Lifefacts you will definitely need for traveling in Georgia.

Georgia as a travel destination is always popular, you can go to this amazing country at any time of the year. Here everyone will find exactly the vacation they want: go to the mountains, the sea, explore the history, eat! If this is your first trip to Georgia, you will definitely need some smart tricks, that we have collected in this article. If any of you have been to Georgia before, you will probably discover something new

• Just like other airports around the world, Georgian airports are just as expensive. So don't put off buying souvenirs until the last minute if you were planning to bring something as a gift. Also do not exchange money at the airport.
• Taxi drivers at the airport will definitely slam prices several times over and the trip to the city will cost a pretty penny. If you didn't pre-book a transfer, you have two choices: either bargain mercilessly with the same taxi drivers or get the Yandex Taxi, Bolt or Maxim app on your phone in advance. I was fine with Bolt for my travels, they are the best. The cost from airport to the city is about 10-20 Gel (Batumi, Kutaisi, Tbilisi)
• Cash or card? Either way: You can pay with a card nearly everywhere and cash is more useful if you plan to buy fruits and vegetables at a flea market or go to some place in the countryside to the mountains. It is better to exchange currency not in the center, where there are a lot of tourists, so find out on the Internet what rate and, therefore, go ahead and walk, at the same time and explore the city
• Roaming and Internet. I will not bore you with the advantages and disadvantages of each one, I will only say that the best one is Magti. Take an unlimited internet package for a week for 5 Gel (less than 2 EUR, tens of times cheaper than the one offered by my home operator, and with a limit on the internet) at the official representative office of the operator, download the application of the operator to your smartphone and top up your balance through it if you plan to stay in Georgia for more than 1 week
• For today you must remember to take a PCR-test for your 3rd week, otherwise you may have to pay a fine at the airport when you return home. And the test costs from 65-85 Gel, (depending on the lab, about 20-25 euros). The good news for fully vaccinated people - you do not need to take a test! A certificate of vaccination is sufficient.
• Rent a car. The very idea of renting a car rejected at once: the chaotic traffic on the roads remotely reminds of the movement somewhere in Asia. Add to this strolling cows on the highway, which are unresponsive to cars, and this quest becomes a real problem. Pedestrians at crosswalks are reluctant, so put your smartphone away and look carefully when crossing the road.
• Taxi driver guide or guide with a car? A taxi driver who says he is a guide and a guide with a car are not the same thing, the difference is significant and the money is insignificant. The ideal is to find a guide with a car in advance, who will not only drive you, but will draw up a route for you to see.
• If the itinerary includes attractions, note that the entrance fees for foreigners are higher than for residents and Georgians. And bargaining is not an option here.
• Take an external power bank battery with you. No matter how new your phone is, if you are traveling through the country, you are sure to take pictures all the time. The scenery is mesmerizing.
• About food. There is no way not to eat too much. If you are travelling with a group or just the two of you, in the restaurants order one dish for two: you can't order individual dishes from the menu and eat them all by yourself because the portions are HUGE. It is better to make an additional order, if suddenly there was not enough food (can not be). Surprisingly, but the fact - was rescued well-known mineral water which locals advised to drink before and after meal
• When they bring the bill in the restaurant, do not be surprised that the bill is +10%. No, it's not tipping the waiter (I asked), it's the so-called table service. The service in restaurants is unobtrusive but if you like the food and you are planning to come there again, leave some money for a tip and you will be remembered as the dearest guest next time.
• Everyone has heard about Georgian hospitality and it is true that Georgians are very hospitable and you should never expect any tricks. If you are traveling alone, you will not be deprived of sympathy and attention. The moment you meet local people in the market, restaurants and wineries, they offer you a drink and tell you a legend or toast. They say a lot of toasts, and for a long time!
• You learn a few words and expressions in Georgian and you are almost guaranteed a lower price in the market, where by the way, try the wine, honey and suluguni, they always offer you something and you should not be afraid of it.
• Don't be afraid to do it, but be aware that locals are the only ones offering you the best restaurants, the most interesting places to visit, and what to see. You can listen to thousands of podcasts and read several guidebooks, but never find out the places recommended by locals.
• If the Georgians talk and gesticulate loudly, you need to get used to it; they do not swear, it is just their temperament. Almost like the Italians. Georgians are not in a hurry and timing is problematic here, so if you are still in a hurry to go somewhere, take it into account

Author of the article:
Dmitry Lebedev, OnlineExpo expert
https://www.tripadvisor.ru/Profile/Dimatll