Zhabeshi to Adishi

You know what I really love about hiking in more undeveloped countries. The non existent switch backs. I love going straight up and up and up. And even better are the false summits. It's so satisfying to get where you think is the top and it's not. Then the trail markers where it seems like most of the time you're walking back and forth trying to find them. No not walking back and forth but up and down those straight up non existent switch backs. This was how it was from Zhabeshi to Adishi.

I came to a T and to the left was a well trodden trail in the direction of Adishi. Even so I went straight up first because I'd been following a run off stream over the rocks and in the water and it continued on up. But just over a little hill the ruts branched off in about five different directions and I saw a bunch of cows so I thought it was a cow path. Back down to the T and to the left. It was steep but wide, although as I went along I saw no markers, which is a bad sign. I walked up this trail three times and back. Then I went to the right, which I knew was wrong, but more importantly I saw one of those shephards. I didn't want my face chewed off so I wasn't going that way no matter what. Then I decided to back down towards Zhabeshi again and followed the markers again. This took me back up to the T once more. Frustrated I pulled out my meat pie slice and ate it and thought I'm just going to go back to Mestia. I heard that local guides didn't like the markers because they wouldn't be needed. Maybe they rubbed them out. I turn around and there was a gold marker far above the ground on a rock wall. Usually they are red and white.

I followed it and didn't have a problem finding any markers the rest of the day. I still had the non existent switch backs and false summits. Plenty of streams to cross: one I threw my boots across and the other was so wide and swift I had to get a big strong stick and use it to help me from being knocked over by the water.

Usually you see the village you are walking to in advance, but I didn't see Adishi until the last 10 minutes. The village seemed unoccupied as these villages do because not many people can live like this anymore. The only people I see are Zhora and her lover Kato. This is the Lesbian couple I will stay with.