Originally from Tasmania, Cooper spent almost an entire year on the move — crossing the roads of Central Asia, wandering through European cities, stopping briefly and moving on again. As winter approached, he wasn’t looking for just another destination. He wanted a place to pause for a while, to work, and to experience local life from the inside.
Georgia came into the picture through friends. What followed was a familiar routine for any traveler: searching Google Maps, sending a few emails, and waiting. One reply changed the direction of the journey. In Gudauri, Khada Hostel was looking for someone to join the team.
Today, Cooper is part of the Khada Hostel family. Here, days begin with mountains, unfold through people, and end with shared stories. For him, the hostel is not just a place to work — it’s where guests meet, conversations happen, skis are shared, and Georgia slowly reveals itself.
Life in the mountains has its own rhythm. When the ski lifts are only minutes away, when every day brings new faces, and when you’re surrounded by a team that cares for the space as much as you do, things fall naturally into place.
Cooper’s story isn’t a carefully planned route. It’s a journey that found its pause. A place where a foreign country became familiar, and a temporary decision turned into everyday life.
These are the moments that create real connection — the kind that makes people return.
And that’s exactly why Landmarker Group believes people and places truly come together when the story begins on its own.
