The Kindness of Strangers

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Wow, what a country! If the rest of my trip is like that experienced so far in Turkey my family can rest assured that I will be safe. I can only say good things about Turkey and her people and I hope it remains just so.

Well, I feel like Bulgaria and the Balkans was another holiday ago. So different have I found Turkey. I feel only now that the holiday starting. Yay! Finally!

The night bus from Burgas to Istanbul went without event. The distance between the two is not great but the bulk of the time was taken up at the border. We all had to hand over our passports to the conductor of the bus in Bulgaria and I was getting a little nervous as I had stayed a couple days over the 30 that one is allowed. Honestly, all the worry I do that amounts to nothing! I was handed back my passport, by one of the passengers of the bus. He and his friend were given the task of handing back people's passports (!) and I have to say that I did derive a certain type of pleasure when I saw how they too were struggling with some of the names (written in cyrillic) as they were Turkish. Obviously I'm not the only one.

Likewise, entering Turkey was hassle free. Luckily I had US dollars as this is the only currency Australians can pay for the Turkish visa with (which is $20US in case anyone is wondering). Visa sorted it was now just customs to go through. If we weren't at a border, you'd think we were at a flea market with everyone standing behind their bags, opened ready for inspection. Mine got a bit of a prodding but really, all that fuss for nothing. The bus however got a right going over. Drugs get smuggled across this border but normally it's from Turkey through Bulgaria so I'm not too sure what they thought they would find. Steroids maybe?? Anyway, after a couple of hours of border crossing, it was onwards.

We arrived at the otogar (bus station) in Istanbul at about 6.30. I was told I should get a minibus but, well, I find it difficult enough trying to get the bike on a normal bus, let alone one that is a quarter of that in size. I also didn't fancy taking a taxi knowing that I would have to haggle (can't we just use the meter) so thought I would take the train. What was I thinking???? No lifts, going into peak hour and with a bicycle. Madness, total and utter, is what I call it. However, this is the way I had decided so this is the way I went. Countless people helped me (thanks to all those men who assisted me, without asking, haul the bike up and down to the platform) but I had to wait until after 9 for the privilige of actually going on the train. Apparently, this is when peak travel is over. The good news was that indeed, the train was not so crowded but sadly the same could not be said for the light rail tram that I had to then connect with. It was hot, it was crowded and it was 9.30. Did I get glared at? Oh yes! Thankfully, in my defence, I have an evil eye talisman around my neck otherwise I think I would have keeled over then and there with the looks I was getting. I was very glad when I could say goodbye to everyone and thanked them for putting up with me.

As soon as I got off the tram a hostel tout was on my back. Lady you want hostel? I show you nice hostel? Good price for you! Yes, OK, let me just have a look. I followed Muhammed to the Sydney Hostel which was OK. He could have shown me an absolute dive and I probably would have said yes. I ended up staying there, in the Sultanahmed area, for 4 wonderful nights.

No description I could make would do justice to Istanbul. I loved its sights, I loved its life, I loved its vibrancy, and I loved her people (even if everyone was trying to flog you something). I got a great positive energy from Istanbul and I hope that one day I can return (but not on this trip). Every day there saw me doing something different - going to the archeological museum, Top Kapi Palace, Aga Sophia, Blue Mosque, sailing along the Bosphorous, eating baklava, drinking chai, visiting the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. It was exhausting but exciting at the same time. I kept on having to pinch myself as I never thought I would actually make it to Istanbul and could quite easily have stayed 4 weeks if it wasn't for time marching on...

Given this new found love of Turkey, based on my time in Istanbul, I decided that I would try to see more of Turkey than just the Black Sea coast. I am now the proud owner of the Rough Guide Turkey and am heading south towards the Meditteranean.

There was no way I would even think of taking the train / metro again and I still didn't fancy the idea of riding in Istanbul so I took the ferry from Istanbul to Bandemir instead. I met a lovely family on board, as you do when you have to kick them out of your seat, and we spent the next hour trying to converse with my phrase book which didn't really amount to conversing at all but it did pass the time.

The scenery wasn't all that great. A lot of nothingness really and, if I can indulge yet again in the state of the roads and the drivers...

Gone is the thin white line that I judiciously followed in Bulgaria. Nothing has replaced it. Generally there is no white line so I have no idea where I am supposed to be. Lost is what I am. But never fear, there is always gravel and I will surely be most adept on my return at riding on gravel roads having been given more than sufficient training here in Turkey already. Thankfully though, Turkish drivers, so far, seem to be a lot more courteous, although you do get the odd dickhead, than their Bulgarian neighbours. That's something to be grateful for!

Back to the scenery. It did improve the more I cycled but do have to admit that it was TOTALLY draining. So hot. So dusty. So hilly. But I guess, it's the hills that provide the scenery so really, I shouldn't complain. It was especially nice when I caught a glimpse of the Mamares. With heat one needs a lot of water which I did run out of (!!) I have since learned that I need to have a least 3 litres on me at any one time as there are not the countless kiosks on the road that there were Bulgaria and Serbia.

Anyway, being on a major road meant that I arrived at a petrol station before passing out which is always handy. Arming myself with a couple of bottles I then just sat down, drank and read my Rough Guide. No sooner had I sat down I was presented with a bowl of plums. Then, a glass of chai was brought over. See? Kindness, pure and unadultarated.

I decided then that I wouldn't go much further. I really was tired and so had a meal of soup at the restaurant next door and then went back to the olive grove I had my eye on as I passed. This would be the night I would free camp.

I had a gorgeous view of the sea and the mainland across the Mamaras. But, and there is always a price to pay for everything, my tent was perched at such a ridiculous angle that only my baggage stopped my from rolling into the other side of my tent. All of a sudden I loved my baggage.

Not feeling totally refreshed I cycled in the hope of making it to the town of Gelibolou (Gallipoli) some 90km away. Wishful thinking really. I was going at such a snail's pace I would have been lucky to have made it halfway. It was very hilly and hot yet again. So much so that a couple of people stopped and offered to take me in their truck/car. I declined the first but took the second. Oh dear. I'm getting extremely lazy. A little bit of heat, a little bit of a gradient and it seems that all of a sudden cycling doesn't have the same appeal. But, to be fair to myself, I had done it again and was running quite low on water. Sounds like a mighty excuse but true!

Anyway, Ibon (at least that's what I thought he said) offered to drive me to Cannekale which was fine by me. It was actually where I had wanted to get to since leaving Istanbul. We stopped at a beachside restaurant and had a late lunch (he insisted on paying) and he kept asking me if I would like to go swimming. I think all he wanted to do see me in my bathers but really, he would have been disappointed. Or maybe he thought a swim was the next best thing to a shower because I know I did reek. Either way, the answer was no.

From Cannekale I caught the ferry across to Eceabet, found my hostel and settled in for the night.

Today, I cycled to Shell Green and Lone Pine. Both sites had me in tears. It was very, very moving and made even more so by their actual locations which are both spectacularly beautiful. I found it difficult to reconcile the carnage with the the beauty of the place. So many lives lost.

Lucky I did not venture too much further as I ended up with another flat tyre and had to walk back to Ecebeat - which was around 8km. Not impressed but thankfully I had a spare - although not with me. Not sure if this is a message?? Still, I did break the journey at a wonderful little outdoor restaurant. Never thought that my Bulgarian would come in handy but, as the owner could not speak English or German, we surprisingly managed with my Bulgarian. Go figure.

Anyway, tomorrow it's off to Troy. Maybe some more free camping? Then down to Bergama and Assos. Not sure when I'll get to update the blog again. Still getting used to being in another country and sussing out the technology.

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