James Duncan

Well, this drive is eventful. It started normally enough, and our plan was to stop off at the Gori market and Stalin museum. The roads were snarled up with traffic, and people have again been failing to pick a lane on a two lane highway, meaning that we are consistently 30cm from death. The roads are full of military hardware also, and it is clear the Georgian Army is in full deployment. Their equipment and tactical knowledge seems poor: the troop carriers are simple cloth backed trucks that tow CCCP-era small (very small) manual artillery pieces. I can't help thinking that if they go up against the Russians in a big way with this kit they will all die, and they are on the highway bumper to bumper with no room to leave the road. If I were a Russian pilot with a cluster bomb or two I'd just need to line them up right to kill hundreds of Georgians...and I dislike this given that I am having to drive on the same straight road. Apart from this, on a professional level it's always annoying to see poor tactical discipline. There is a little armour, but only really tanks. These again look like they were old at the point of independence, and I have an odd feeling they are going to get spanked. We proceed along at a minimal pace, merrily in the middle of the bombable military convoy. It feels quite pleasant, there's a fatalism mixed with an interested excitement. Russians to easily win if it comes to it though, these boys mostly suck. The only modern kit they have are some mobile missile launchers plainly supplied by the US and these are again stuck in the same line. I sigh for their mothers. Nati is also a bit worried, and I think she's only just realised I wasn't kidding about it being a bit more serious.

Well, no kebab at Gori market for me. Gori is *full* of soldiers and police as Gori market was bombed a couple of hours ago by the Russians. Where's my damn kebab and tourist nicknacs, Russia? Back to Tbilisi with our good health and pleasant thoughts that the convoy was not after all cluster bombed or strafed, I guess.