I’ve had a lot of remarkable experiences in my years at FOX, but covering the conflict in Georgia for the past week has to rank right up there.

First, I’ve never spent so much time with Russian troops. Or at least around them as we fanned out across the western Georgia countryside. They were on patrols, in convoys, hanging out They were a bit more laid-back then the ones around the South Ossetia hot spot area. In fact they often looked bored, quizzical … and young.

They did show their tough side to us from time to time. The like the time two yanked a small video camera out of the hands of my Producer Tadek Markowski who was shooting one of the Russian looting sprees.

They finally gave it back minus the tape. Luckily the Russians aren’t keeping up with Panasonic technology. The tape is just a back-up and we had all the images on a digital card.

We had no problem finding the Russians thanks to a vast network of informers: the Georgian people.

It s sad to say but as we travel the world our reception by the locals is not always hospitable. Not so in Georgia. When they found out we were their allies the Americans they went out of their way to tell us where they had last seen the Russians, when they had heard an explosion, even hopping into our car to make sure we got to our destination properly.

All of this is in part due to the legendary Georgian hospitality. Several dinners were interrupted by invitations from other tables to join in toasts. Side of the road scene shooting turned into alfresco coffee and snack sessions if the area residents spotted us. Even some on the run Georgian Special Forces types gave us the apples they were living off of.

We were the only network tv crew staying in the Black sea port city of Poti. For good reason. Accommodations are less than five star. My harbor view hotel room looked out on around the clock noisy coal off-loading at the port. Georgian mosquitoes, perhaps primed by the actions of the Russian military, were non stop and vicious. And the food, well, let me just suggest if you re ever at the Anchor Hotel in Poti to pass on the Beef Stroganoff.

Still even at the hotel the reception was warm and friendly. Maybe because we seemed to be the only guests for several days.

No, the only other problem with where we were was the name of the place. Poti is pronounced “Potty.” So if you re talking about being in the “Port of Poti” it can sound like you re in a temporary toilet. (Suffice it to say a few colleagues noted that issue) .

So overall our time covering the Russian advance was more strategic and geopolitical and fascinating rather than life threatening. Except for one close call :

We were looking to get a close view of a Georgian Navy ship going up in smoke. As we began to move towards the dock some Georgian firemen suggested that might not be the safest thing to do. Just as we were pondering sticking my already lanky cameraman Olaf Wiig on top of a truck we heard a huge roar from the direction of the blaze. Then gun shells and metal fragments came raining down around us.

Apparently an ammo store on the shop had just been hit by the flames.

We decided it was time to head back to the (relative) safety of a bunch of live shots from our hotel balcony!