Off east

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The next part of our riding escapades was a ride for a few days along the Euphrates river. The aim being to cross the border into Turkey.

I was finally through the valley of bowel explosions and we were both super pumped to be on the steeds again. Happt days ahead.

Firstly we had to exit Alleppo.

Mmmmm poolution. That is the stongest memory of riding out of Alleppo. It pretty much tasted and smelt of diesel fumes. The best example I can give is when Spectacle was riding about 100m ahead and went through a tunnel. I could literally see him ride through a thick, soupy brown haze. Knowing what I was in for I held my breath all the way through the tunnel. Exited the other side, and of course gulped in a deep breath of diesel fumes. Tasty.

Rode on for an hour or so along pretty much flat ground and were invited in to have tea (chay) by some cool Syrian dudes. It being a pretty cold day we acceppted with glee. Had tea and broken conversation warmed ourselves by the kerosene stove and were off. They seemed pretty stoked we had stopped and chatted to them. And I though they were doing us a favour.

A little way down the road we found a nice half built garage. This fortuetous find and the looming storm clouds conspired to making it an early day. Spent the arvo listening to muisc and playing pyshli. Spectacle tried to make a fire in a 44 gallon drum- lots of smoke and not much flamage was the result.
Went to bed happy we had found this place. Although just as we got settled the clouds burst forth with rain thunder and lightening. Normally I love this kind of weather, well when im indoors and home. Here it prooved problematic. We had to make a kind of makeshift damn to channel the water away from where we were sleeping. Not fun doing this in undies, in the rain, and when the temp is about 5 deg C. Oh well it wasnt always going to be ham and plaques.

Rode 100km the next day. And beacuse im writing this a month after it happened I cant remember jack. Camped near the road and ate some food. Hmmm yep thats about it. Oh yeah had about 6 offers for tea. Down from the usual 700. I love this place!

Jan 30. Started riding in the rain and wind and it sayed that way all day. Stopped at a few towns for munchies. Left Spider for 5 minutes to get some fallaffell (yes back on the street food train) and came back to see him surrounded by no less than 20 Syrians. They were all jostling to check out us and the gear. Have to say after a few minutes the excitement wore off. Rode off to find a place to have a chew. Came accross an office occupied by a man, a heater and a phone. Odd it was. He sat there, gave us tea and smoked while we ate. No phone calls, no writing, pretty much no noticable action bar moving his right arm to his mouth in order to puff on the dart. My imagination ran wild as to what he was doing there- a mafia man waiting for the call, superman waiting for us to piss off so he could save the world?? Who knows but he was certainly getting the job done- whatever that was.

Guss what happens next.

We rode on and on. Well not too far.

Found a choice half built house that had 'home for two povo cyclists' written all over it. Ate and slept. Ohh and mixed things up dinnerwise. Threw some curry two minute noodles into the brew a welcome change to the usual.

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