Ashes in the Light

One of the things I secretly hoped for during our stay in Kazbegi was to see snowfall.

Not because I had never seen snow before.

But because somehow, it felt like the perfect place for it.

When we woke up on our final morning, our transport wasn’t due until 10 o’clock, so Daniel and I made a conscious effort not to rush.

We wandered over for breakfast, taking our time to enjoy one last peaceful morning overlooking the mountains.

As I looked outside, I noticed something had changed.

The mountain peaks carried noticeably more snow than they had the day before.

It must have snowed overnight.

Part of me smiled.

Another part quietly thought,

“I guess we just missed it.”

After breakfast, we took a few final photographs around the hotel before heading back to our room to finish packing.

Soon enough, our driver arrived.

To our surprise, it was the same driver who had brought us safely to Kazbegi a couple of days earlier.

It was nice seeing a familiar face again.

There was something comforting about it.

As we began the journey back towards Tbilisi, the roads were noticeably busier than before.

At one point, traffic heading towards Kazbegi had come to a complete stop.

Our driver explained that the road ahead had been temporarily closed.

He then shared that on the day he had driven us to Kazbegi, he was caught in a two-hour road closure after dropping us off.

Had he reached the checkpoint just two minutes earlier, he would have made it through before the road was closed.

Hearing that made us realise just how fortunate we had been.

We hadn’t encountered any road closures on our way into Kazbegi, nor as we were leaving.

With years of experience driving these mountain roads, our driver knew exactly when to keep moving before the long line of heavy trucks began building up behind us.

Hearing that made us realise just how fortunate we had been.

As we continued driving, we had hoped to stop at the Russia–Georgia Friendship Monument since we had skipped it on the way in.

Unfortunately, the mountains had other plans.

The entire monument had disappeared into a thick blanket of fog.

We could barely make out its silhouette.

So once again, we continued on.

And then…

It happened.

Snow.

Tiny flakes began drifting down from the sky.

At first, I wasn’t quite sure.

Then more followed.

And more.

Without thinking, I immediately wound down the car window and reached my hand outside.

I wanted to feel the snow.

I don’t know why that moment made me so happy.

Perhaps because I had quietly hoped to see snowfall during our stay.

Perhaps because it arrived when I least expected it.

Or perhaps because it felt like one final gift from Kazbegi before we left.

People often say that timing is everything.

Maybe it was.

Had it snowed while we were comfortably inside the hotel, it would have been beautiful.

But somehow, seeing those first snowflakes fall as we drove away made the moment feel even more special.

Looking back now, I can’t help but smile whenever I think about it.

It almost felt as though Georgia had waited until the very last moment to say goodbye.

And somehow…

It couldn’t have chosen a more beautiful way to do it.