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Up early to the sound of more watering...
Off again on the short trip to the ferry port. Another amazing road way above the sea. They're building lots of tunnels which must mean they are to build another new road which will open this coast up no end. Shame for all the little shops & cafes on the old road – goodness knows what they'll do...
Arrive in Tasucu & there is no shade to be found, so parked up, wound the awning out a little & had a quick lunch. Some young lad of about 9 came over & spoke to us in Turkish, peered into the van etc. Our first thought was that he was trying to con us into a false parking charge. I asked a passer by what the boy wanted – in perfect English he said that the boy wanted to know how much the van cost! He then asked for money – must have thought that we were an easy touch. I said no & Cathy's reply left him with no uncertainty of what she meant...
Drove to where we could see a ferry, enquired & the official said that we had
to get our tickets from the agency back in town & come back at 9pm. Off again to an office – wrong one then a nice chap showed Cathy where it was....to be told that the ferry was cancelled, again. However, they had transferred us onto another ferry that sailed at roughly the same time.
Parked in town, had some cold drinks in the shade at a cafe & had a wander. Nice little place considering it's a port too.
Then back to the ferry bit, parked in the shade, wrote this & waited...as our boarding time was 9pm & we sailed at midnight.
Then a rotten toothed, filthy clothed ?old man walked by & said in perfect Turkish that he was a lorry driver, we needed to turn round, go right then right again for departures...which we did, where we were asked to wait until 9pm. What a nice man!
At 9pm, paid our port tax of c.£10 & parked up. The old chap (even though he looked old we think he'll be younger than us) came over again & chatted happily in Turkish whilst I just smiled & caught a few words. Then he
showed me his truck, a RHD artic. & he still had the 05 GB plates in his cab – that was his connection to helping us probably.
He went off, came back & said problem, 6 hours. The ship we had parked near to, switched off it's main lights...Another chap came over & said passports, bureau. Off we go, get them sorted. Then a frantic chap came over from the shipping line shouting custom control, custom control – I said jolly good, jolly good & off he went. Two men arrived later, stood by the van & pointed at the side door – they were perplexed when I said papers as I had no idea who they were. Badge shown, in one came, had a nose around, talked to his mate, asked me how much it cost, signed my passport & went.
It's now about 10pm. Frantic man again – custom control, custom control, passport, passport, window, window. I said, ” Look here old bean, we've done all this, passport has been stamped, passport has been signed & we don't have any illegal windows on board – what now?”
PASSPORT, WINDOW WINDOW with flailing arms this time.
Good grief, took the passports to a window window he pointed to round the corner to be asked by a lady at the window window for car papers. Back to Billy, get the papers, back to window window & sorted.
No-one had a word of English so I couldn't establish whether the ship left in 6 hours or at 6 o'clock so we made up a bed & set an alarm for 5 hours time as it had now gone midnight...zzzz
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