A 20-year-old tourist, Maria Khmeleva, who went missing while traveling alone in Svaneti, Georgia, has been found dead near the Chalaadi Glacier.

Maria was reportedly last in contact with her relatives on August 31 while in Mestia. Earlier that day she had used a cable car and sent her family photos and videos from the area.

She was traveling through Georgia alone in a rented Mazda CX-5. After she stopped responding, the vehicle was found near the Chalaadi Glacier/river area, but Maria was nowhere to be found. Police and rescue teams were mobilized and began searching the surrounding area.

On September 1, Georgian media reported that rescuers had found her body in the vicinity of Chalaadi Glacier.

While she was still missing, the Georgian Interior Ministry reportedly opened an investigation under Article 143, unlawful deprivation of liberty. However, there has been no announcement that she was the victim of a crime, and that initial classification should not be taken as evidence of kidnapping or foul play.

As of now, authorities have not publicly announced her cause of death or explained the circumstances of how she died.

source: https://tvpirveli.ge/ka/siaxleebi/sazogadoeba/134416-svanetshi-dakarguli-20-tslis-turisti-gardatsvlili-ipoves

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1492375032945162&set=a.628036179379056

I started my own retail business three years ago. I had to sell a property, take out a huge loan from the bank, and work my ass off for the last three years, and I'm still struggling to keep it running because I have huge expenses, have to pay massive bills, and inventory keeps getting more and more expensive.

How do people drive those expensive ass cars and buy properties?? How do people make money here? What is the secret??

Because I know how much effort I'm putting into everything, and yet I'm still struggling.

2009 წელს 14 წლის ვიყავი და მოვიგე გრინ კარტა მშობლებთან ერთად. გადმოვედით ამერიკაში. ფაქტიურად აქ გავიზარდე, high school, university, masters. როცა ჩამოვდივარ ტურისტივით ჩამოვდივარ და გული ისე მწყდება, მინდა დაბრუნება მაგრამ მშობლები მეუბნევიან მე არარეალურად ვფიქრობ და გიჟი ვარ რომ საერთოდ ამაზე ვფიქრობ.

გავცილდი ამერიკელ ქმარს და 3 წლის გოგო მყავს. ვერ ვიტან აქაურობას მაგრამ ნორმალურად ვცხოვრობ, ფულიანი არ ვარ, ყოველ ცენტს ვითვლი მაგრამ არ მშია. ტრამპის ქვეყანაში ცხოვრება ჯანდაბაა მაგრამ მაგიც მალე წავა.

საინტერესო ფაქტი - მამა ქართველი მყავს, დედა რუსი. ბოლოდ რომ ვიყავი იყო საშინელება, ქუჩაში ქართული ენა არ ისმოდა. თბილისში დავდიოდი ნიუ იორკი მეგონა იმდენი ხალხი იყო, ყველაფერი გადატანილი იყო უცხოელებით. გული დამწყდა დედაჩემს რუსულად რომ ველაპარაკებოდი და ბუმ ხალხი სიძულვილით მიყურებდა.

კაროჩე, ეს გადმოსვლის იდეა დავივიწყო?

მინდა იმისათვის რომ ჩემ შვილს ენები ვასწავლო, რომ კულტურაში გაიზარდოს და იცოდეს ჩემი სამშობლო. და კიდე ნორმალური ქართველი კაცი ვნახო 😆 მაგრამ მგონი ეგ არ არსებობს.

Thoughts?

საქართველოში. ეს გავრცელებულია? რა აზრის ხართ ამის შესახებ?

ჩვენ მეტი გვჭირდება, რომ უფრო „ევროპელები“ ​​ვიყოთ?

კაი, რამე ახალი ჰობი/აქტივობა მინდა, იქნება ეგ შემეცნებითი, სახალისო, თუ ნებისმიერი სხვა, ასე კონკრეტული პრიორიტეტი არ მაქვს.

თქვენი გამოცდილებები მაინტერესებს, რას აკეთებთ "თავისუფალ დროს", რატომ მოგწონთ რასაც აკეთებთ.

ინსპირაცია მჭირდება. ყველაზე მაგარი ეგაა, ვიღაც რომ გაიზიარებს რატომ მოსწონს, მაგალითად, ბაღში მუშაობა და მცენარეების დარგვა ან კლდეზე ცოცვა.

მე რასაც ვფიქრობ ძაან განსხვავებული რაღაცებია.

მეგობარი დადის დრამზე და რომ ვუყურებ მის სთორებს, ძაან ასწორებს. არაფერზე დაკვრა არ მიცდია და დრამიც არაა ასე ჩემი საყვარელი ინსტრუმენტი, მაგრამ ჩემს წარმოდგენაში ძაან ინტენსიურია, ბრუტალური, ქაოტური და ამავდროულად მოითხოვს ყურადღებას და რიტმში დარჩენას. გიტარაც ძაან მაინტერესებს. ნუ სახელიდან გამომდინარე, მუსიკა ჩემი გატაცებაა.

ასევე, pole sport/dancing ძაან მაგარია. ამ შემთხვევაშიც ჩემი მეგობარი დადის დიდი ხანია და მოხიბლული ვარ მეც. ვფიქრობ მაგასაც. ერთი ის რომ ძაან ლამაზია და მეორე სხეულის კარგ ფორმაში ჩაყენება და მთელი ეგ სთრეჩინგ თუ რაცაა, ასევე მხიბლავს.

ხოდა,

თან ვფიქრობ ისეთ რამეს რაც purely გასართობი/სახალისოა, ან ისეთი რაც ცხოვრებაში გამომადგება, უცხო ენის სწავლა იქნება თუ რაღაცის შეკერვა.

მოკლედ, არ ვიცი. არაფერი არ ვიცი. ერთი ის ვიცი, რომ რაღაც უნდა ვაკეთო, აქტივობა მჭირდება ცხოვრებაში. თქვენი იმედი მაქვს, რომ გულწრფელად გამიზიარებთ რა გიტაცებთ და რატომ.

ხალხნო, თქვენც ნახეთ? 🙈🎊

და ფორმა შეავსეთ? ნამდვილად რამე უპირატესობა აქვს ამ ფორმის შევსებას თუ იცით?

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to share a quick legal/logistical detail that catches a lot of overland drivers (Armenian, Turkish, European plates) off-guard when driving through Georgia.

Under Georgian traffic law, speed camera penalties published on the public police register (police.ge) are legally considered "delivered" 30 days after publication. Because cameras don't pull you over, the payment clock starts ticking without physical notice, which can lead to late surcharges or awkward delays when trying to exit customs.

Also, if you try paying directly on the Ministry's official video portal, it typically requires a local Georgian bank card. If you've driven in Georgia recently, you can check your foreign plate against the public database for free. Third-party travel portals like Georgian APPA search the official police registry for foreign plates and let you settle camera citations using foreign Visa/Mastercard/Apple Pay in USD or AMD if you don't have a Georgian bank account.

Definitely worth running your plate number before taking another trip across the border just to make sure you don't have old citations hanging over your vehicle.

Hi everyone, I’m reaching out again because I’m desperately trying to find someone traveling from Tbilisi to the UAE soon who could help me bring my dog’s blood serum samples with them.

I’m currently out of the country, while my dogs are in Tbilisi with a friend, and I urgently need to get these samples to the UAE. I’m really struggling to find a way to transport them, so I’m hoping someone here might be able to help.

The samples will be collected and prepared by a veterinarian, properly sealed, packaged, refrigerated, and accompanied by all the necessary documentation. Everything will be prepared according to the requirements of the laboratory and airline. You would only need to carry them during your journey and hand them over to me once you arrive in the UAE.

I completely understand that carrying biological samples may sound concerning, and I’m more than happy to provide all documentation and details beforehand so you can be fully comfortable with what you’re carrying.

I’m also more than willing to compensate you for your time and inconvenience. 🙏

If you are travelling from Tbilisi to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, or anywhere else in the UAE in the coming days/weeks, PLEASE DM me. Even if you know someone who is travelling, I would be incredibly grateful if you could pass this on to them.

I’m genuinely running out of options and really need someone’s help with this. If you have any leads at all, even if you’re not travelling yourself, please let me know.

Thank you so, so much to anyone who can help or share this. ❤️

Gamarjoba! My Georgian friend wants to send me money in GEL to my EUR bank account (I'm a foreigner).

Our first thought was to convert GEL to EUR and send it via IBAN/SWIFT, but when he checked in Bank of Georgia the total fee was around €45, which seems quite high.

I also looked into Wise, but as far as I understand, sending money from GEL isn't currently supported, so that's not an option.

What's the cheapest/common way people in Georgia send money abroad?

• Bank of Georgia/TBC transfer?
• Revolut?
• Paysend?
• Western Union?
• Another service?

The amount isn't huge, so we're mainly trying to avoid paying €45 in fees. Any recommendations or personal experiences would be appreciated. Thanks!

I'm going to Georgia to climb Kazbek sometime between October 2nd and 10th. If there is a group I can join, or split the cost of a guide between 2-3 people, please send me a private message.

Gamarjoba!

I travel to Georgia quite regularly and on my next trip I’ll be around Kutaisi, Tbilisi and Batumi.

I’m a huge dog person, so whenever I’m there I usually bring some dog food and a few toys with me. I mostly feed dogs I find in more remote/rural areas. But lately I’ve been thinking that I’d really like to do more than just bring food with me.

Are there any local organisations, shelters or people doing good work with stray dogs that you’d recommend? And what do they actually need?

I’d also be interested in ways to help from abroad, as well as things I could do when I’m actually in Georgia. I’ll probably be spending more and more time there in the future, so I’d love to find a way to help regularly and not just whenever I’m on holiday.

Would really appreciate any recommendations or personal experiences!

Madloba!

რამდენიმე ხნის წინ ვირაც ძაან კრეატიულმა შექმნა ელექტრონული ჟურნალი, სადაც ხელოვნური ინტელექტის მიერ გენერირებული სტატიები, უმეტესად ახალი ამბები, იდებოდა თერგდალეულების ენობრივ სტილში. სათაურში თუ არ ვცდები ფიგურირებდა სიტყვა ივერია. ვეღარ ვპოულობ, შეიძლება აღარცაა აქტიური, მაგრამ იქნებ ვინმემ იცოდეთ სად და როგორ ვიპოვო.

Gamarjoba!

Does anyone have the latest information on the Juta-Chaukhi trail? Is it safe and open to go all the way up by car to Juta Village or do I need to take a taxi at some point on the road up to Juta as mentioned on some sites? Is it recommended to have a 4x4 vehicle to drive there?

Thanks in advance for your advice

Hello everyone 🥰 I will be visiting Georgia (Tbilisi, Sighnaghi, Telavi, Pankisi valley, Kazbegi, Kutaisi and Batumi) in Sep. I have a bit of a problem, I cannot eat coriander. I’m not allergic, but I will have to either spit it out (which would be rude) or swallow that mouthful immediately with water and waste the rest of the dish because I cannot eat any more of it.

Please help! What are some “safe” dishes and “avoid” dishes? Trying the local food is an important part of my travel. I generally eat most other ingredients so coriander is the only problem. Well, maybe another one, I am travelling on my own and most dishes seem to be sharing size…

Can someone also help me with a local text?

“I cannot eat coriander, is there coriander in this dish?”

Hi everyone,

I’m travelling to Georgia and Armenia next week and I have a question about Xanax (alprazolam).

I have a prescription for Xanax in Italy, which I occasionally use for severe anxiety when flying. I’ll be in Georgia for a few days and then travel by train to Armenia, where I’ll fly back to Italy.

I’ve been trying to understand the rules for bringing alprazolam across the Georgian and Armenian borders, and the paperwork seems quite complicated.

Has anyone recently travelled to Georgia and/or Armenia with prescribed alprazolam? What documents did you bring, and did you have any issues at customs?

Also, does anyone know whether it is possible for a foreign tourist to see a doctor in Yerevan and get a prescription for alprazolam (or the local equivalent) there? I would only need a very small amount for the flight back.

Any recent experience or advice would be really appreciated. Thanks!

Had a quick question for locals or expats living in Tbilisi.

​Police knocked on our apartment door today, asked for our citizenship, passports, and ID numbers, and logged everything down. When we asked what was going on, the officer just mentioned that our building was "problematic".

​Is this kind of door-to-door precinct check or address audit normal here? Is it just routine checks on landlords/unregistered units, or something we should actually be concerned about?

​Appreciate any insight!

Hi people, not sure if you’ve heard or not but Michelle Gurevich aka Chinawoman is having a concert in TBS.

For the recall https://youtu.be/ANmL7LvNzdw

https://youtu.be/ANmL7LvNzdw

- The existing Tbilisi Zoo continues operating as usual, with some animals remaining there — so both zoos can be visited.

- The first section in the new zoo is the Caucasus zone, featuring red deer, European bison, bears, and wolves. The zoo's famous bear cub Shani has already moved in. Future zones will represent other world regions — an African zone is currently under construction.

- Beyond a new location, the zoo's focus has shifted toward conservation — protecting endangered species, breeding programs, and animal welfare — aiming to become a conservation center, not just a visitor attraction.

Hello!

My partner and I are going to Georgia in September for 15 days. We are both adventurous.

We are hesitating if renting a 4x4 car is the best option for us, or if instead we should rely on buses/train and public transport.

We have been exploring some rentals in local rent but there are some areas were driving is not allowed (including Tusheti and Omalo).

We’d love to hear opinions before making the final decision.

Thank you!!!