A TIME FOR TBILISI

FROM AIRSPACE CLOSURES TO SULPHUR SPRINGS, THIS TRIP TO GEORGIA WAS EQUAL PARTS STRESSFUL, SOULFUL, AND UNFORGETTABLE

- ANINDITA GHOSH

ONE OF THE REASONS WHY GEORGIA IS popular among Indian tourists is because it is just five hours away from Delhi. Take the nonstop evening flight, reach the Tbilisi International Airport in the early hours of the morning, catch a few hours of sleep and be up for a full day of touring.

At least, that was my plan till Israel bombed Iran. It was the most unpleasant kind of déjà vu—my Abu Dhabi trip earlier this year had nearly got derailed because of the four-day India-Pakistan “war.” Clearly, 2025 was not the year to be exploring new horizons unless you were okay with a few missiles lighting up the skies.

Iran closed its airspace and, suddenly, my much-awaited Georgia trip hinged on uncertainty. I was informed that my flight would be routed through Doha for refuelling, extending the flight time by at least six hours.

Would Tbilisi be worth the extended airtime and the anxiety of flying through West Asia during an intense war? I decided to wing it, and after a backbreaking 12-hour journey, I was finally at the Shota Rustaveli Airport at the crack of dawn.

HELLO, TBILISI!

My first stop was the Wyndham Grand Tbilisi that was to be my home for the next three days. The international airport is about 20 km from the city centre. As we drove along the Kakheti Highway, the scenery gradually changed from auto garages, hardware shops, and billboards on the outskirts to charming residential neighbourhoods with ochre-roofed houses and narrow lanes lined with bakeries and grocery stores. The streets were mostly empty except a few early risers out for morning walks and errands.