A day of driving was required to make it to the finish line at Istanbul - our original starting off point. After our stable Turkish breakfast of tomatoes, cucumber, cheese, olives and bread, bread... Oh and more bread, we were ready for our 700+ km drive. All was going smoothly
until 50kilometres in Aaron's ever helpful GPS managed to find a 10km road, through a town with a population of 50, which wasn't actually a road. The first 1.5 km wasn't anything different to what we had experienced, even though, we were driving through wheat fields. By 3km and still 7km left on the supposable short cut at 20km/h, I requested we stop for a photo shoot in the wheat fields. At this point we realized perhaps this wasn't the way to where we needed to go. All was validated at the 5km mark when the grass track ceased to exist but plummet down a hilly slope, surrounded by boulders. The only solution - reverse - and head back to a bitumen road. A good 30 minutes later an executive decision was made. No more dirt roads! We are not driving a tractor. From then on it was smooth driving up, down and around mountainous and flat terrain. The remainder of the drive went smoothly till we reached Istanbul. Gridlock! Tuesday evening traffic. This is where the locals disregarded road lanes and just pushed their way across at a snail pace speed...6 lanes became 8, then 9. The more concerning factor was the lady who appeared in the middle of the highway selling water. Who was she? And how did she get there when the either side of her are concrete bollards and 12 feet high fences. It wasn't long till further down the road we met her compadres selling mobile phones charges and red roses. Just what you want to do during gridlock some roadside shopping! :) 25km down the road and 3 hours later we arrived back at the Big Apple Hostel to be welcomed back!
Sunday, 22 July 2012
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Rocks, rocks and more rocks!
Our final day in Cappadocia was spent being our own tour guides. We had got quite competent at this over the last fortnight. Logically, we decided to explore Pasabagi and Dervent Valley in the cool of the morning. We certainly knew we were heading in the right direction, just follow the tour buses! In the Dervent Valley using your imagination is required as some rocks look like animals, such as rabbits and camels. As the hottest part of the day rolled around we drove to a little town called Kaymalki, where there is an underground city. Back in the day they believe they were up to a 150 - 200 underground cities through Cappadocia. Many still undiscovered since the last inhabitants.
Below the surface the drop in temperature was a relief and to welcome us was a maze of rooms and tunnels. Many of the rooms had multiply entry points with many nooks and crannies. Without the arrows directing you, it would be too easy to get lost with the multiply pathways and four tiers. After acting like a bunch of kids weaving in and out of the rooms and imaging what life was like underground we decided to move out to our last location of the day, a neighbouring town - Uchisar.
As you drive into town there is Pigeon Valley, named, yes... due to all the pigeons. Along the this valley, not only are there man made caves but hundreds of small holes made by the numerous pigeons that occupy the area. Lastly we stopped at another local hangout for the pigeons the castle of Uchisar, which perched on the highest point in the city. As you climb the castle surroundings you get amazing and panoramic views of the region. Once at the top, you can't help but find a shady nook and admire the stunning views. As it was becoming our custom we headed back to our head quarters for a mandatory siesta in preparation of an evening consuming local cuisine and battling it out over a deck of cards.
Below the surface the drop in temperature was a relief and to welcome us was a maze of rooms and tunnels. Many of the rooms had multiply entry points with many nooks and crannies. Without the arrows directing you, it would be too easy to get lost with the multiply pathways and four tiers. After acting like a bunch of kids weaving in and out of the rooms and imaging what life was like underground we decided to move out to our last location of the day, a neighbouring town - Uchisar.
As you drive into town there is Pigeon Valley, named, yes... due to all the pigeons. Along the this valley, not only are there man made caves but hundreds of small holes made by the numerous pigeons that occupy the area. Lastly we stopped at another local hangout for the pigeons the castle of Uchisar, which perched on the highest point in the city. As you climb the castle surroundings you get amazing and panoramic views of the region. Once at the top, you can't help but find a shady nook and admire the stunning views. As it was becoming our custom we headed back to our head quarters for a mandatory siesta in preparation of an evening consuming local cuisine and battling it out over a deck of cards.
Hot Air Balloooooooning!!
The morning call to prayer was our wake up call. Whilst everyone slept and the sun was rising over the valley in Cappadocia, a group of tourists sipped hot tea ready to embark on a much anticipated hot air balloon ride. By 5:30am we were driving through the fields watching hot air balloon after hot air balloon inflate along Cappadocia. Jets of flames could be heard blasting into the gigantic contraptions. About 16 of us were huddled together and directed to our section of the basket. First priority was to be buckled in and shown the landing position. Once safety instructions had been given and a few long blasts into the balloon, we were up, up and away. Just in time to see sun creep over the mountain ranges and flood the unique rock formations with morning light. It was an awesome sight seeing 30 or more balloons float up over Cappadocia. At times some were so close their balloons were touching each other and at other times you had to hold your breath as balloons soared over top. It was a strange sensation in the sky, you can see your moving but there is little to no sensation of movement. An experience indeed! Gradually we drifted over the town of Goreme and just to the right of Pigeon Valley, in a field near by was our designated landing space. Suddenly our pilot shouted 'landing positions!' Quickly we all hunched down and waited for impact... Bang! Then back up in the air... Bang! Down again, rapidly our basket skidding along the ground for 30 metres before coming to a halt. By this point our basket was on its side and everyone had been stunned into silence... 30 seconds later all you could hear was laughter coming from the 16 passengers in disbelief that landing in a hot air balloon could be so...dramatic! In celebration of surviving the flight ;) a bottle of bubbly was popped and everyone was given a certificate, validating our bravery!
By the time we got back to the hostel we couldn't believe it was only 7am. Breakfast and back to the land of slumber. By early afternoon we were ready to be adventurous again. To get inspired a chicken kebab was in order and then the trek into the Rose Valley began... It possibly wasn't the smartest choice leaving at the hottest part of the day for a 6km hike, but there was no turning back now! The perks of leaving when we did meant that we had the valley to ourselves. As we wandered through the valley hundreds of small and large openings could be seen. At times we climbed up into the crevices to find rooms that may have once been living rooms, kitchens and churches. Amazing to think communities of people used to populate these rock dwellings. The closer we got to the town the naming of the valley was obvious as the rocks simmered red in the afternoon sun. By sunset we were ready to tuck into a typical Turkish dinner and relax over a game of backgammon.
By the time we got back to the hostel we couldn't believe it was only 7am. Breakfast and back to the land of slumber. By early afternoon we were ready to be adventurous again. To get inspired a chicken kebab was in order and then the trek into the Rose Valley began... It possibly wasn't the smartest choice leaving at the hottest part of the day for a 6km hike, but there was no turning back now! The perks of leaving when we did meant that we had the valley to ourselves. As we wandered through the valley hundreds of small and large openings could be seen. At times we climbed up into the crevices to find rooms that may have once been living rooms, kitchens and churches. Amazing to think communities of people used to populate these rock dwellings. The closer we got to the town the naming of the valley was obvious as the rocks simmered red in the afternoon sun. By sunset we were ready to tuck into a typical Turkish dinner and relax over a game of backgammon.
Sunday, 15 July 2012
To the centre of Turkey
Off to Cappadocia to see these rocks everyone keeps talking about! ;) The one thing that has amazed me about Turkey is the terrain. I hadn't expected to see such varied landscapes. The morning drive involved winding up and down mountainous roads, where at one point we peaked at 1900m. Now and then I would have to pop my ears. Not something I experience driving everyday to work in Dubai. Also, many road signs warning us of cows were around and it wasn't until we saw one standing in the middle of the road, oblivious to the traffic that we decided to take more note. Personally I thought I wasn't going to encounter this behaviour from the wildlife until India. Oh, how I have been wrong, where only 16 hours earlier we were stopping for a herd of goats. Not the first time in Turkey.
As we arrived at Konya, about 160km later, I was lucky to avoid being pulled over and getting a body check and the car inspected from the local authorities ... for... Hmmmm, anything related to Syria? Who knows? By now the road had leveled out and it was a straight, flat drive on the D-300. As we got closer to Cappadocia the road signs that should have been directing us, just weren't anywhere in sight. After a few choice words at the GPS and the random sign here and there, we found our way to the town of Goreme - pop. 2200 - The hub of tourist activity in Cappadocia. With so many options on choosing accommodation we decided to go with the write up in the lonely planet for the Kookaburra Pension. Maybe it was our patriotic side coming out, but the roof top terrace looking over the town was the clincher.
Once we were settled we headed into town to the ever popular lookout point. From there it gave us an excellent view of the town which has been built around the once rock houses. Nowadays some people have built either their hotels or shops in and around the old rock homes. A sight to be seen!
As we arrived at Konya, about 160km later, I was lucky to avoid being pulled over and getting a body check and the car inspected from the local authorities ... for... Hmmmm, anything related to Syria? Who knows? By now the road had leveled out and it was a straight, flat drive on the D-300. As we got closer to Cappadocia the road signs that should have been directing us, just weren't anywhere in sight. After a few choice words at the GPS and the random sign here and there, we found our way to the town of Goreme - pop. 2200 - The hub of tourist activity in Cappadocia. With so many options on choosing accommodation we decided to go with the write up in the lonely planet for the Kookaburra Pension. Maybe it was our patriotic side coming out, but the roof top terrace looking over the town was the clincher.
Once we were settled we headed into town to the ever popular lookout point. From there it gave us an excellent view of the town which has been built around the once rock houses. Nowadays some people have built either their hotels or shops in and around the old rock homes. A sight to be seen!
Paragliding mania!
The objective of the day was for Aaron to fly from Mt Tahtali. All our fingers and toes were crossed hoping the local pilots would be accommodating as too the weather for flying. After quickly stopping by the office on Tekanova, we decided to head up to the top of Tahtali and wait it out there. The mode of transport to the peak is by cable car which holds up to 70 people and takes approximately 10 minutes to reach the highest point at 2365 m above sea level. Ahh... A sight indeed!! - Where mountainous ranges, littered with native trees and vegetation meet the coastline.
On arrival the news wasn't what we wanted to hear, since Aaron wasnt properly insured they weren't going to let him fly... But with some God intervention, I'm sure, and the right paperwork being filled in, Aaron was left with the all clear. Now the waiting game began.
Unfortunately the wind wasn't being cooperative instead it would regularly change direction rather than a steady breeze in one direction. As the hours ticked by we watched the fresh cable car load of predominantly Russian and Eastern European travellers come and go. We certainly saw our fair share of varied poses for the camera, thinking we may have accidentally stumbled into a Vogue photo shoot.
Four and a half hours later the wind finally provided the break the pilots had been looking for. In typical gentleman style, Aaron let the paid tandem flyers head off first, leaving himself to lucky last. Lucy and I watched on with cameras in hand poised and ready. Onlookers joined and watched in astonishment at such craziness, mixed with bravery. On the third attempt Aaron ran rapidly off the cliff only to be lifted weightlessly into the sky to admire natures beauty from a perspective only a rare view get to admire.
Lucy and I breathed a huge sigh of relief and knew it was our cue to head off to the pick up zone. We certainly got our $40 worth, spending a total of 5 hours at the top of Tahtali.
It was a very pleasant sight reaching the landing zone on the shore and seeing the lads all safe and sound from their flight. We were kindly offered affordable accommodation but all of us were ready to leave Little Russia and knock some kilometers off our long drive to Cappadocia.
High fives all round and pats on the back for Aaron we decided to celebrate the occasion with... What better... Hungry Jacks! Hehehe. After a juicy whopper and enough chips to overload the carbohydrate levels we headed inland to find a town to stay. By 8pm we came across a little town called Avkesi. We managed to find 1 of the 2 hotels or in Turkish 'otels' in town. The town folk could spot we weren't locals... there was always the feeling you were being watched... Haha! Thankfully it was only a pitstop, back on the road tomorrow morning!
On arrival the news wasn't what we wanted to hear, since Aaron wasnt properly insured they weren't going to let him fly... But with some God intervention, I'm sure, and the right paperwork being filled in, Aaron was left with the all clear. Now the waiting game began.
Unfortunately the wind wasn't being cooperative instead it would regularly change direction rather than a steady breeze in one direction. As the hours ticked by we watched the fresh cable car load of predominantly Russian and Eastern European travellers come and go. We certainly saw our fair share of varied poses for the camera, thinking we may have accidentally stumbled into a Vogue photo shoot.
Four and a half hours later the wind finally provided the break the pilots had been looking for. In typical gentleman style, Aaron let the paid tandem flyers head off first, leaving himself to lucky last. Lucy and I watched on with cameras in hand poised and ready. Onlookers joined and watched in astonishment at such craziness, mixed with bravery. On the third attempt Aaron ran rapidly off the cliff only to be lifted weightlessly into the sky to admire natures beauty from a perspective only a rare view get to admire.
Lucy and I breathed a huge sigh of relief and knew it was our cue to head off to the pick up zone. We certainly got our $40 worth, spending a total of 5 hours at the top of Tahtali.
It was a very pleasant sight reaching the landing zone on the shore and seeing the lads all safe and sound from their flight. We were kindly offered affordable accommodation but all of us were ready to leave Little Russia and knock some kilometers off our long drive to Cappadocia.
High fives all round and pats on the back for Aaron we decided to celebrate the occasion with... What better... Hungry Jacks! Hehehe. After a juicy whopper and enough chips to overload the carbohydrate levels we headed inland to find a town to stay. By 8pm we came across a little town called Avkesi. We managed to find 1 of the 2 hotels or in Turkish 'otels' in town. The town folk could spot we weren't locals... there was always the feeling you were being watched... Haha! Thankfully it was only a pitstop, back on the road tomorrow morning!
Friday, 13 July 2012
From the depths of the ocean to the mountain tops
Up bright and early to head out on the boat for scuba diving. This was going to be my first dive since becoming certified, so I was keen to jump straight in and be submerged underwater. Conveniently the dive sight was close to Kas which gave us all the more time to enjoy the pristine waters. It became all official when I was setting up my gear and getting kitted up ready for the plunge off the back of the boat. After all the safety checks we were ready to descend to the great unknown below. The visibility was amazing... Aqua blue water surrounded us and kindly embraced us into the aquatic abyss. Sea grass covered the surface, waving back and forth with the motion of the sea. As we came to the reef we came across the tiniest purple nudie branches and surrounded by hundreds of fish at our deepest depth - 19 metres. Littered in between the reef were old artifacts - pots and urns. On our ascend we came across an old shipwreck which couldn't have been more than a few decades old. Now it was my turn to pass the torch to big bro for his first try dive - all went without a hitch and providing him inspiration to get certified later in the year.
An early morning dive left us the afternoon to head to the next town on our list, somewhere in the direction of Kemer. Off we went winding our way along the coast line, where we came across the most picturesque and deserted beaches along the cliffs. Only the dedicated and those not worried about a steep walk back made their way to the shoreline. Not us!!! We were on a mission. To find the paragliders headquarters of those who fly from Mt Tahtali.
Little did we know we would end up discovering the Little Russia of Turkey! Fur coat anyone?? A strange town Camyuva...
A very chatty Turkish businessman who couldn't believe people from Australia were in his shop... Since obviously they are always Russian... pointed us back to the towns we had passed. Which town specifically, he didn't know. Back tracking westward, we decided to stop at the Teleferik (cable car) to Mt Tahtali, however, half way up we passed the company paragliding van so quickly we put the car into reverse, u turned and followed in a high speed chase downhill. You have to consider we were following a crazy Turkish driver. Thankfully we caught sight of him at the bottom of the road and were able to tailgate him to the nearest town - Tekirova. It was here at the office Aaron confirmed we had found the right place due to the plane on the beach. The landmark for all the paraglider pilots! After some quick exchanges with the local pilots we decided to rendezvous with them tomorrow morning.
By this time the sun was setting and it was time to head to Olympos the neighbouring town to find a place to stay. After more windy, potholed backstreets we came across what certainly wasn't little Russia, but more along the lines of hippyville. Small wooden huts, treehouse top restaurants and lazy hammocks filled the beach town of Olympos - much more down our alley! We managed to park outside one of the more glamorous beach huts, but thankfully her brother next door had accomodation more within our price range.
We'd managed to achieve a lot today, so we decided to top it off by heading to the flaming mountain know as Chimaera. Here, on the ancient site of Olympos are fires spotted between the cracks of the rocks caused by the combustion of natural gas. They burn all day and all night. Little did we know it involved a 2km walk up, rocky, hilly terrain but all worth it when you get to the peak to witness these natural phenomenons. Many locals go up and have a bbq using the flames to cook their kebabs. Natures barbecue! More fun was to be had walking down in the dark, unfortunately the iPhone wasn't as illuminating as I anticipated. Ahh, next time I'll remembering the head torch lying useless in my luggage! How else to end the night, by having a highly nutritional dinner... a delicious, mouthwatering Magnum! :P chocolatey, icecreamy goodness!!
An early morning dive left us the afternoon to head to the next town on our list, somewhere in the direction of Kemer. Off we went winding our way along the coast line, where we came across the most picturesque and deserted beaches along the cliffs. Only the dedicated and those not worried about a steep walk back made their way to the shoreline. Not us!!! We were on a mission. To find the paragliders headquarters of those who fly from Mt Tahtali.
Little did we know we would end up discovering the Little Russia of Turkey! Fur coat anyone?? A strange town Camyuva...
A very chatty Turkish businessman who couldn't believe people from Australia were in his shop... Since obviously they are always Russian... pointed us back to the towns we had passed. Which town specifically, he didn't know. Back tracking westward, we decided to stop at the Teleferik (cable car) to Mt Tahtali, however, half way up we passed the company paragliding van so quickly we put the car into reverse, u turned and followed in a high speed chase downhill. You have to consider we were following a crazy Turkish driver. Thankfully we caught sight of him at the bottom of the road and were able to tailgate him to the nearest town - Tekirova. It was here at the office Aaron confirmed we had found the right place due to the plane on the beach. The landmark for all the paraglider pilots! After some quick exchanges with the local pilots we decided to rendezvous with them tomorrow morning.
By this time the sun was setting and it was time to head to Olympos the neighbouring town to find a place to stay. After more windy, potholed backstreets we came across what certainly wasn't little Russia, but more along the lines of hippyville. Small wooden huts, treehouse top restaurants and lazy hammocks filled the beach town of Olympos - much more down our alley! We managed to park outside one of the more glamorous beach huts, but thankfully her brother next door had accomodation more within our price range.
We'd managed to achieve a lot today, so we decided to top it off by heading to the flaming mountain know as Chimaera. Here, on the ancient site of Olympos are fires spotted between the cracks of the rocks caused by the combustion of natural gas. They burn all day and all night. Little did we know it involved a 2km walk up, rocky, hilly terrain but all worth it when you get to the peak to witness these natural phenomenons. Many locals go up and have a bbq using the flames to cook their kebabs. Natures barbecue! More fun was to be had walking down in the dark, unfortunately the iPhone wasn't as illuminating as I anticipated. Ahh, next time I'll remembering the head torch lying useless in my luggage! How else to end the night, by having a highly nutritional dinner... a delicious, mouthwatering Magnum! :P chocolatey, icecreamy goodness!!
From one beach town to another
The thought of an early departure knowing we are heading off to another glorious beach location isn't all that hard... And when I say early, 10am really isn't!
With the ever helpful GPS in hand, we were off along the coast to Kas. Our hopes of staying on a main road were dashed when once again we were directed onto yet another (unsealed) back street. Not to worry only 23km this time!
Two, hot and sweaty hours later! (We like to travel with the windows down) we arrived in the peaceful beach town of Kas. Current population 7,700. The closer you get to the main city the steeper and narrower the streets become, so when we found a space to park the car we took it!
We were getting quite used to finding accomodation on the spare of the moment. After checking the prices of a few places, we decided to extend the budget and stay in Phellos Hotel which housed the best pool thus far... with a water slide! The remainder of the day was spent dipping in and out of the pool. Of course it was mandatory to use the water slide more than once.
With the ever helpful GPS in hand, we were off along the coast to Kas. Our hopes of staying on a main road were dashed when once again we were directed onto yet another (unsealed) back street. Not to worry only 23km this time!
Two, hot and sweaty hours later! (We like to travel with the windows down) we arrived in the peaceful beach town of Kas. Current population 7,700. The closer you get to the main city the steeper and narrower the streets become, so when we found a space to park the car we took it!
We were getting quite used to finding accomodation on the spare of the moment. After checking the prices of a few places, we decided to extend the budget and stay in Phellos Hotel which housed the best pool thus far... with a water slide! The remainder of the day was spent dipping in and out of the pool. Of course it was mandatory to use the water slide more than once.
Thursday, 12 July 2012
Up, up and away!
It is amazing how traveling can get you back into a regular sleep pattern... 8 hours sleep can do wonders! By 9:30am we were munching our way through the breakfast buffet, well more so nibbling due to the excessive consumption of Turkish cuisine.
First on the agenda was double checking the landing area for Aaron. Unfortunately in conclusion it was decided it was a tad too risky with the limited space and amount of people. A wise choice I thought! This left the remainder of the day to laze down the beach and around the pool. A hard life indeed! ;)
By 4pm Lucy was excitedly off, up the mountain to do her tandem flight. Aaron and I headed down to the beach to take pictures of her landing. An impressive sight seeing the experienced paraglider pilots land within a 10m X 5m space. The views Lucy witnessed were breathtaking, providing her a perfect birds eye view of the bay and the aquamarine ocean.
In celebration, dinner that night involved finding the fanciest restaurant yet and each ordering a delicious salad - by now we had all completely abused the fresh, white bread served at every meal. (carbohydrate overload!)
We were so impressed by our gourmet salads we all ordered desert, where I tried the traditional
Turkish rice pudding. It happened to taste exactly like the rice pud out of the can! Hmmm...does that not validate its authenticity???
First on the agenda was double checking the landing area for Aaron. Unfortunately in conclusion it was decided it was a tad too risky with the limited space and amount of people. A wise choice I thought! This left the remainder of the day to laze down the beach and around the pool. A hard life indeed! ;)
By 4pm Lucy was excitedly off, up the mountain to do her tandem flight. Aaron and I headed down to the beach to take pictures of her landing. An impressive sight seeing the experienced paraglider pilots land within a 10m X 5m space. The views Lucy witnessed were breathtaking, providing her a perfect birds eye view of the bay and the aquamarine ocean.
In celebration, dinner that night involved finding the fanciest restaurant yet and each ordering a delicious salad - by now we had all completely abused the fresh, white bread served at every meal. (carbohydrate overload!)
We were so impressed by our gourmet salads we all ordered desert, where I tried the traditional
Turkish rice pudding. It happened to taste exactly like the rice pud out of the can! Hmmm...does that not validate its authenticity???
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
From ruins to beachy goodness!
Today we headed further south but with a detour to the last lot of ruins on our trip, Aphrodisias, found in the town of Geyre. With hardly a soul in sight, once again we felt like we had the place to ourselves. Surprisingly for such well preserved ruins. The amphitheatre, temple and stadium were in amazing condition. It was easier than expected to depict what it would have looked like 2000 years ago. I've never seen such a stadium. It was 270m long and the majority of the seating was still in place. Lucy and I even managed to fit a highly competitive running race in! :p From Aphrodisais we stopped into a local hotel which hadn't seemed to have had guests in months. They couldn't contain their excitement when they saw us. Eagerly they tried to sell us everything on the menu and all the tourist trinkets inside the hotel. We did succumb to eating lamb kofta (even though none of us like lamb) and grilled trout. The highlight would have been when Lucy headed to the ladies and 5 minutes later all we could hear were shouts of help!!! 'Alissssha, Aaaaaron, I'm locked in the toilet!!!" I haven't laughed so hard!! Lucy locking herself in or out of rooms has become a reoccurring pattern. When will it happen next??!?
With our bellies full we set off to Oludeniz. Little did we know that Aaron's GPS had managed to find ever backstreet possible to get there. The varying road surfaces we drove on in those 3 hours was remarkable. At some points we rarely saw another car, allowing us full access to roads and being rally car drivers. After 50 or so kilometres on unsealed roads we were glad to see a highway, even if mammoth road works were going on.
Four long hours later we arrived at the waters edge of Oludeniz's very popular beach. Miraculously we found a car park in the overcrowded back streets and even more so Aaron managed to find the last vacant room in the street, Wooohoo!! The day ended watching the never ending paragliders flying around the towering cliffs and their impressive landing on the waters edge. Very daring! Lucy bravely booked in her tandem flight for the next day, whilst Aaron inspected the possibility of flying with such restricted landing space! Crazy, I say!!
With our bellies full we set off to Oludeniz. Little did we know that Aaron's GPS had managed to find ever backstreet possible to get there. The varying road surfaces we drove on in those 3 hours was remarkable. At some points we rarely saw another car, allowing us full access to roads and being rally car drivers. After 50 or so kilometres on unsealed roads we were glad to see a highway, even if mammoth road works were going on.
Four long hours later we arrived at the waters edge of Oludeniz's very popular beach. Miraculously we found a car park in the overcrowded back streets and even more so Aaron managed to find the last vacant room in the street, Wooohoo!! The day ended watching the never ending paragliders flying around the towering cliffs and their impressive landing on the waters edge. Very daring! Lucy bravely booked in her tandem flight for the next day, whilst Aaron inspected the possibility of flying with such restricted landing space! Crazy, I say!!
To the land of Cotton Candy!
Morning!! Off on the road again, heading east along the tourist trail to Pamukkale. Around 200 km later we arrived at the town which had only one, small main road which lead to Pamukkale Travertines and the ruins of Heirapolis. By sheer luck and taking the right side street we came across the hotel I had found online. Upon arrival we were met by gaudy Egyptian decorations, but the pool made up for any disastrous decor. Like any good hotel owner he saw we were Westerners and instantly jacked the prices up by 30%. Thankfully I had found the hotel room prices online and the owner was in absolute shock when I confronted him with this information. (Yes, sir... That price does include breakfast) After some haggling and an agreed price we set up camp for the next two days. The remainder of the afternoon was spent lazing around the pool catching up on some R&R and eating a good helping of chicken kebab!
Up at the crack of dawn with Aaron's paraglider in hand in search of a mountain to jump off. Thinking that globally all paragliders are up early, wasn't the case in Turkey. We found the launching off pad, however, only there to welcome us was an old Turkish man with his outdoor kettle. He set us up in the garage infront of his old Toyota and gave us the ever traditional Turkish Tea. With his broken English he kept telling us in between making phone calls the people will be up shortly, however, at one point all three of us thought perhaps he was just calling up the entourage to kidnap us and chop us into little pieces. Funnily enough when he gave Lucy a blanket for her head he pulled a machete out from under it - thankfully it went straight into the boot of the car, only then we all breathed a sigh of relief.
By 10am the local flyers arrived and Aaron was up in the sky gliding down to Earth, much quicker than expected in 7 minutes. After getting one flight under his belt in Turkey we decided to do the typical tourist thing and head to the Pamukkale (meaning cotton candy) Travertines. It was an amazing sight seeing what looked like snow capped mountains, but obviously weren't on a hot summers day. What actually is happening is the water source underneath is from volcanic lava which is high in calcium and it is the calcium which adheres to the soil. Overall it provides a mesmerizing natural phenomenon. A good few hours was spent wandering up the slope, exploring the ruins and making our way back down passed the ever increasing hordes of tourists for a dip in the springs. By late afternoon lunch time was in order. We managed to find a hidden away little restaurant with the funkiest tree house. It was there we munched on delicious kebabs! Our official staple meal whilst in Turkey.
Up at the crack of dawn with Aaron's paraglider in hand in search of a mountain to jump off. Thinking that globally all paragliders are up early, wasn't the case in Turkey. We found the launching off pad, however, only there to welcome us was an old Turkish man with his outdoor kettle. He set us up in the garage infront of his old Toyota and gave us the ever traditional Turkish Tea. With his broken English he kept telling us in between making phone calls the people will be up shortly, however, at one point all three of us thought perhaps he was just calling up the entourage to kidnap us and chop us into little pieces. Funnily enough when he gave Lucy a blanket for her head he pulled a machete out from under it - thankfully it went straight into the boot of the car, only then we all breathed a sigh of relief.
By 10am the local flyers arrived and Aaron was up in the sky gliding down to Earth, much quicker than expected in 7 minutes. After getting one flight under his belt in Turkey we decided to do the typical tourist thing and head to the Pamukkale (meaning cotton candy) Travertines. It was an amazing sight seeing what looked like snow capped mountains, but obviously weren't on a hot summers day. What actually is happening is the water source underneath is from volcanic lava which is high in calcium and it is the calcium which adheres to the soil. Overall it provides a mesmerizing natural phenomenon. A good few hours was spent wandering up the slope, exploring the ruins and making our way back down passed the ever increasing hordes of tourists for a dip in the springs. By late afternoon lunch time was in order. We managed to find a hidden away little restaurant with the funkiest tree house. It was there we munched on delicious kebabs! Our official staple meal whilst in Turkey.
Sunday, 8 July 2012
To Ephesus we go...
An early morning departure was in order to explore the ruins of Ephesus. One of the perks was that we managed to get a shady parking spot for the car - which we were very thankful for when midday rolled around. At the entrance of Ephesus we were greeted by their gigantic amphitheatre. From the back row it gave us a clear view of the main street that used to lead to the harbour. From there we wandered to the main thoroughfare of Ephesus. Down the bottom of the main drag was the library which was in exemplary condition. When I walked up the main market street and looked back down at the library, it reminded me of the treasury in Petra, Jordan. By 11am the ruins were riddled with tourists. Rather than invest in the audio guide we instead eavesdropped on the many tour guides in the area. Not always the easiest when you keep bumping into the Russian guides. Frequently, whilst weaving in and out of the ruins we would come across Ephesian local cats which where getting regularly pampered and hydrated by the many tourists - very RSPCA conscious! After a good couple of hours exploring and with the growing number of crowds and sweatiness it was time to move on. To the house of Virgin Mary we go! Mary's house was located about 9km from Ephesus, on the top of a neighbouring hill. Welcoming us were huge pine trees, which provided much needed shade. Immediately there was a sense of peace and calmness on the site. Everyone lined up quietly and silently entered Mary's house. In tradition we all took a candle and whilst lighting them said our quiet prayers . From there everyone headed down the steps to the fresh water springs which is believed to be Holy water. A good gulp or two was in order!! Lastly Lucy and I added our prayers to the prayer wall.
After recharging our spiritual batteries next we headed to the coast to take a dip in the Aegean Sea. This is where we recharged our physical batteries. Lazily we laid on the deck chairs under dried palm leave umbrellas. Before we knew it a good couple of hours had gone by.
The remainder of the evening was spent at a local hangout on the streets on Selcuk. Over the men's semi-finals Wimbleton match we met a Scottish husband and wife. (That's right, Alisha... Andy Murray is Scottish not English!) They were regular visitors of Turkey and were a bundle of knowledge. The evening went late into the night with good food, company, conversation and an always handy deck of cards.
After recharging our spiritual batteries next we headed to the coast to take a dip in the Aegean Sea. This is where we recharged our physical batteries. Lazily we laid on the deck chairs under dried palm leave umbrellas. Before we knew it a good couple of hours had gone by.
The remainder of the evening was spent at a local hangout on the streets on Selcuk. Over the men's semi-finals Wimbleton match we met a Scottish husband and wife. (That's right, Alisha... Andy Murray is Scottish not English!) They were regular visitors of Turkey and were a bundle of knowledge. The evening went late into the night with good food, company, conversation and an always handy deck of cards.
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Round 2 - Troy to Selcuk
After a restful sleep and stocked up on a nutritious Turkey breaky-fast we were off to Assos. A coastal town recommended by Uran, our b&b host. Arriving at the hilltop town we ventured up the cobbled streets to the archaeological site where we were treated to picturesque views of the Aegean sea. Left standing were 3 pillars of Anthena's temple. (she has temples littered all over Turkey) From there we leisurely drove along the coastal road, which the locals use as their main thoroughfare based on the number of tractors we encountered.
Our next destination was a town called Bergama, which is known for the ancient city of Pergamum. With such a name and having known to have a biblical mention as being 'Satan's throne'. We came across a few tell tale signs. Firstly to get there Aaron's GPS gave us the backstreet directions. Being the driver of this leg I felt like a rally car driver whizzing around windy, narrow hilltop roads - The one advantage of having a manual car for this trip. Anyway, getting back on track, the road we took was melting! Yes! You read right, the tar was getting so hot that the actual road was a melting, wet, sticky mess. This went on for a good 15 kilometers. Not the most pleasant driving experience. Smelling glorious pine trees mixed with melting tar! Then when we arrived at Pergamum the neighboring towns population was 60, 600 - a little too close to 66, 600 - notice the pattern! Either way the ruins were in good condition and certainly allowed our imagination to envision what it looked like 2000 years ago. The ruins of Pergamum house the steepest theatre on the side of a hill. In its prime it was able to seat 10,000 and one wrong step could mean a 120m fall to the bottom. Ouch!
Instead of catching the cable car down we thought walking down would be more interesting... (Well, Aaron convinced us That it was) On the descend we came across more ruins which was the gymnasium. This we hadn't been able to see on the cable car ride up. At these lower ruins we had the whole place to ourselves, well apart from the maintenance crew who were doing the weekly weeding. By the time we reached the bottom we were highly parched and managed to suck back a litre of coke each! Thirsty work being explorers.
The sun was a good 2 and a half hours from setting so we decided to drive further south, 80km to Selcuk, the town closest to the ruins of Ephesus. A wise choice indeed. The quaint little town and abundant supply of kebab stores was a welcome sight! Selcuk provided us with our first tasting of traditional Turkish delight. (Highly recommended) A quiet evening wandering the markets after a long day exploring Turkey's vast history was well needed.
Our next destination was a town called Bergama, which is known for the ancient city of Pergamum. With such a name and having known to have a biblical mention as being 'Satan's throne'. We came across a few tell tale signs. Firstly to get there Aaron's GPS gave us the backstreet directions. Being the driver of this leg I felt like a rally car driver whizzing around windy, narrow hilltop roads - The one advantage of having a manual car for this trip. Anyway, getting back on track, the road we took was melting! Yes! You read right, the tar was getting so hot that the actual road was a melting, wet, sticky mess. This went on for a good 15 kilometers. Not the most pleasant driving experience. Smelling glorious pine trees mixed with melting tar! Then when we arrived at Pergamum the neighboring towns population was 60, 600 - a little too close to 66, 600 - notice the pattern! Either way the ruins were in good condition and certainly allowed our imagination to envision what it looked like 2000 years ago. The ruins of Pergamum house the steepest theatre on the side of a hill. In its prime it was able to seat 10,000 and one wrong step could mean a 120m fall to the bottom. Ouch!
Instead of catching the cable car down we thought walking down would be more interesting... (Well, Aaron convinced us That it was) On the descend we came across more ruins which was the gymnasium. This we hadn't been able to see on the cable car ride up. At these lower ruins we had the whole place to ourselves, well apart from the maintenance crew who were doing the weekly weeding. By the time we reached the bottom we were highly parched and managed to suck back a litre of coke each! Thirsty work being explorers.
The sun was a good 2 and a half hours from setting so we decided to drive further south, 80km to Selcuk, the town closest to the ruins of Ephesus. A wise choice indeed. The quaint little town and abundant supply of kebab stores was a welcome sight! Selcuk provided us with our first tasting of traditional Turkish delight. (Highly recommended) A quiet evening wandering the markets after a long day exploring Turkey's vast history was well needed.
The road trip begins...
Eagerly we headed out from Istanbul, ready to explore beyond the city walls. It wouldn't be a road trip if you didn't take at least one wrong turn which involves getting stuck in peak hour traffic. Once we found the main highway out of town we made our way west to Gallipoli.
The next 3 hours were spent enjoying the Turkish landscape and experiencing the varying quality of road surfaces. Our first pit stop was a small town near Anzac Cove, Gelibou where we indulged in fresh bread, tomato and cheese. A typical on the go lunch. Back on the road we went, thankfully knowing we were nearly at our first destination of the day. With a little help from the GPS and our travel guide we found the numerous memorial sites of the Anzacs who fought selflessly during WWI. It was unimaginable to comprehend that they battled on such tough terrain and during the summer heat. As it was put so well 'Their name Liveth for evermore'.
To Eceabat we go!! There we caught the ferry across to Cannakkale. It was our first time driving a car onto a ferry - I can now tick that box off. We arrived in Cannakkale a little before 6pm and based on Aaron's GPS we could make it to Troy, 30 minutes before closing - that's enough time to check out 4000 year old ruins, right? ;) So off we went - arriving spot on 6:30! The giant wooden statue of the Trojan horse welcomed us at the entrance (ummm no Lucy that isn't the original horse used by the Greeks to break into Troy!) Within the timeframe we managed to walk through the ruins and see the 8 different layers of the city. After driving 400+ km and with the sun starting to set we found a little b&b a few hundred metres down the road from the ruins. The owner, known as Uran Savas was a local guide and kindly shared lots of information about Turkish history whilst enjoying Turkish apple tea, local vodka and roasted hazelnuts. Mumma of the house had made delicious meatballs accompanied by grilled eggplant and fresh tomato and cucumber salad. Turkey's cuisine is certainly satisfying the taste buds.
The next 3 hours were spent enjoying the Turkish landscape and experiencing the varying quality of road surfaces. Our first pit stop was a small town near Anzac Cove, Gelibou where we indulged in fresh bread, tomato and cheese. A typical on the go lunch. Back on the road we went, thankfully knowing we were nearly at our first destination of the day. With a little help from the GPS and our travel guide we found the numerous memorial sites of the Anzacs who fought selflessly during WWI. It was unimaginable to comprehend that they battled on such tough terrain and during the summer heat. As it was put so well 'Their name Liveth for evermore'.
To Eceabat we go!! There we caught the ferry across to Cannakkale. It was our first time driving a car onto a ferry - I can now tick that box off. We arrived in Cannakkale a little before 6pm and based on Aaron's GPS we could make it to Troy, 30 minutes before closing - that's enough time to check out 4000 year old ruins, right? ;) So off we went - arriving spot on 6:30! The giant wooden statue of the Trojan horse welcomed us at the entrance (ummm no Lucy that isn't the original horse used by the Greeks to break into Troy!) Within the timeframe we managed to walk through the ruins and see the 8 different layers of the city. After driving 400+ km and with the sun starting to set we found a little b&b a few hundred metres down the road from the ruins. The owner, known as Uran Savas was a local guide and kindly shared lots of information about Turkish history whilst enjoying Turkish apple tea, local vodka and roasted hazelnuts. Mumma of the house had made delicious meatballs accompanied by grilled eggplant and fresh tomato and cucumber salad. Turkey's cuisine is certainly satisfying the taste buds.
Tuesday, 3 July 2012
Exploring the city of Istanbul
After a leisurely breakfast on the terrace of our hostel, we made our way into the old city. First stop was to the Aya Sofya aka Haghia Sophia Museum. Very impressive inside with the lighting and building architecture. Next we found another queue and headed into the Blue Mosque. Aaron kept us entertained with his blue cloak and blue skirt, haha! Many tourists were using the mosque as a refugee to rest their already weary legs. Last pit stop for the morning was the underground cisterns, 70m x 120m. It was very impressive and kind of eerie. We managed to find the two medusa heads located at the north west corner ( well maybe the hordes of people heading in that direction helped!)
Whilst wandering the streets we were approached umpteen times for tour books, bus tours and bottles of water. It really wouldn't be a touristy city if that didn't happen. Overall thus far the locals have been friendly, helpful and quick witted.
On the to do list was to indulge in a kebab! This mission was successfully accomplished and would surely become part of my staple diet whilst tour Turkey!! (nom nom nom!)
The afternoon was spent leisurely walking through the grand bazaar, where it is quite easy to lose your sense of direction in the mazes of streets. Nothing particularly jumped out and said 'buy me!' but the variety of mannequins we came across certainly had me stopping and taking photographs. The first time I've seen mannequins come in all shapes and sizes.
Our evening was spent in typical hostel style on the terrace, chilaxing with local beer and a deck of cards. One of the employees dogs ( a teeny, tiny King Charles) provided endless entertainment and the best cuddles. As the evening went all and our tummies began to grumble, secretly all of us had been craving a corn on a cob which were being sold on the streets. So we headed out to enjoy the evening ambience and munch away our cravings. Little did we know that our hopes were instantly crushed as soon as we took our first bite. Note to others: don't buy the grilled corn take the boiled option. All 3 of us agreed it had to be the least sweetest and driest corn we had ever tasted. It certainly had us chuckling for the next half hour, even though it tasted awful we couldn't help but munch away on it. That night as I laid in my bed finding the odd piece of corn stuck between my teeth! ( Yes I did brush my teeth) I thought 'Turkey is certainly going to be an awesome country to explore!' Let the road trip begin!!
Whilst wandering the streets we were approached umpteen times for tour books, bus tours and bottles of water. It really wouldn't be a touristy city if that didn't happen. Overall thus far the locals have been friendly, helpful and quick witted.
On the to do list was to indulge in a kebab! This mission was successfully accomplished and would surely become part of my staple diet whilst tour Turkey!! (nom nom nom!)
The afternoon was spent leisurely walking through the grand bazaar, where it is quite easy to lose your sense of direction in the mazes of streets. Nothing particularly jumped out and said 'buy me!' but the variety of mannequins we came across certainly had me stopping and taking photographs. The first time I've seen mannequins come in all shapes and sizes.
Our evening was spent in typical hostel style on the terrace, chilaxing with local beer and a deck of cards. One of the employees dogs ( a teeny, tiny King Charles) provided endless entertainment and the best cuddles. As the evening went all and our tummies began to grumble, secretly all of us had been craving a corn on a cob which were being sold on the streets. So we headed out to enjoy the evening ambience and munch away our cravings. Little did we know that our hopes were instantly crushed as soon as we took our first bite. Note to others: don't buy the grilled corn take the boiled option. All 3 of us agreed it had to be the least sweetest and driest corn we had ever tasted. It certainly had us chuckling for the next half hour, even though it tasted awful we couldn't help but munch away on it. That night as I laid in my bed finding the odd piece of corn stuck between my teeth! ( Yes I did brush my teeth) I thought 'Turkey is certainly going to be an awesome country to explore!' Let the road trip begin!!
Day 1 - Istanbul
Compliments of Emirates we landed late afternoon in Istanbul. First things first, visas! Of all the times not to take my UK passport resulted in me having to fork out an extra €35 for an Aussie passport entry visa into Turkey- grrr! Next phase - collecting our luggage. The concerning factor was the mammoth collection of luggage left at the Lost & Found station. Approximately 50 suitcases littered the area, which didn't help relieve our anxiety as we waited 45 minutes for our suitcases. I think the thought crossed all our minds " Was our luggage lost and about to join the ever growing pile at Istanbul Airport??" Hurrah! Once we picked up our luggage the car rental man was waiting patiently for us. Lucy, Aaron and I squeezed into our 5 door Renault which would be our companion for the next 17 days. Thankfully Aaron adjusted quickly to manual left hand driving. My time would come later in the trip. The downside was Aaron's GPS on his phone which decided to power down at the crucial part of navigating to our hostel located near the Blue Mosque. After numerous requests for directions from the ever friendly locals and a few too many left, right and left turns, we finally arrived an hour and a half later at our destination! Eat your heart out 'Amazing Race!' At the Big Apple Hostel we were pleasantly surprised to find our 14 bedroom dorm was currently unoccupied. Hmmmm which bunk bed should I sleep in?!? 
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