Meeting Fellow Two Wheelers

---

Well, I wasn't up that early but I think I was on the road by about 7.30. A great downhill out of Guzelyurt on to the main road leading to Nevsihir and my load made considerably lighter by Sandie who had kindly offered to take my big pack with her to Goreme where I would meet her. Pedal, pedal, pedal. Not too demanding but quite hot. A little up, a little down. Why then, just out of Kaymakli, having gotten a little annoyed with my very uncomfortable seat that kept on going down, did I accept a lift when it was offered? Because I'm LAZY that's why!

It was for about 20km and I have no regrets. The landscape was fairly uninspiring. A bit harsh I know but if I hadn't already seen houses cut into rocks and made of mud I would probably have found it quite interesting. But I had so I didn't.

When I got to Uchisar heading to Goreme though I was blown away by the sight that greeted me. A very lunar like, surreal landscape of rocks and fairy chimneys looking nothing short of spectacular. It definitely had the "wow" factor and it was wonderful riding downhill into it - the latter always a bonus.

It was great to catch up with Sandie again and meet fellow travellers. In particular two guys, on very different journeys, who we went out to dinner with, Stephen and Joff. Both are from the UK, cycling but in opposite directions. Stephen's adventure started in Japan 15 months ago and he now had "home" within a couple of month's reach whereas Joff's had just begun. His world tour had commenced in the UK and was being undertaken on a pennyfarthing of all things. Both were very interesting people with very interesting tales and as with the little cycling community everyone people's seem to cross somewhere down the line or at least you become more aware of your peers who are also out there. For instance, Zora who I had coffee with on my first day riding out of Belgrade also invited Joff to do the same. She told him that I had been in the area a week before so really it's then just a matter of putting two and two together.

We spent a couple of days in Goreme working out a rought itinerary to the east. Dawn, the hospitable owner of the Kose Pansion, kindly allowed me to leave my bike and most of my gear there so Sandie and I would at least be reasonably unencumbered by the ridiculous amount of baggage I'm carrying and travel lighter. Yay! I was looking forward to luxuriating in air conditioned bus travel!

---