The Road to the Big Good – Part Three Saturday 16 May 2026 Zestaponi, Imereti, Georgia The train stopped at Kutaisi Airport station, but I somehow managed to sleep through that. I will save my descriptions of Kutaisi for next week’s planned stay there. Seeing yet another rather uninspiring railway station, reminiscent of Batumi’s own… Continue reading The soul of a place
Deep forest?
The Road to the Big Good – Part Two Saturday 16 May 2026 Ureki, Guria, Georgia The train next stops at Ureki, one of the strangest and most distinctive resort towns on the Black Sea coast. Above: Ureki Station, Guria, Georgia Its principal attraction is its magnetic black sand. The beach contains unusually high concentrations… Continue reading Deep forest?
Almost somewhere
The Road to the Big Good, Part One Batumi to Tbilisi, Georgia Saturday 16 May 2026 The day begins at 0500. Pack. Shower. Shave. Clothes still damp but packed nevertheless. Laundry rack back on balcony. Still terrifying to be out there. Too damn high up — 43 floors. Leave Room 4342. Elevator down to the… Continue reading Almost somewhere
Rainy day in Georgia
Batumi, Adjara, Georgia The Ides of May 2026 This reads less like a travel diary entry and more like a man wandering through the physical remains of interrupted futures. Batumi in relentless rain can become introspective to the point of paralysis. As I had been advised that trains to Tbilisi may be difficult to obtain… Continue reading Rainy day in Georgia
Playground
Sunday 19 July 2026 Landschlacht, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland Above: St. Leonhard’s Chapel, Landschlacht While the cat’s away, the mouse will play. While the wife’s away, the hubby will play. She Who Must Be Obeyed is spending the next 24 hours in Zürich. Above: Zürich, Switzerland I decide to revisit another Wednesday. Wednesday 13 May 2026… Continue reading Playground
Dignity
Sunday 19 July 2026 Landschlacht, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland Don Lockwood: Dignity, always dignity. This was instilled in me by Mom and Dad from the very beginning. They sent me to the finest schools including dancing school, that’s where I first met Cosmo. And with him I used to perform for Mom and Dad’s society friends.… Continue reading Dignity
Place your bets
Hope springs eternalOn a gaudy neon streetNot that I care at all Such a muddy line betweenThe things you wantAnd the things you have to do Friday 16 July 2026 Landschlacht, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland Above: In Landschlacht, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland On the way to Konstanz, 15 km away, to get my teeth cleaned upon the… Continue reading Place your bets
Synod
Above: Holy Trinity Cathedral, Tbilisi, Georgia Wednesday 15 July 2026 Landschlacht, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland Violent wind. Heavy rain. Hailstones. Nothing about the weather yesterday did I have any control over. Above: Weather Wizard (Mark Mardon) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. We readily speak of acts of God. Earthquakes. Floods. Lightning. Events beyond human control.… Continue reading Synod
Deep harbour
Wednesday 15 July 2026 Landschlacht, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland Rain and hail has made the decision to remain inside a wise one today. Emotionally I am feeling very similar to how I felt on my first day of travelling in Georgia. The question: So, what do I do now? I have made job applications both in… Continue reading Deep harbour
To Batumi and beyond
Monday 13 July 2026 Landschlacht, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland I am caught between two systems that operate on completely different assumptions about time and responsibility. On one side is my wife. She values clarity, planning and decisions. To her, “I don’t know yet” sounds like something that ought to be solved by asking harder, following up… Continue reading To Batumi and beyond