hiya

here's the next instalment of my blog - it'll do for now, it's the end of my turkey.  i havent thought of a name for it yet. erm... end of turkey... tail end of turkey.... east end turkey... leaving turkey... turkish farewell... you make one up if you like.

We drove from Olympos towards Goreme in the Cappadocia region and the scenery changes from trees and mountains to stacks and rocky cliffs which used to be home to villages of cave dwellers. We took a walk through the Ilhara Valley which not only has lots of cave houses but also a selection of beautifully decorated churches. These caves come in various forms, some much deeper than others, some have shelves dug out or even entire rooms branching off, most are inaccessible as they are situated high in the cliff face. There may be some foot holds or a chimney dug out to climb up to the cave.

We also visited the underground city of Derinkuyu, a far more impressive show of excavation where an entire village could exist underground when the area was under attack. The city consists of 8 levels in varying depths with some long tunnels and staircases connecting the different floors. Cave sizes also vary, sometimes we were on our hands and knees crawling into the darkness or we could be in the deep underground meeting place and church with a ceiling of 8 or 9 feet high. The furthest we could reach underground were the graves, it appeared as just a small empty room to us so presumably the rest is blocked from the public or buried even deeper. I found it interesting how fresh it felt so deep below the ground and in such confined spaces but all passages and rooms are also connected to their ventilation shaft. 

Cappadocia is a very touristy place and high on the bucket list is the hot air balloon rides around the area, viewing all their stacks and rock formations and mostly their interesting 'fairy houses' which are caves excavated from the stacks, they look very much like a cone castle made by dripping wet sand into piles and are now home to hotels and restaurants. I got up to watch the balloons at 6am and watched as around 75 hot air balloons glided around dipping in and out of the valleys. Its a very picturesque area and the rock formations remind me very much of the Grand Canyon where you can see the different layers of coloured rock stretching through history.

Before leaving we had to take part in the obligatory Turkish Night with all the food, drink and dancing needed to keep our spirits high over the following alcohol free countries. As we continued east we visit Nemrut Dagi, a mountain over 6000ft with huge statues at the top dating back to 1000BC. Some of them have suffered from the weather but all are in remarkably good condition and are made up of huge boulder bases, bodies and then heads on top. They're massive versions of a child's toy where they have to match up the right body with the right head and shoes.

We've driven through Gule Gule and near Batman and camped at Lake Van, high in the hills and surrounded by mountains which played host to our night's entertainment. Around 11.30pm the thunder and lightening began and it bounced around the mountains all night, still going strong when we left the lake at 7am the following morning, we didn't get much sleep but at least there was something to watch.

We drove through Kurdish towns and cities including one which had been devastated by a large earthquake within the last few years, some are still living in temporary housing and rubble takes the place of what used to be homes and shopping centres. The landscapes are still very beautiful, especially in the mountains but it's sad to see the rivers and streams lined and clogged up with litter. The fields are worked by bent over locals, sheep and goat herders are dotted around the landscape with their flocks. The friendliest looking people in the east are the soldiers manning their posts, I've never seen so many tanks as I have since I arrived in Turkey. Our final stop in Turkey is fairly close to Mount Ararat, from here we go to cross the border into Iran. Say goodbye to alcohol, goodbye to Facebook, BBC, Google and blogging, say hello to our hejab and being covered from head to toe day and night. We also have to give the truck a good clear out to make sure there are no offensive items left on board, several books and magazines have been thrown out for mentioning religion or bad words or having pictures deemed risque, decks of cards binned or hidden. It's going to be different.

Turkish kebabs

Leaving Istanbul I took the plunge and offered to navigate the way to Gallipoli. This means I leave the main part of the truck and sit up in the cab with the driver for the entire day reading out the pre-printed directions, keeping an eye on the road signs, chatting to the driver and not falling asleep! Luckily enough when we neared the campsite the driver recognised it from last time and knew the way leaving me delightedly idle for the latter part of my directional duties. Half of the truck went to the overnight Anzac memorial for the dawn service and the other half of us stayed behind and reacquainted ourselves with our tents, a most enjoyable reunion after 3 nights in a 30 bed dorm with drunken Germans waking us up at 3am!! Who would have thought that I would rather be in my tent than a dorm bed.

Over the last couple of weeks we have had a couple of leisurely days in some relaxing beach campsites as well as some bushcamping in a couple of lovely spots. Wherever we go the locals always come to say hello, some just do a slow drive by but others are very friendly, we were given a big bag of fresh eggs by a lovely man who couldn't speak a word of english, another bush camp saw us being serenaded by 2 men and their guitar who arrived, sat near us singing and strumming and then left. We've also had plenty time driving around the country and enjoying some of the stunning scenery that Turkey has to offer. From snow tipped mountains to tiny mountain villages with tight roads that we had to drive through very slowly causing traffic delays where they have probably never existed. As usual the locals stop what they're doing and gaze at us open-mouthed as we meander by, one old lady was sitting my the roadside and casually pulled her feet out of the way of the back wheels as they sliced off the tightest part of the corner. The truck also commands extra attention as it slowly makes its way up the tight meandering roads that guide us through the mountains and along the coastal hillsides.

We have visited various Roman ruins on our travels, first up the ancient city of Troy (Troia) which consists of 9 layers of buried cities dating back through varying eras beginning as early as 3000BC. The most impressive ruins were at the site of the city of Ephesus. Here we could walk through streets of the ruined Roman city and admire what remains of their amphitheatre, library, church, tombs, hall, statues and my personal favourite being the public latrine. This consisted of a large public bath in the centre of the room with benches along the surrounding walls features holes dotted every half-metre or so which dropped into a trench below. All of this was made from marble and I found it interesting that these parts of Europe began with a sit down toilet facility (albeit shared with 20 other people!) and yet somehow progressed to the squat toilet, a form of toilet which just reminds me of the horrors of learning to use these as a child in France, while wearing flip flops! If anyone has not yet experienced the delights of a squat toilet imagine trying a bush-wee into a bathroom sink!!

While staying at a beach resort in Oludenuz most of us took the opportunity to go paragliding which is where you are strapped to a parachute and you jump off the top of a mountain. The wind conditions weren't ideal so our flights weren't as high or as long as we would have liked but the views were incredible and we still managed a good 15 minutes of gliding around in the sky above the hills and the sea. It's not as scary as it sounds, the drive up the mountainside was far scarier than the parachute journey back down!

That's us four weeks into our trip and we are still in Europe. One more week in Turkey and then we can head off into Iran. Tomorrow we have a 6am start and a 14hour drive to get to the next point of interest, lets see what goodies await us in Cappadocia!

Photos

Above are some of my photos, the top is a (sideways) view of the chandelier within the Church of Bones in the Czech Republic, next is Brahn Castle in Romania, famous for being considered the inspiration for Dracula. The latter 3 pictures are of Ephesus in Turkey, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Turkısh Delıghts

Leavıng Bulgarıa and Romanıa behınd we are struck by the dıfference between these EU countrıes and the others. Rural lıfe ıs so dıfferent, people stıll use horse/donkey and cart, fıelds are ploughed by a man and hıs donkey, dogs roam free all over the place but ıt´s a pleasure to drıve through these vıllages. On reachıng the Turkısh border the Bulgarıan sıde ıs covered ın lıtter whıle the Turkısh sıde was clean and manıcured ın comparıson. The leaders chose a smaller border crossıng of Lesovo ın the hope that ıt would be a quıck and easy to cross. To get there the roads were small and very bumpy (especıally ın the back of the truck) but past trıps have met lengthy delays and once the truck has was ımpounded for 2 days leavıng the group to contınue on publıc transport. As the vehıcle ıs so unusual ıt attracts alot of attentıon whıch can obvıously come wıth problems but on the whole ıt just gets gapıng stares and photos taken. One man stopped on the motorway to take a photo!

1st nıght ın Turkey was our fırst camp fıre so we dug a pıt and collected wood and then cooked dınner on ıt followed by toastıng marshmallows. To gıve and example of our current dıet we cooked sausage stew wıth mashed potatoes and mıxed veg. We are eatıng well wıth meat most nıghts and plenty veg. The fıre was reıgnıted ın the mornıng to make tea and toast. That evenıng a passıng goat herder came and sat wıth hıs herd and watched us for a lıttle whıle. The mosque sang out for prayer tıme at 5.15am whıch was perfect for us as ıt was only 10 mınutes before my alarm was due to go off.

An early start took us to Istanbul where we get to stay ın a hostel wıth real beds for 3 nıghts! I can´t belıeve we´ve been campıng for 2 weeks, I´m so used to ıt now I even sleep wıthout movıng so that extra layers dont slıp off and my pıllow doesn´t move from me through the nıght.
1st stop ın Istanbul was the Grande Bazaar whıch ıs massıve and supplıes every kınd of everythıng ıncludıng fantastıc smells of all the foods avaılable. All the gırls had to fınd suıtable clothıng for Iran, wadıng through streets and alleys of rugs and gypsy style weddıng dresses we eventually bartered ourselves some scarves and tunıcs and trousers. We may have got them cheaper ın eastern Turkey but need to wear them to the Iranıan Embassy to get our vısas and they´re also useful for vısıtıng mosques here. 2 of us wore them to the hostel and the guys from our truck dıdnt recognıse us. It´s goıng to be hot wearıng them all the tıme ın Iran but needs must, and we all have to wear them.

Other hıghlıghts of Istanbul ınclude the aromatıc and colourful spıce market, another market full of small anımals (mostly leeches!!) and the mosques. Our hostel ıs close large mosques, one ıs the Blue Mosque whıch ıs enormous and ıs named by the blue tıles decoratıng the ınterıor. It´s a must see on a trıp here and lıke all other mosques ıt sıngs out to the cıty at varıous prayer tımes throughout the day. A cheap ferry rıde crossed the contınental border ınto Asıa on the other sıde of Istanbul wıth some Turkısh tea on board, ıt was very pleasant. The cıty ıs very much alıve wıth people, tourısm has grown alot and there ıs no shortage of stalls and tea houses and places to pass the tıme. It feels lıke a very safe cıty wıth a lovely relaxed and frıendly atmosphere and at no poınt have I ever felt uncomfortable among the volume of people bustlıng around. Alleys of tea houses have lots of people sıttıng wıth shısha pıpes waftıng theır fruıty smells out ınto the aır. I smoked my fırst shısha pıpe whıch took some gettıng used to but was fun and free and tasted sweet.

Tomorrow we get dressed up for the Iranıan Embassy and then get back on the truck to head for Gallıpolı ın tıme for Anzac day memorıal servıce.

From Austria we drove to Hungary and set up camp in a lovely wooded campsite which has a disused tram station converted into a bar/ restaurant. Next to it is a chair lift which elevates you to a lookout point at the top of a hill with great views of Budapest and the surrounding valleys. Budapest boasts many beautiful buildings and is a pleasant city to walk around though much of it is graffitied and the buildings suffer badly from a lack of maintenance.

Another full day on the truck took us into Romania where the roads begin to deteriorate and more hills emerge. I was instantly fonder of Romania as you take a step back in time and seem an older way of life reappear. All the houses are smaller and have gardens with chickens and veggie patches. My tractor fetish is well fed here as there are so many old tractors dotted around, they always make me grin!! The houses themselves seem to defy gravity as the walls and rooves seem to be caving in yet the whole village is still standing! It's an alluring country, away from the cities. We set up camp in a farmers field bear Transylvania airport. As usual all the locals stop to stare as we go past, one little boy even did us a crazy little belly dance!

Next was on to Bucharest where we had our first evening together sitting outside without shivering and we had a wee party for the first truck birthday. 

We're now in Bulgaria for a day off in Veliko Tarnovo. The beer's cheap, the landscape is green with rolling hills and the weather is temperamental. I was fortunate to sleep through the wind last night but a couple of camping buddies were out in the middle of the night tending to their tent which was making a bid for freedom. It's been counteracted by a beautiful day today so we've been for a couple of hours walk. Still breaking myself back into the blogging, it's been a while since I've done this!

After a few teething problems here is my first blog!

Saturday 7th April, 6am... we met the truck, huge big orange 40 seater beast with only 22 passengers (19 to begin with) there should be plenty space for everyone. It's custom built with 8 lockers underneath to hold all baggage, camping gear, tools, food and kitchen equipment and a big 600L water tank. On top there're bus seats and an area for charging electrical items. There's no heating, no air-conditioning and no toilet, but there is a buzzer to communicate with the drivers cab. 1 buzz means 'toilet stop', 2 buzzes means 'photo stop', a solid buzzzzzz means 'emergency stop' while incessant short buzzes means 'toilet emergency!!!!'

First night we camped in Belgium in a farmers field we shared with horses. The friendly farmer gave us a couple of bottles of whisky to keep us warm, it was a very cold night camping. Next night we camped in a forest in Germany, somewhere around Erfurt.

From there we travelled to the Czech Republic to a campsite outside Prague for 2 nights with a full day in the city. The highlight was on the way out of CR when we visited the macabre Church of Bones in Kutna Hora which is extravagantly decorated with the remains of what's thought to be around 40,000 bodies. When soil from Jerusalem was deposited there hundreds of years ago people from miles around had their remains buried in the church grounds believing it to be holier than their own land. As thousands of bodies continued to arrive a blind monk started building bones into pyramids. 200 years ago the church was renovated and an artist commissioned to use the bones to decorate the church, the result is something of eerie magnificence. Huge goblets, an impressive chandelier and a coat of arms are among the pieces on display, along with 4 of the remaining pyramids first built by the monk. Skulls and bones cross-cross the ceiling in bands of decoration. Some of the skulls are those of fallen soldiers with holes in the bone where they've been struck down. A most interesting use of human remains, I was amazed by the artwork, well worth a visit.

Onwards then to Vienna for 2 nights with a full day to explore the city. Lots of impressive architecture and tasty food available, the most worthwhile for me being the huge cathedral in the centre of town, free to enter it is pleasant though busy to wander around, beautiful high stain glassed windows an high ceilings as expected. We also had the chance to meet an Austrian couple who will join us later.

So far we have travelled a lot, covering the expensive European countries en route to cheaper eastern countries. A travelling day typically starts at 5.30am when we rise and pack our gear away, breakfast is at 6am and we're on the road before 7am. We've split into groups of 3 for cooking duties and truck cleaning and cook group can sleep on the truck as they don't have time to pitch their tents, this is not always a bonus as the truck is cold and less comfortable but the option is there. It's a great mix of people, ages ranging from 20 years up to 69 years, there are 10 males and 9 females and 3 couples among those. Most are English though there are 2 Scottish girls, a Canadian girl and an Australian boy. We have an Irish boy joining us in Istanbul and an Austrian couple joining us in India. So far so good!!

Hello everyone,

Gemma :)

(well it's not like Janet is updating this thing!)