Nino told me over our many conversations, “I have two surnames, you know. One is Davitadze and the other is Makaradze. In my passport, it is Nino Makaradze.”

“One was given to me by my father, and the other is the name of a village I hail from,” Nino replied.

I noticed that the surgery to fatten her lips had made her look, at times, like the Joker in Batman. It was quite funny when one stared at them.

Apart from her tattoos, she looked to be quite a hippie babe, and that was fine by me. She dressed well, wore colorful dresses and shirts, was very appealing at all times, and full of life—very bubbly and chirpy.

Nino Makaradze, Nino Davitadze

She had a life living on her own with her black cat Sameba in her apartment near the city center, drove her white BMW, ate and dined with her relatives and her brother’s family. She worked her beat at the airport ferrying tourists across Georgia, and that was what her life was. But our little Nino wanted a change—a new life, a life that was free. Put simply, our Nino wanted wings. She wanted to fly high in the sky, soar like an eagle high above. She wanted to break free from the clutches of her ex, her brother, and her mundane, meaningless life. She wanted some zest in her life, some newness, some zest.

“Did I tell you I am Muslim? Yes! I am not Georgian Orthodox Catholic, but I respect all faiths and I know a lot about religion,” Nino told me.

“Yes, that is good. The other thing I like is that your English is good, but it is unfortunate that you did not finish law at university,” I told her.

Nino enjoyed her beer, liked to smoke a few cigarettes in the day, wore good perfume, and at times would even dress in her denim shorts—that was very sexy. She also wore contact lenses; I feel they were of the colorful variety. Our Nino wanted to look good and charm people, that was for sure. She knew she had style and oomph.

“I liked it when we meditated together. You should make it a habit; it will give you some peace,” I told Nino.

“I have no time. I am always at work, always at the airport,” Nino said, rather exasperated.

Could I be her knight in shining armor, I wonder.

It’s been more than a day for me in Dehra Doon, and I came to a house that was a mess. No one had cleaned the rooms; there was dust everywhere. The boundary wall of my house had collapsed due to construction work. Someone had installed an AC on my back wall without my permission. I was furious and lashed out at Mrs. Servants for an hour. Then, I took a stick and broke the air conditioner’s fan in my anger. How could someone enter my house compound and garden and just install an AC? I gave an earful to all my servants; they knew the man of the house had finally returned from his travels, which had been a long one. Then I got to the task of organizing all the travel memorabilia. There were my books that had arrived from the publisher, and I got them placed on the right shelves.

It rained heavily yesterday, causing slush in my garden. It was quite depressing, and I had feared that would happen. Returning home was a scary feeling, but now I have managed to get things under control. I am happy that I finally took charge after such a long journey. But one thing is for sure; I will never leave the country for such a long duration again. Only a month or two at a stretch—I can’t trust Mrs. Servants to keep the house safe when I am away.

But Dehra Doon is my home after all; my servants are mine. I have no one else left now but them. If only Nino could enter my life now, I might find some relief. But that is another story. However, I was happily told by Nino that she had managed to collect two thousand dollars from her friend and would have five thousand dollars ready by the end of the week. If that is the case, then we could definitely meet in India sooner rather than later.

I still yearn for Nino, and her scent still lingers on my flesh. “You know, you can get tattoos on the beaches and mountain tops as we travel across the world. Tattoo making is good business in India,” I told her.

“I don’t want to make tattoos; I want to do modeling,” Nino told me. “For that, I will have to train you, shoot some stills, make a portfolio, and even learn how to audition in front of the camera,” I retorted.

“We will figure that out first when we get to India,” I explained to her. “I have a temperature; I am at the doctor’s. We will chat later,” Nino said abruptly as we ended our conversation.

It’s been raining quite a bit, and the weather feels humid and wet, but my spirits are high after the confrontation with my servants. Things have settled down, but I still dream of Nino as my thoughts go back to my days with her in Georgia.

Life has its twists and turns, and I haven’t been quite myself since returning from a lovely trip to Georgia. The scent of Nino still lingers with me; I can smell her on my jacket and even on my neck. I can feel her presence from afar. “I don’t think my brother will like it if he knows we are talking to each other,” Nino said as we exchanged frantic messages on the phone upon my return to India.

“I miss you dearly,” I replied. “I get that warm, fuzzy feeling in my heart—it’s like I’m a fifty-year-old teenager.” I told her excitedly. “Again, I apologize about my brother,” Nino said politely. “I also feel that I loved talking to you; you are very smart, and I think we can have a great life together,” Nino told me, igniting more passion within me.

“I feel so warm and good when I’m with you,” I promptly replied. “I have a bank loan of $5000 that I need to pay; I can’t leave the country otherwise. I haven’t even seen my mother in Russia for a year,” she said. “Joseph and I had a great fight over me talking to you; he even took my car,” she said with sadness in her heart.

“I will send you your ticket and give you the money for the loan; just book your visa and I’ll send you tickets. Elope with me; that’s the only way out. We will explore India together for a month or so, and then you can decide how you feel,” I told her, trying to boost her spirits. “But Anuj, don’t break my heart; I’ve had enough bad times in my life,” Nino told me hesitantly. “No, trust me; you’ll live with me in my house as my queen,” I told her, giving her a much-needed boost.

My exchanges with Nino had been sudden and spontaneous. I was happy that she had some feelings for me. “But you said you don’t want anything serious, no serious relationships,” Nino said to me.

“I need a new life; I’m tired of driving and ferrying tourists all day. I need a change in my life, something new,” Nino yearned for some adventure.

I spent a few days chatting with her and even hinted to my bankers that I had found a new and exciting friend. “Have an open relationship, sir,” my bank service manager told me, as I showed her our photos, both of us holding hands snugly. “Don’t we make a perfect pair?” I told my bank service manager. “I’m sure this will be very exciting; I wish you luck,” she reiterated.

I spent the next few days sending smiles and love signs to her. Oh, love makes you do foolish things, but I’m loving being a clown and a fool again.

The only question is, will she, or won’t she? That is the million-dollar question. Will Nino reach India? Will she get her visa and wage a war against her brother Joseph, who wants her to marry her best friend in America? “He wants me to marry this ex of mine, but I don’t love him, I don’t care for him,” Nino said categorically.

The path of true love is never easy; one has to go through tests and walk through fire. Was Nino willing to do that for me? Was she willing to trust me? “But Anuj, don’t break my heart and my trust,” Nino replied.

I could feel she was scared and vulnerable, but that was natural. “I’m there for you; just take the flight and be Heer. In India, we will have no problems,” I reassured her.

After my tryst with Nino, I took a cab to Dehradun. I was pensive; I hadn’t seen my home for six months, and I knew my servants hadn’t done anything while I was away traveling.

The wall of my house was broken; someone had installed an air conditioner on my wall. The house was in a mess, and why wouldn’t it be? I had been away traveling for so long. It was time to fix things here as I returned to my house, which was in disarray.

I had spent the last night in Tbilisi in my room, doing my meditation and munching on potato chips. Although I was looking forward to the next leg of my journey and heading back to Delhi, I was also saddened to leave Georgia after my twenty-five-day excursion. I knew that I would miss Nino. We had formed a special bond and developed a mutual love and respect for each other as we traveled the country together.

Although Nino had a reasonable life in Georgia, she still yearned for something more. Maybe she was just bored of her current situation and wanted some excitement in her life. “You know, Anuj, I get tired. I have to work till late at night, and my brother is a control freak,” she told me as we secretly chatted with each other. “I don’t want my brother to know that we are talking to each other, otherwise he will take my mobile away. He is always trying to dominate me and control me. I feel that I am trapped in a cage,” Nino said.

Nino’s Cage

I felt that she was a lady with a great future, but somehow her family was limiting her potential. “With your beauty and hourglass figure, you will do wonders in modeling,” I told her during one of our many conversations.

She was like a caged bird, and I felt she had gotten bored with her toys, her BMW, and her regimented life in Georgia. She was getting bored and wanted to change her life. “I want to change my life. I want something new,” Nino said to me.

“Then come with me, travel with me in India. We can see Kashmir, travel to Mumbai and Jaipur, see the Taj Mahal. It will be an enriching experience for you,” I told her.

Yes, our little Nino wanted to fly. She wanted new wings and felt deep within her heart that I could give her those wings, I could save her from her cage and from her trap.

“I am sorry for my brother’s behavior. He was rude to you. I apologize; you know Georgian men and their twisted minds,” Nino said, sounding agitated and slightly peeved with her situation. It was safe to say that she was getting mighty bored with her life in Tbilisi.

“I will shoot a portfolio with you when you come to India. You will need a photo portfolio to get you some modeling work,” I explained to her.

She was there in the morning to receive me and take me to the airport. The lady saw me off till the end. We finally bid each other goodbye, and I hugged her for the last time before I boarded my flight to Delhi. With a heavy heart, I looked soulfully into her eyes and said, “I will miss you dearly, Nino.” Saying that, I boarded my flight back to India.

TV entertainer Hina Khan, who uncovered her disease conclusion last week, shared another update from her vivacious excursion. On Thursday, Hina Khan shared another video of trimming her hair in front of a chemotherapy meeting. The video highlights Hina situated before a mirror for the hair style. Her mom can be heard howling miserably while Hina attempts to encourage her. Then Hina’s beautician gives her the scissors to cut her most memorable lock. After the meeting, Hina Khan can heard say, “It feels pleasant. I feel freed.” Hina Khan recorded her feelings in a long note. She started the note with these words, “You can hear my mom’s howling voice in Kashmiri (favoring me) behind the scenes as she set herself up to observe something she never thought for even a second to envision. Not we all have similar instruments available to us to oversee terrible feelings. To every one of the wonderful individuals out there, particularly ladies who are facing a similar conflict, I know it’s hard, I know for the vast majority of us, our hair is the crown we won’t ever take off. However, imagine a scenario where you’re confronting a fight so extreme that you need to lose your hair-your pride, your crown. To win you must take a few difficult choices.”

Hina proceeded, “And I decide to win. I have chosen to give myself all possibilities imaginable to win this fight. I decide to relinquish my wonderful hair before it begins tumbling off. I would have rather not persevered through this fit of anxiety for a really long time. In this way, I decide to relinquish my crown since I’ve understood my genuine crown is my Boldness, my Solidarity , and the adoration I have for myself. Aur haan.. I have chosen to utilize my own hair to make a pleasant Hairpiece for this stage.”

Hina additionally referenced that she is recording her excursion to support the people who are fighting malignant growth. “Hair will recover, eyebrows will return, scars will blur, yet the soul should stay entirety. I’m recording my story, my excursion, to guarantee that my endeavors to embrace myself arrive at everybody out there. On the off chance that my story can make even one day of this endearing yet painful experience better for somebody, it’s worth the effort.”

I woke up early this morning; it was bright, and I felt fresh and rejuvenated. We are back in Tbilisi, and Nino arrived with her BMW today. It was a spanking white BMW with red cushions. “Today I will take you around in my BMW. My brother’s BMW needs a lot of servicing since we have been using it for the last three weeks,” Nino explained as I sat in the snug seats of her newer model white BMW.

Sameba is hard to miss; it is the largest church in Georgia and one of the biggest Western Orthodox churches in the world.

The church is perched on Elia Hill, with a cascading staircase leading to the main door. From the top of the stairs, you get a sweeping view of not only the churchyard but also the city. Inside, the bold vertical lines continue with soaring colors leading to the central dome. The walls are plastered with dozens of intricate icons and other artifacts.

Sameba was constructed over a decade-long period starting from 1995. Thus, the church symbolizes the revival of Georgia during a very tough period in its history after the demise of the USSR.

The Holy Trinity Church of Tbilisi – Sameba

Sameba is also the best place to celebrate and attend the Litoniba liturgy for Orthodox Easter. There are beautiful gardens with roses and daisies around the church. I started sneezing a lot as I ventured into the garden to take some pictures. “It’s the pollen; the pollen from the flowers is going into my nose, that’s why I am sneezing,” I explained.

Nino was in full flow today, wearing a beautiful skirt. She took some pictures of me, and I was loving the attention.

“Your books have just arrived,” Nino told me.

“I need a picture of you with your cat. I will use them for my book in Georgia,” I told Nino.

Our next stop was an art gallery in the center of Georgia. Here, I enjoyed gazing at the esoteric art on display. I spent the entire evening admiring sculptures and great paintings. It was all fun and very enriching. One thing I must say, I have really become knowledgeable about Georgia and more aware of its great history.

“See, that’s my black cat. I will get her back from the cat shelter today. I am really missing my black cat,” Nino said proudly.

“You need to send me a picture of you with your cat. Both of you together will be fabulous,” I told Nino as we both stepped out of her white BMW. It has been a lot of fun in Georgia, and tomorrow is going to be our last day in this country.

Today is my last night in Batumi, as we head for the capital city of Georgia, Tbilisi, tomorrow. It is raining like cats and dogs here as I stand on my balcony, admiring the rain and enjoying a hot dog in my room.

It has been a wonderful nine days in the port city of Batumi, and I have explored the city to my heart’s content. I am joyous and full of wonder, looking forward to the next few days in Tbilisi before I fly back to India on the 5th of July.

I have been prancing around Georgia for almost three weeks now. We arrived in Tbilisi today, and I was a bit tired from the excursions of the past. “Why do you use that inhaler so often?” I asked Nino as I saw her using an inhaler spray. “Oh! I used to do kickboxing when I was young. I broke my nose a few times,” Nino informed me. “You seem to be an adventurous one,” I told Nino. “Yes! You know I used to do kickboxing with boys. I would beat them to a pulp; I was good at kickboxing,” Nino told me.

The End of the Road in Batumi

“Oh! By the way, the books that you couriered to me have just arrived at my place,” Nino told me as we drove through the open road towards Tbilisi. “Yes! That is good. They have arrived on time. They must be two books: *Yes Sir, I Killed My Dad* and *Trial of Palande*. It is about the darkest chapter of my life. It’s a crime thriller. By next year, you will be able to watch it on Netflix,” I told her with some pride that my books were being converted into a web series.

“Yes, I am looking forward to reading them,” Nino told me. We reached Tbilisi by the evening, and I parked myself in a hotel near the center of the city. I have been having a lot of ice cream, so it seems that I have put on a lot of weight. I am looking forward to the last few days in this capital city before I finally head for India.

It has been over four days since I parked in Batumi, the famous port city of Georgia. I have been enjoying myself, eating hot dogs and boiled corn cobs from the local park shops. In the morning, I received a call from my friend, guide, and interpreter, Nino.

“We will be going to the famous waterfall, about twenty kilometers from Batumi called Makhuntseti waterfall. It’s very famous, and a lot of travelers come here to enjoy the water and the scenery,” Nino told me rather excitedly.

I spent the night in anticipation of my next excursion but was startled by a burst of fireworks in the sky. The night sky was illuminated by fiery bursts and a display of lights. I stood on my balcony mesmerized by the beauty of what I had seen. The sky shimmered with rockets and bursts of fireworks, lasting almost half an hour. After the fireworks display, I quietly walked back to my bed and slipped between the sheets.

But this was not going to be like any other night; there was thunder and rain that fell from the sky. The city of Batumi was hit by a massive tornado. There was a heavy rain shower, and the sky turned dark and grey. I rushed to my bedroom window again to see the thunder and the falling rain. I felt a bit scared as I could see the massive tornado from my window, whizzing high in the air.

The tornado was about sixty meters high and dark grey in color. It moved like lightning, and I stood at my window admiring the view in total awe. The tornado moved stealthily, throwing dust into the sky which scattered across the grey sky and often fell onto the nearby road. The thunder showers continued through the night and into the morning. I tried to sleep, but my room felt cold. As the night progressed, I slowly fell into a deep sleep, watching the tornado move slowly out of my view in another direction.

Apart from the open Black Sea, there are many waterfalls in Georgia that Nino, her brother, and I explored. One such waterfall was the Atari Chkali waterfall. It was a huge waterfall, and I even managed to sit on a rock and meditate near it. The water fell from the top of a high rock, cascading down like a white serpent. It was wonderful; I could feel the spray of the water on my face and head as Nino took pictures of me meditating on the rock.

There were tourists wearing raincoats, taking pictures of the waterfall gushing down from the high rocks above. It was a perfect spot for me to meditate; I chose a high rock and sat on it for over ten minutes, taking deep breaths and meditating quietly. It was also a perfect spot to take some great pictures.

During the drive back from the waterfall, I kept my attention on Nino. I found her to be a fun-loving lady who enjoyed making funny TikTok videos throughout the drive. At times, she would show them to me as well. I have also been using TikTok for a while, and I thought she was really creative at it.

Waterfalls of Georgia

“You know, Anuj, all of Nino’s friends are crazy,” Joseph said to me as I munched on a bag of potato chips and enjoyed the view from afar.

Nino was also an animal lover. Apart from having a pet cat, she was also feeding the dogs that would come near us during our lunch. That is a good quality of hers that I liked immensely.

“You know, my mother had a lot of problems handling me when I got into drugs for a while. I was a nightmare for her. But now I have grown up and forgotten my past. I have also lost all my old friends as I have moved on in life,” she told me over our many conversations as we explored this magnificent country.

“I invite you to come to India. I can send you tickets, and you can come and see India with me, especially the spiritual city of Varanasi,” I told Nino.

“I don’t know if my brother would allow me to come; he is very possessive about me,” she replied.

“I know when I give you ice cream or buy chocolate for you, he says Nino doesn’t want it. He tries to keep us both apart during our trip. He has even asked you not to take my pictures,” I said with a sad look on my face.

“But you are a grown-up girl; you can make your own decisions,” I told Nino.

“Why don’t you talk to my brother that you want to invite me on a trip to India?” Nino replied.

“I think I will do that tomorrow,” I replied.

After enjoying the Atari Chkali waterfall, we had lunch together and then proceeded back to my apartment to end the day’s excursions.