Kristin comes up with a fun idea while in Tbilsi: Create our own pub crawl. Why haven’t we done this in every city? She researches some fun and interesting bars around the city and maps our route.
Our next stop is Amodi. This place totes itself as more of a local bar that is hidden deep in the steep, winding street of old town, so tourists don’t normally find their way to it. Well, Kristin and I find it. Kristin opens the door to this hidden gem and heads straight to the bar. I follow inside and something does not seem right.
It takes a couple seconds for it to click, but I realize we are now in a wedding reception. I receive a few confused looks and start to apologize for crashing their wedding. The group is nice and offers me glasses of wine and even some unidentifiable drugs. I politely decline. Kristin makes her way back toward me and we graciously exit the celebration. Oops.
Walking up to stop #5 we see a red velvet rope. We head up the stairs and peak through the door. The decision is made that this place is a little too fancy for us. Sorry Publica, maybe next time.
Final Stop
As usual, there are more untold stories of Tbilisi, but there is a chill in the air and it’s about time we make our way to warmer weather.
Next up: Thailand.
