Leg 04 - Turkey

9 Nov 09 (cont)

So what will Turkey offer, is it to be like Syria in these parts.

Just as we are mulling these questions, well I am, Chris is asleep already after her disturbed night before, and a rock thrown by a kid at the roadside thumps into the side of the truck!...

PS. Websites no longer blocked so will try to tidy-up the blog tonight in Cappadocia. Still behind with Saudi/Jordan stuff but getting on. This Aleppo hotel is wireless in most parts but not our room!!! so ...

PPS.  For those intrepid readers still with me - a substantial, but not complete update and tidy has affected all the legs since Leg 01.  Enjoy  In reality we are first night in Bulgaria and with probably the last good internet for 3 or 4 days.

It was just a short run into Antakya, Turkey (Antioch as it was known in biblical and such times).  The freedom and cosmopolitan atmosphere is welcoming.  The stone throwing seems to be out of character and I wonder if it was from that disadvantaged section of the Turkish population, the Kurds.  They and the Druze influenced locals seem to be rather gypsy like in this neck of the woods and not well regarded.  The hotel shows a good example of industriousness - knackered at the end of the day, while manoeuvring outside I manage to tear off several pieces of best marble step at the front of the hotel.  many apologies and I disappear for a beer, hoping that I won't be charged.  A beer and a tidy-up and we are off into town for a knees-up, well not quite, but the important thing is that you could!  What do I note - not only is the rubble from the steps glued back into place, the cracks are filled and the filler painted to match the marble ... now where would you get that?  Certainly not in the Middle East that we know; not even in the UK.  (I am doing this finish off while sunning on the balcony for our last night in Bulgaria)  Certainly not in anywhere since Turkey either.  Antioch was time to gather our wits and just do a liuttle tourism.

10 Nov 09

The little was this morning - we walked to the Museum, it is well managed and presented, and shows some stunning mosaic flooring from the local Roman villas.  As ever you are tripping over bits of column and stone carvings.  We were mixed up in the local Rememberance parade on the way there - it commemorates Ataturks death and they wear orange ribbon.  Ataturk stands for "Father of the Turks" an assumed name which marks the fact that he was instrumental in creating the present day state.  We will meet him again as he was also instrumental in defeating the allies at Gallipoli. A stroll by the river, then a pack and we went to St Pierre's church just out of town (unplanned) as it is claimed to be the first ever cathedral - its a cave with all the usual additions to allow the limitation of view and so the right to charge tourists.

We needed to relax, but also know that it will be a hard day's drive - 330 miles to Cappadocia.  Had hoped to just take breaks at a couple of interesting points, but missed the turn for Snake castle which looked stunning and we binned Adana and Tarsus.  It was still a long drive, the early night fall giving us a long time on country roads in the dark with little to navigate by.  All the advice to not drive at night in Turkey is well grounded - poor roads, poor lighting, unlit vehicles and the death wishes of most other drivers are enough to put any sane person off trying it.  Not for the first time did a gut feeling and stopping for a slight shadow ahead save our bacon.  Without pilot standard eyes many would struggle or travel so slowly that it's not worth it.

Arrival in Goreme, Cappadocia, about 19.30 was stunning.  The road in gives a view over the town and many rocks and caves are illuminated - it certainly wet the appetite.  Sleeping in a cave was also stunning - the heating had been on all day as well so it was cosy - a deluxe bedroom (suites were available) was like a small suite.  The town was quiet and there were few places to eat, but we found a bohemian sort of place and then slept solidly.

11 Nov 09

Modest start and first to the Goreme Museum - a good starting point which gives a feel for the place and emphasises the preponderance of religious caves that were carved out.  Taking a couple of walks out of the LP (Lonely Planets), the first was disappointing and produced none of the promised unusual landscape - had we been spoilt we wondered - or was their idea of unusual something that was different from the rest of the Cappadocia hills?  That would be strange, as most tourists must surely be there for the 'standard' Cappadocia hills which are very unusual.  A conundrum indeed.

Back to enjoy our rock home and the stunning views ... with wifi access ...

If only - I decided to fix the blown circuit on the cigarette lighter.  Having lost it, the only car lighter socket remaining is one I fitted which is not ignition controlled.  If we use that every day, it will only be a matter of time before we stop and forget to unplug it; the coolbox/fridge will flatten the battery and we'll be stuffed.  What a pain - I usually have a high regard for the reliable and straight forward design of Japanese motors - not this one.  Firstly, why they should choose to put a fusible wire in the cigarette socket itself, when the circuit is already fused, is beyond me.  But having done so you might expect ready access to that socket - no the gear shift panels and half the dashboard need to be removed for access - even then the socket is a b******d to get at and the cables are not long enough to allow removal.  The fusible link is not a replaceable unit - so I bypass it - circuit is fused after all.  Oh and to cap it off, the gear shift panel plastic is almost time-expired and cracks - brilliant piece of design!

Best restaurant in town for dinner, we found it this evening - the Orient.

12 Nov 09

Woken for the second morning by the wooshing of gas burners on hot-air balloons.  They only flew in the early morning, before the wind got up, but added a sureal air to the place.  Impressive to be sat on our veranda (on the internet!) with balloons flying literally overhead and looking over such a stunning lanscape ...

Today offers a modest drive (200 mls) to Side a Roman town on a promontary in the Med.  We do want to arrive in time to look around the place tho' and our accom is not confirmed.

Turns out that our LP recommended hotel is closed - that'll be why the Aussi who runs it is not bothering to answer e-mails.  That we discover from talking to locals after we've spent an hour driving the v narrow lanes of the pedestrian precinct area of the old town.  Time and the day draws on; in near desperation and fatigiue we jump into a motel type place just outside the old city walls - it turns out to be well placed for an early morning stroll tomorrow, as it is so close by the amphitheatre and ruined town.  This is the first time we have been cold and sleep with our fleeces on - there is no heating and the hot water doesn't work properly either.  What is yet to come?

Side, pronounced cedar, is an attractive tourist town and warrents a return one day.

13-14 Nov 09

We're approaching the point at which the planned route doesn't work and v conscious of the difficulty of covering the ground so far experienced.  The forward plan fron Kuwait to UK and the back plot from the Denmark ferry (last before Christmas) to Kuwait meet here in Turkey and produced a distance of 810 miles to be covered in 2 days.  Apart from being fatigued, Chris has picked up a bug which is giving her a v sore throat which is developing into a conventional flue.  Aching and lacking interest in the "tour", we are also concerned that she must not develop a temperature - Turkey was the first country to body temperature check us on entry, for the H1N1 virus.  These are all, and each, good reasons to cut chunks out of our itinerary.  We also juidge that this an area that we will return to - it is the popular holiday coast of Turkey and cheap to fly to from the UK.  It is a fantastic coast to hire a yacht on and offers good diving - "we'll be back".  So, not too concerned about missing bits, we set a gruelling drive to get ahead.  Kas, Patara ( a spot we selected and friends John and Silvia recommended for a particular family hotel), Bodrum, Marmaris and Pamukkale, amongst others fall by the wayside.  Sadly a few non-Roman ruins are lost as well - aware of becoming Romaned out I had included other eras whenever possible - Seljuk, Myran, Lycian.  We'd also purchased a guide to the Lycian Way - a walk which stretches from near Olympos to Fethiye - that will have to wait until another day.

What won't though is 1000km overdue oil change - we spot a Mitsubishi garage on the outskirts of Antalya.  How long - about an hour.  Knew it wouldn't - hour and a half.  Consciencious - check parts (I'm loath to immediately offer up the only spare oil filter that I've brought with us), no we only have diesel version oil filters - okay use this one I prepared earlier.  It turns out to be a full service and signed up for half the UK price.  The conscientious lad doing the tyre pressures is most upset when I tell him to re-inflate above his fugures 'cos there's a lot of weight in the truck.  I may also have upset them when I recheck the oil outside - but I would be silly not to.

So, later than desired, but a good tick cleared and we are away.  As if navigation wasn't hard enough, I have been struggling to convert our Google Earth references into degrees and minutes lat & longs and get them printed for easy reference ahead of our route, now on a re-route it is impossible so we are 'making it up as we go along'.  Thankfully we are just about to creep onto our AA European atlas - its a large scale this far east but is an easily accessed reference.  Mugla is our night stop and a business man's 2/3* is our hotel after an ineffective LP faff in town - this hotel is just out of town.  We have cut inland to shorten the route, though night driving on country routes without a detailed map and with the usual hazards is as ever hard work.  In 2 days we only take breaks and the points visited are:

Chimera - natural gas seeps from the ground and is warm enough to self-ignite on contact with the air.  These flames have been burning for millenia.

Selcuk/Ephesus - said to be the best preserved Roman city in the Eastern Med.  I suppose it depends how to choose your words - where does the "Eastern Med" extend to.  It is a compact site and has all the makings of a Roman city.  It is interesting to see such an intimate city and one over undulating terrain, but the old harbour has not been excavated.  We were pleased we saw it and its many statues, but disappointed 'cos it doesn't hold a candle to Palmyra, Syria which is a vast site covering 3 distinct periods and Jerash, Jordan which is not as big as Palmyra, but is also a huge and complete Roman city.

We stayed in Selcuk and enjoyed the market - a short chill out.  The LP accom did not appeal, so we picked a place opposite with an appealling veranda'd room and views to the basilica behind.  We've needed the heat on every night now since Side and our fleeces are well used - it is of course November, but the rapid temperature changes as we go North are noticeable and the clear evenings are distinctly cold.

15 Nov 09

Today was not unusual – a late breakfast (0830) limits us to our start time, oh and Mustapha was late off the starting blocks, so breakfast was in fact 0845. Then some faffing to print the next 2 pages of our itinerary, the lats and longs of our pinpoints, and need to load Excel on to this Turkish computer! Then a print of our Green Card, 3rd party car insurance for Europe which was e-mailed to us yesterday – long story, but insuring a foreign registered car with a reliable UK company is near impossible. Well now we are fully covered – another Lloyds company is covering the fully comp part – we received that as we drove thro’ Saudi. Tho’ the trytique covers an element of insurance, the most important 3rd party cover has been purchased seperately at each border so far. After Turkey, we do not expect that to be the case – tho’ an open mind always helps with these matters!

Oh, not to miss - while I'm computer faffing, Chris gets taking to Mustapha who'd been okay but not stunningly on the ball - she mentions that she's a teacher (I've been a teacher as well everywhere we've been - engineering).  Unlike the UK, teachers must still be held in high regard in Turkey, certainly Mustapha did his - he could not do enough for Chris.  Unmoveable the previous day on the room price, this morning he presents a free guide book to Selcuk/Ephesus (indeed a choice of books), a pottery plate (inherited with his father's shop) and 2 carved rock animals for our grand-children.  He's just given us the value of the over-night room!  Amazing generosity, we leave with a chasened view and his parting advice - do 90 kph, police!

So, to the day. Not so far today with Gallipoli as the target, e-mail confirming 2 nights accom arrived last night. Had a brief look around the old part of Selkuc, exploring the back alleys in a truck is always exciting, then off to find Sirince a pretty local village – signage poor and we miss the turn so decide not waste any more time and press on. Have cut out several distant points so Pergamum (Bergama) the site of the largest Roman hospital in the East is the next point, but not to linger – we’re a bit Romaned out (wot more b---dy Roman columns) and wot did the Romans do for us anyway ... (for Monty Python afficionadoes). This proves a good 30 min detour from the through route – on a hill above the town we get a superb view of the Roman city, and Acroplis and fortifications on the hill above, with a theatre in each. A leg stretch and we are off. Now aiming for a lunch stop – will be a bit late but we’ll see how the time goes. I’d better come clean ... we ended up being a bit later still ... first speeding ticket. A fair cop as we say as I’ve been speeding all over the Middle East. Turkey’s limits are clearly defined if you can be sure what is in town, out of town highway or motorway. Rather like the UK there are no reminders, so is the town ring road in or out of town. What is a motorway, is it coded blue, green or orange and when they have multiple numbers what are they? So on an out of town 4-lane highway with central (but flat) reservation, it isn’t a motorway and I should be doing 90kph with a 10% allowance that is 99. Hmme, 115 will not be okay then – 128TL

please at a suitable bank. £45 is not too bad for the first hit, I guess. Ayvalik it is for lunch – slightly touristy harbour, several well positioned restaurants. Local help found us a car park and we settled to an almost French style lunch – well deserved we thought(!). I’ve behaved so far but stretched to a glass of wine before more driving today. We didn’t get away until 3.15 and it’ll be dark in a couple of hours. Cut out some more points and set Gallipoli as the next; sadly, as its always been one of those schoolboy dream spots, having to miss Troy, it was just dark as we passed the turn-off and we have the ferry to Gallipoli to catch.

Enjoyed a stunning sunset enroute – both before a cloud sheet and before terra firma, a double wammy as the politicians say. Find Gallipoli Houses and our host Eric (Belgian) easily from his directions. Nicest place we’ve stayed so far, good food (the Belgians are better than the French) and fine wine – enjoy. The European quality conversation is welcome as well, covering all sorts including our desert travels - Eric shows great interest in our sand ladders (see 7 Sep 09), but as they are the support for all our roofrack kit they are still necessary.  This part of the World is not strong on heating tho’ so we are sleeping in fleeces for the second time.

16 Nov 09

Reasonably early start with 0800 breakfast – what a change, fried not boiled eggs. Clear the suitcase from the truck to re-organise before the European winter. Eric v helpful with detailed maps and guide book of the Gallipoli battlefields. A really chilled day, just wandering a couple of planned sites and some others as we pass. A beach walk, a hill walk and sunset with red wine on a beach after seeing, amongst others, the Lancashire Fusillers and Anzac memorials. The Gallipoli pensinsular is a lovely area, pretty and relaxing. The only other guest at the accom, Gary (Aussi who works for Woolworths – more successful down there than UK!) is staying 6 nights and will enjoy the plentiful walks. Dinner is the usual 4 courses (!) and tonight we have a local small tuna – only the second time we’ve had fish on this adventure – dryer than traditinal tuna, but still good. Ate too much, not the best night’s sleep for me.

17 Nov 09

I’m up at the usual 0600, I never need as much sleep as Chris, and do some internet – e-mails and banking. This morning will be a late departure as we set ourselves up to enter Europe and the cooler weather which we are already experiencing in the evenings. Clear skies are cold and we are leaving room heating on now. We’ll hopefully have more space in the truck when we’ve finished. Though the junk level has dropped a bit behind us, it is still consistently up to the window sills and a bit above, even tho’ I’ve now given away one of our water containers and one petrol container (both of which leaked a little). Today we have a leisurely run up to Edirne with just the town to look at on arrival.

It is a pleasant relaxed drive, tho’ navigating Edirne is not so easy. My navigator has some difficulty as there are far more mosques in reality than the LP (Lonely Planets) map suggests, indeed more mosques per square inch than we’ve seen before. After a run thro’ town and back we eventually find it – we also note that such small towns may appear the same size in map terms as cities we know, but they flash past outside much quicker! It was the first boutique hotel that opened here and sits between the main mosques and the museum, a v good situation. The mosques’ calls to pray have been steadily getting less intrusive as we progress, so we don’t anticipate an early wake-up call here. Nice room with a mix of Art Deco and Baroque furniture. The shower is a walk-in, sit down and have your body pummelled by water jets type – all in best white plastic. Rather like vibrating beds(!), it’s boring and a naff gimmick.

The journey and finding the hotel took longer than anticipated, but we have time to wander the town, drink tea and I drop in for a Turkish haircut. I can see why our ladies do it so much when you get this service. Chris regretted saying she would wait; the guys are funny and threaten me with a heavy metal type spike (if that’s the term), but I come out with a quiff, individually moussed and positioned strands, trimmed eye-brows and fresh aftershave. All this for 4 quid, bargain. Chris not to be left out goes for a street shoe polish – took nearly as long as my haircut and cost ... 80p. Squeezed in a beer in a local cafe, upmarket in that it had outside gas heaters, but positioned in a v old part of town – buildings unchanged in a couple of hundred years. Tucked up in this NW corner of Turkey, european Turkey, it has a european flavour, the language is markedly different from the rest of Turkey (E European) and we feel we are almost there. The market is interesting and we catch an indoor arcade (Victorian era to us) – its open ‘cos the local TV channel is hosting a magazine article there with interviewer etc. Are we TV stars – not sure.

Late and fatigued, we made do with a shawma on the hoof.

18 Nov 09

Not properly up as early as we wanted, but there is only a short drive of 110 miles to Plovdiv in Bulgaria today, with nothing to see enroute. I was on the netbook from 6 again, but showers and a slowish breakfast delayed us. The first time we have not had self-service breakfast – so it was portion controlled, I mentally note that we can expect more of this. But what a day to look forward to – Europe and “civilisation”, as Frenchman was to remark later over lunch. We are off and there is no rush - am not even up to the speed limit, which has remained steadily at 120kph almost everywhere we’ve been. It is foggy tho’; we saw the last of the sea until Denmark yesterday and I did wonder if it was also the last of the sun! Today I’m reminded of those large static low pressure systems that can sit over central Europe for weeks and wonder if we are to see few views as we cross Europe. It’s only 12 miles and we are at the border, the Turkish side is smooth with few checks and a general waving on – so unusual that it catches me out and I dawdle at windows unnecessarily.