Lina and her Boys Part II: Stuck in the Mountains

7 am. I hear the thunder. Still. For over 12 hours now, I see another lightening. Eto knocks on the door. She says we can't go down today. She looks concerned. She points her finger at the mountain: "Snow" She says. I laugh. Didn't my good friend ask me before I came here one week ago: "And what happens if the weather becomes shit and you can't go down anymore? It's so late in the season" I was laughing. I still am. The locals know. Mountain people. Did I not wake up yesterday morning going down, Eto hugging me, looking at the two Georgian man eating their breakfast "This is my daughter", the men looking confused "When you leaving? Tomorrow? Day after? Never?" She smiles. I stay.

Two fellow companions only arriving yesterday. Their plans so big. I humble them. I warn them. I say don't go. Wrapped in two blankets, over five layers of clothes, my winter hat on my head, the hoody over it, shivering. They keep making plans. Young men. "Imagine how proud you will be when you go these five days in the rain" one encouraging the other. "Let it go. You don't want to die here trying to prove how brave you are." I say. The rain starts, big thunder, they look at me. "Mark my words. Be humble." I say. The weather fairy is back. One single column of light falling through the thick white clouds. God.

I come down, pancakes and apple jam in my hands hungry, starving, happy for my breakfast. All of you around the table starring at your phones and books, your faces empty. I can't help it but laugh. Again. I'm so happy. You look so upset. Stuck in the mountains. Jozef asks me the same. Everyone knows by now that the land slides got us trapped at the end of the world.

And so we sit down again. Praise to all of us we're still sober. It's almost 3pm on a Friday afternoon, in the middle of nowhere in the vast mountains of Georgia. Saying it out loud two Georgian guys show up, get out their car, come up to us: "What's up guys? How are you? You smoke weed?" And so you see the faces of my boys light up. Yes. "We'll be back in 20 minutes." Laughing our ass off. All this absurdity just when I said we're the center of the city's attention. The guy shakes my hand and leaves.

Only minutes later another car stops, a group of people is getting out, we are joking if they're from Berlin wanting to offer us LSD now. Then I see a familiar face. I get excited. It's Irakli, the horse guide who I've met one week ago when I first got stuck in the heavy rain one village up, my first day of hiking. He comes up to me, smiling, shaking my hand asking if I got stuck too. Telling me they'd take a helicopter out. "What about Karma?" Yes that was our connection without knowing each other. Karma. The Universe is an ironic place. Karma. When I get out, I will go to Karma. One Polish girl approaches our table, she shakes everyone's hand while my Polish boys pretend to be Swedish. I can't stop laughing. This loud group buying all drinks and cigarettes they can find while the girl tells me the story of how their horses ran away just as I have once experienced in the middle of nowhere in another far Asian country in heavy rain of the vast velvet mountains. We met a week ago I say, in the other guest house. "I thought you were from here." Again. Becoming a local. After minutes of laughter, drunk talk, cultural exchange while one of my boys pushed through his Swedish identity, everybody is boarding the car again, another handshake from Irakli then our new friends leave in laughter accompanied by party music.

Eto and Anna come outside laughing, informing us that if the road can't be rebuild for us in two days we will be flown out by helicopter. Another big excitement waves over us. A never ending adventure. Life.

Café Europa. Creating our own Universe. Our new friends are back. Georgian 20 minutes. Toasting, bringing Chacha, bringing Sakartvelo, toasting to Anna our wonderful host, praising her, this young man holds his speech, cherishing women, her, to freedom, unity of people of all nations, introducing the culture of the supra that I have only introduced room my boys the night before to our dinner table. Telling about the history, having a party, looking into each other's eyes, knowing, seeing. Music playing. Amy. WINEhouse as we are connecting in our hearts. Expanding the Universe, creating the world from the never ending potential of life.

"You're fierce. You're strong woman. Not everyone has the skills you have. Country. Mountains. City. Very special you have all." He hugs, me "Can I kiss you? On your cheek for respect?" Toasting to me, making everyone join in to strong women. The love spreads. Taking pictures. Spreading the energy further. Out to Tusheti, to Sakartvelo, to the world. To women who've been held small for too long, the movement we need for our planet. The rain returns. We don't care. 24 hour power. I learned this in Nepal. More wine, Anna puts the bottle on the table. A calm moment. Everyone in their own world, in the same one in connection.

So many questions. So much excitement. Laughter. Helicopter. "You're famous now Lina. The road seems to destroyed the news say. You have to be flown out." A flood of information changing over dinner uncountable times through embassies calling, social media and contacts. "I will trust the local government. Georgians will fix it and get us out." As I finish my sentence the local police comes by noting down the number of people to be evacuated, the night comes over Tusheti as we drink our last drinks together, preparing our big journey. Looking at each other, thanking one another, knowing that we now something special bounding us to one another. Coming for different reasons, with different dreams, we will now all board the same helicopter to get out of this magical place. This time the faces of my boys look upset because we're being rescued. What can happen within 24 hours. The same emotion for quite the opposite reason. Do we sometimes think we know what we want the Universe will present us something much bigger, something so surprising that we can't help but see that whatever our plans may not even close to what life has to offer.

I knew this was going to happen. The Omens were too strong. The signs each day. Did I wanna leave already the day before. I couldn't. And now? Overnight the weather became unpredictable. I feel so much love and respect for the Universe. Nature, so much bigger than us. Every word out of my mouth this day becoming instant reality. Manifesting at its best. Thunder again, rumbling over all Tusheti. Beautiful Tusheti. You got me.

It's 7 am. Again. What 24 hours can do. Slowly everyone starts waking up. For the last time together. We think. I hear the wooden floor creaking. I will miss that sound. I will miss this. Slowly the clouds are moving over the mountains again. I pack my things and go down. One of my boys getting his shoes. He hugs me. "I just realize we only know each other for so short. Thank you!" He says.

And so we walk down the muddy road to the military base waiting for hours. My friend again astonished about the kindness of our hosts. I laugh. "Maybe she's already cooking for us looking down seeing that we're still waiting." As still today the Universe seems to be evolving all around us it again only takes half an hour after one of my boys returns with hot Khatchapuri she made for us. I'm not even surprised anymore for any manifestation while our female Polish group is still again drinking for breakfast.

Hopes rising after 3 hours of waiting two helicopters arriving. Press, journalists taking pictures all over the place, excitement. They can't fit all. Dona is calling, so concerned. "I only have one soul, my beautiful angel. Please take care of yourself. are you ok? Really? Really? Are you fine?" asking for my well-being over and over. I miss her. Only minutes later Ana popps up next to me, we're hugging, laughing talking for an hour. "I was looking for you, hoping to find you here. You're one of the most interesting people I've ever met." This young, wise girl I've missed her, deeply happy to see her again. More unexpected hours of waiting follow. Weather becoming unstable again. Going back to the guest house, getting food, beer, our cappuccino. Everyone in silence, then again laughing. Keeping the mood up. With more time it starts feeling like a camp. We don't know anymore if we can make it out. If they will send another helicopter for us from the ministry of internal affairs. Time passes. Weather changes. They say snow is coming. Tired. Drunk. Connecting. Separating. Some start falling asleep. Some go mushroom picking, some read, some drink. It's becoming quiet. Something new every day. Sending out prayers for us to come.

John calls us over offering fresh bread, tomatoes, chacha. Hungry, thirsty. Gratefully we all take a shot, eating something. It's time to leave. We have to go back.

Today it wasn't the day. Slowly we head back to our guest house, tired, unknowingly what will happen. The wind is blowing stronger now. The mood, lingering. Happy to be alive. You tell me the color of each person. You say you feel it, you're insecure. You share your precious secret with me. You say you feel undeserving of the universe's help. You share your insecurities with me. I feel honored to deserve your trust. Since you've arrived you've been nothing but kind. Offering me your home, giving me your money without hesitation, apologizing for being you. You shall not. Even for hugging me good morning.

Not knowing when we will be evacuated. Carving woods, drinking hot tea with cognac trying to get warm, hoping for tomorrow. Not so cheerful anymore but save, we're back. Back to the same place. Didn't we wanna spend more time together? Eto is making Khinkali. We're still sitting in patience. I'm drunk.

The weather has changed. Again. This cold has come. No more flights. Humbling once again.

7 am again. The third time is the charme they say. Sun is bright this morning. Last night was tough. I felt my undissolved emotions to Albania. Had my love, my mom at heart called me so worried, could I feel her love so strongly, had I forgotten how it felt when she was taking care of me no matter how far. Just then after tears of love and my bleeding heart you ask me if I'm ok and hug me tightly again just like this morning, not letting me go anymore, holding me so closely, your arms wrapped around me. "Don't be a stranger" you say "I haven't hugged anyone in years. In three years." I can't believe it. How have you found the heart and courage to hug me, to share your thoughts with me, your heart? So brave, so kind.

And finally we go high up in the sky, entering the helicopter almost routined after all the excitement the day before when the police comes to the guest house informing us that the heli is arriving. Seeing everyone again, arriving safely back inland after these uncertain, moving days bringing us closer to each other.

THANK YOU!!! I have enjoyed this time so much. Laughed my ass off about all the absurdities, our drug dealers and strange encounters with all bored, drunk neighbors. For getting the Universe's attention for a whole two days in every way I could imagine.