Georgia 🇬🇪 Getting to "Mikheil Meskhi" Stadium მიხეილ მესხის სახელობის სტადიონი, 18 July 2026

We took the bus 25 stops in total. Whike researching, I was panicking as every bus showed delayed and I nearly opted for a Bolt. Resolute in trying the bus system, we set off 2 hours early. We're now waiting for the first game to start.

New Zealand versus England for 3rd and 4th place.

Inside the bus, clean and not too full. Witnessed an argument between a lady that brought a bike into the bus and the bus driver. All in Georgian so no idea what the problem was.

The Victory Statue (also known as the Memorial of Glory) is a towering 28-meter Soviet-era monument located at the topmost ridge of Vake Park in Tbilisi, Georgia. Erected in 1981, the brutalist masterpiece depicts a woman raising her arms to hold a banner and an oak branch, symbolizing victory and resilience.

The buildings in the suburb of Vake Park are beautiful and in comparison to other suburbs, so new.

Finally got a picture of a Marshrutka, the equivalent of our Taxis.

We continued to the stadium and have the best seats on the 10 meter line.

Georgia 🇬🇪 Second last day, wow time has flown 18 July 2026

On the bus to the final. We have tried the Metro, the Cable car, Funicular and Bolt. Today we taking the bus. 25 stops to the university and then 1 km walk to the stadium.

This morning I dragged Michael on another 7km circular walk, a market, Fabrika, Sambta hotel which we did not find and back to the hotel.

Freedom Square, another angle.

Kura river 

Fabrika, a hostel, so interesting, young crowd do not get up before 10am

I loved the crazy decor of Fabrika.

Right next door a church

Fruit vendors everywhere with loads of delicious fruit, no pesticides is being used in subsistence farming. I had some today.

Random circle with statues in the middle, crossing streets can be difficult. One has to find a crosswalk as cars seem to come from every direction.

Back at Freedom square, another view.

Georgia 🇬🇪 U 20 World Cup, 5th place vs 6th place Scotland vs Wales. 17 July 2016

Scotland 28 to Wales 21, a very close game!!

Georgia 🇬🇪 U 20 World Cup, 14th place vs 13th place Australia vs Argentina. 17 July 2016

Argentina did not feature unfortunately they seem to have forgotten their defence at home.

Australia 52 Argentina 29

Georgia 🇬🇪 Tbilisi. Cable Cars. 17 July 2026

Tbilisi features three main cable car lines: the Rike Park to Narikala Fortress route (classic, 2.5 GEL), the newer Rustaveli Avenue to Mtatsminda Park route (12 GEL), and the Vake Park to Turtle Lake line (1 GEL). They offer efficient, highly scenic transport to the city's best viewpoints.

We chose the Mtatsminda Park Route as we had already seen the mother of Georgia close to the Narikala Fortress and there had been a long queue when we last walked past the entrance.

Getting up to the top its 1 GEL for the toilet and they only accept visa.

The rides are excellent, such a variety each a distance away from each other that kids walking would be exhausted after a few rides.

After an iced coffee which I drank as it was not ice cream, we went down via the Funicular.

Funicular station

Local building with people living there being held together by metal stays on one side.

The other side has no metal holding it up. Damage caused by earthquakes.

Having had a great breakfast at the hotel, I had a Matcha and Michael a brownie with ice cream at Michael's favourite coffee shop .

Back at the hotel we relax until16:30 to catch the metro for the trip to the rugby.