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Our planned route round Turkey (thanks Rick) will take us in an anti-clockwise direction starting at the Gallipoli Peninsula , then down the Aegean coast, into Pamukkale Region, back to the coast to Western Mediterranean as far as Mersin, inland to Cappadocia and finally Istanbul.
But plans can change!!!
Set off bright and not so early after stocking up on a few things we thought we might not be able to get in Turkey e.g. ham. We pass slowly through the border checks and after about 45 minutes arrive in Turkey, first stop the Gallipoli Peninsula assuming the navigator gets it right without the aid of the ‘mad’ nav woman!
After a surprisingly trouble free journey we arrive at the Kabatepe Information Centre & Museum and have a wander round before heading to find our campsite.
We have an entertaining evening with Rick, Verena, a German couple, an English couple and a small group of Turkish Teenagers on a school trip.
Calum ends up playing volley ball with the teenagers until dark.
After a breakfast of fresh Turkish bread we visit Anzac Cove
and some of the Battlefield sites and are surprised at how emotional we feel at the first cemetery at Anzac Cove. We follow the road round the battlefield sites and stop when we can get a place to safely park the beast.
It is a humbling experience especially being the only European faces at the main Turkish Memorial.
After quick lunch on the ferry to Canakkale we head down the coast for Troy. Troy was very busy and, had we not been well warned about the limited excavations/ruins, it would have been a huge disappointment. About all I can say is we’ve been there.
Travelling further south, we catch up with the ‘bubble’ (Rick & Verena’s camper, christened this because of their prominent satellite TV dome). Had tea with them by the roadside and travelled in convoy to the next camper stop. After a night on the coast (fantastic location - crap campsite) we plan to head inland for Bergama. Found a ‘Kipa’ supermarket (Turkish Tesco) and have a major shop, spend ages trying to determine what is fresh cows milk and butter (as we know them) - after a
few false starts eventually decide that ‘SUT’ is fresh milk and ‘Tereyagi’ is butter.
Bergama reached mid afternoon, the ‘bubble’ already there. We are now familiar with arrival at new campsites and take the obligatory 30mins to decide (after much debate and shuffling of the camper) on the best site regarding, position, aspect, is it level, proximity to toilets etc., - this is a ritual witnessed at all sites and provides a welcome distraction to travellers already on site. Weather breaks and the rain starts so we have a slow afternoon.
Bergama is the site of an Acropolis and Pergamum Asclepion (ancient medical centre) - Calum says ‘not more ruins’.
Decide to visit the Acropolis (fortified citadel) with Rick and Verena in their camper. However, they were experiencing a slow air leak from one of their tyres which had to be resolved. In true Turkish fashion, an enquiry at campsite reception directed us to the petrol station down the road which had a little ramshackle shack at the back - this was the tyre replacement/repair centre (Turkish Kwik-Fit). After a short discussion, the wheel was removed and dunked in
an old bath full of water - leak detected, tyre removed and repaired (a nail through the tread), inflated and replaced, all in about 10mins (these blokes should be Kiwis)! Many smiles all round (most of them from Noreen and Verena as the young Turk repair man was considered ‘very easy on the eye’)
Through the town and up to a hill the Acropolis we are directed to a ‘safe’ parking space by a concerned local who wanted us to go to his carpet weaving business for a ‘free’ lunch and to look at his carpets! We politely decline his offer. The Acropolis was amazing and amongst its many attractions had a 10,000 seat vertigo-inducing theatre built into the hillside and some remarkable pillars. As we are walking round the sky darkens once again and we decide to head back to town for a late lunch. Outside Calum barters successfully for his first purchase of an onyx apple.
Eventually (getting a place to park a camper in a town centre is never easy), find a small Kebap shop and have our first taste of this national dish (cheap and very tasty) and an
opportunity to practice or limited Turkish. As we sit on white plastic chairs on the pavement eating the rain starts again and we head back home to get our washing in before it gets too wet. Spend a relaxing evening playing Rummikub (now Calum’s favourite game) with Rick and Verena.
Next morning we are all up early and visit the Medical Centre hopefully before the tour buses arrive. The Asclepois was once linked to the Acroplis (approximately 3km away) and treatments included massage, mud baths and drinking sacred water. Diagnosis was by dream analysis although looking at the ruins we suspected it was not an NHS facility. Once again the site was huge and while interesting, we are all getting a bit ruined out. Calum is more fascinated by the frogs, turtles and lizards which have made the site their home. As it gets busy we head off towards a campsite at Pamucak on the coast (close to Kusadasi and Ephesus). The campsite has a good beach and the boys have a swim before tea and then bed.
Calum has accepted all the changes, travelling and different cultures with amazing ease and humour. He
enjoys trying to speak a few words of each language and is really getting into bartering. Much to our astonishment he is trying all the food local and enjoying it. He is growing so much and we are so proud of him. We have met very few children so far on the trip so at times it isn’t easy for him.
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