Cappodocias and Mt Nemrud

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Geo: 36.8934, 38.816

I have compacted a few days into this one blog for my ease. hope all makes sense.

12th July 2015 Cappadocia to Mt Nemrut

Humm. Sorry for the tardiness we have been out of contact with a drought of any real internet access.

So spent 3 days at Kaya Camping in the Cappadocia, early morning rises to watch the hot air balloons as they float past.. well the second morning anyway…. Set the alarm to go off at 5:00am only to find a windy morning and no balloons… devastated. So spent the rest of the day visiting the various sights around the Cappa's. Really cool stuff went into an underground village which had only 1000 rooms… freak and it was very claustrophobic… had some minor panic when the path was blocked by some woman's big bum.. then off to the valley near Iliana where we wandered down a deep gorge which also had a lot of old churches carved into the cliff face.. we went as far as the little tea stall which had some wooden platforms over the water in the creek and it was fantastic. The day was probably about 35 degrees and it was way to hot to climb too far. besides it was fun watching the various groups of Korean tourists taking selfies… ridiculous really. We drove off south and purely by accident found the part of the Cappa's that was used for some of the Star War Movies. Driving around the back of the bluff I saw a track heading towards the top and had a go and was rewarded with a fantastic view.

Back to towards the camp site and we found the mushroom Cappa's which were really cool and exciting. Then I spotted a track leading up the side of the bluff and I thought it would be cool to get to the top and then honk the cars horn to see if our American friends in the camp could hear. Easy looking track until we got to the bluff part… unfortunately we were committed to going up… there was no reversing back the track I had just come up.. so low range rear locker engaged we approached… just before getting over the edge the tyres began to slip and slip bad.. we started to go nowhere.. so a big boot of right foot saw us shoot over the top… holly crap batman.. Lisa was crapping herself with white knuckle fever… we went a little ways further to hopefully find another way down to no avail.

After turning around very slowly Lisa volunteered to walk down and take photos… smart girl I thought wish I could do the same.

Low range 1st everything that could be locked was…. Including my backside (didn't need a mess as well). Head towards the bluff and over the edge… if the track was straight it would have been relatively easy however it veered to the right so the vehicle was tilted forward and also sideways.. the surface was loose stone. So right hand down and I feel the vehicle start to slip at the rear… fcuk….. a little bit of throttle and steer into it.. the back grips then the front starts to slip… seriously at this point in time all I could think about was why the freak had I put this vehicle in this position and jeopardise the whole trip… wanker…. Anyway. Apparently Lisa said hey that looked okay well done.. I was shaking with the adrenalin in my system.. lets get back to camp for a fresh set of clothes and a shower.

Vehicle inspection when back at camp showed that I had ripped a whole lug off the rear left tyre and it appears to have some damage to the steel belting… dam bugger..

Next day spent relaxing after watching the morning Balloons which we counted at least 80 off… each with 20 people on board who paid $200 EUR… dam easy money.

So off we go towards Mt Nemrut Dagi to see the strange carvings which an apparently deluded crazy man decided to have erected back in Roman times.

Did not make it all the way and happened to find a place to camp in a town called Khata, crappy camp and had a crappy host. Who we nicked named the Ramadan Nazi.. It is Ramadan and that means that Muslims fast between sun up and sun down.. so driving not during this time is a little painful. Many restaurants and service stops are closed so if we are low on munchies there are not many options. Anyway when we arrived we asked if we could get a cup of tea.. No was the answer with a waggle of the finger…. Anyway there was an Australian riding a BMW who had some gearbox trouble camped here waiting for parts. He was a great chap and we chatted for a long time because he had just crossed Iran and had the low down on what we would find. There was also a New Zealander who was a strange chap.. not too many teeth.. anyway he had purchased some beer and Baklava and was sharing with the Australian when the Ramadan Nazi arrived and asked… where did you get this from.. here or outside… outside was the answer and off went the Nazi not too happy.. the New Zealander is going straight to hell.

Leaving Khata early meant we found a fantastic place to camp right next to a small river and decided to spend the day swimming. The drive in saw us drop considerable altitude and the day temps rose to 40 degrees it was hot.. dry heat that once you got out the car you felt like you were being cooked.

So hence the swimming and it was great.. some lads who were herding their goats and cows came by and also joined in for a swim..

Just before sun set we heard a car honking and I be buggered it was the American couple who had just happened to be looking for somewhere to camp and saw our vehicle… we had washed it during the day and it was very shiny so they knew it could not be a locals vehicle. Spent the evening chatting sitting away from the fire I had started because it was too dam hot. Hot sweaty night.

Up early and left before the Americans had even awoke.. sleepy buggers. Cruised up to Nemrut through some utterly awesome mountains.. up and up we went to the back way to Nemut and a final altitude of 2134mtrs…. Looked, photographed, walked around and thought yep this chap was a nutter then left. With some vague direction given to us from a local chap.

Well bugger me the terrain was so steep we went up and down all day repeatedly going from 500mtrs to 2000mtrs. The road was probably one of the world's most dangerous roads, very tight switchbacks and 1 and a half lanes wide with no safety barrier at all… Funnily enough there was a fly in the car that would bite my legs so I would swish away and Lisa exclaimed that whatever the freak I was doing I should stop it before we plummet off the cliff… to which I responded well help me kill this freaking fly so I can concentrate on the dam road…. Funny now, serious then and……. We did not find anywhere to camp until just before dark.. next to a farm lot and creek.

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Photos

Hot Air Balloons
Locals told us there were 200 in the air as the day before they had to cancel. Amazing sight

Flaring the Balloons
This is loud

Morning cup of Tea
These balloons were low enough to chat with the crazy Koreans in the baskets

Just taking a break
Did we mention it was hot

Tea Stall was a welcome Break
Free styler

Turkish Refrideration
Worked a treat as the oranges were very refreshing at the bottom of the George tea stall.

Just Passing our Camp
Horses here cross streams, walk through long tunnels and over suspension bridges.

Riverside Camp
Carwash, clothes and people wash all included

Mt Nemrud
Not too many tourists, not sure how they would get up here really

Statues on the Western Side
The tumulus is a pile of rocks, hand made for the purpose

Tortoise Crossing
We picked this guy up as the Turks would no doubt run over him and the drop off the edge was shear drop for about 500 metres so we drove him to the bottom and released him there

Comments

[travandkel]

Hope you've got GoPro footage of the track experience! Sounds fun :)

[roamingabout]

Looks like you are havin a great trip. Very jealous. Nice turtle rescue too. Looks nice and warm there. It's been raining in France the last couple of days. :( Alex

[Linda]

Long way for the poor little chap to get back home again!