Georgia

Accommodation
Accomodation is fairly limited (except for staying with families), and the lack of competition means hotels are often not great value, though the situation is changing for the better quite quickly. There are usually good home-stay arrangements possible, and taxi-drivers will often have a cousin or a granny who will put you up for a few dollars a night. The main towns do have hotels, some good, some bad.
In small villages, just ask around – the locals will quickly point out where to stay, or more likely, will drag you home and stuff you with food and drink.

Food and Drink

It’s hard to over-estimate just what this means in Georgia. They live for it, rather like the French do. The Georgian banquet is a full-on experience, which can last half a day. Weddings, birthdays, or any other excuse to binge will do. It all takes place in a fairly set-piece way. A toastmaster called a tamada runs the show, and makes toasts (more like speeches really), after which you drink wine, downing each glass in one after each toast.
The food is great, and is rather like Turkish, Armenian or other middle-eastern fare – meaty shashlik dishes, lots of walnuts and eggplants and spices and herbs. Khachapuri, a kind of cheese-filled bread, is always served, and is a great snack for on-the-road travellers. Vegetarians can go a long way on Georgian food, though vegetarians are pretty rare in Georgia.
There is loads of great fruit around, including a few you might not have seen before, and lovely strong cheese.
Georgian feasting usually includes bouts of singing and dancing too.
There is good beer in Georgia, Kazbegi and Argo, but don’t toast with beer – it’s not done. The local firewater, called chacha, is made from grapeskins. It varies from 40% to around 80%, usually toward the stronger end – be warned! Women don’t ever drink it, and indeed, it is not seen as a women’s thing to drink a lot – indeed, during feasts they are generally doing a lot of the kitchen stuff rather than eating and drinking.
For the day after, try the excellent mineral waters like Nabeglavi or Borzhomi, which are great for upset stomachs, as is the matsoni live yoghurt

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