Month: October 2016

MINDFUL TO AVOID ANY CHEESY, TABLOID WRITING, WE HAVE CALLED THIS NEXT BLOG SECTION …. TURKISH DELIGHTS! J

18th September

First day in Istanbul, we were keen to explore. This is a city of 14 million people. A bustling, exciting city where east meets west.  We’d positioned ourselves near Sultanahamet, the Old Quarter, and so we began our sightseeing there. We took in Topkapi Palace, the huge and impressive residence of the sultans and leaders of the ottoman empire down through the years. The tour of the palace and its surrounds gave us a great, vivid impression of life at the time in the ottoman empire and the grandeur enjoyed by the aristocracy. So much to take in though! After a few hours we were saturated with information and decided to make our way towards the bazaars! But first we stopped by the Blue mosque and ventured inside, donning some fine gear as seen in photo. Pay particular admiration to the flattering skirt Seb was given to cover his legs. Kim Kardashian would be jealous…. 😉

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 The bazaars are a sight to behold in Istanbul. All sorts of wares being sold. Bustling activity all around. So many colours, smells, sights. Trying to take in all the activity but at the same time avoid contact with the vendors. Not really possible. To cries all-around of “I want your money, Sir!” we were lured into shops and stalls of all sorts. Textiles, carpets, leather goods, chess sets, tea sets, bags, purses…. The list goes on!

The spice bazaar is a real treat for the senses. Enticing colours and smells everywhere. Stalls of spices, teas and sweets of all varieties. We tried plenty and picked up some Turkish delight and apple and traditional tea along the way. Have a look at what else was on offer. The Viagra tea is a big seller apparently! Works wonders I’d say!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GxRy5pbKEYs/WASGCw8E_XI/AAAAAAAAIVs/kMq7lFVk7Qk2uAEvylvRMog7vaOEgOjHwCCo/s144-o/20160918_151633.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341557299248498″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_151633.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jDJoMXo5BP0/V-1nFQUDPAI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/iE7SMK-22RgZuyhtt4KIrcwL6okUTPiqgCCo/s144-o/20160918_151628.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335833590756228098″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_151628.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ]

 After the bazaars, we hopped on a boat trip that went up and down the Bosphorus river. As the sun was setting at the end of the trip, we stopped off for a beer on the riverfront then made our way in a cable car to Beyglou, the trendy district on the hill. Here, we went for traditional Turkish mezes, washed down with the local tipple of choice, Raki. Some musicians happened to be sitting at the table next to us and a sing song ensued, making for a great night of fun, and a lucky insight for us into a traditional Turkish music session. See the video below.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y-9Ouk74NQQ/WASGC03rsVI/AAAAAAAAIVs/W52u36XyFLk7ariNcOHmX18UTSm_sVucQCCo/s144-o/20160918_223614.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341558354555218″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_223614.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2hd5vvvopcc/WASGCyOfzaI/AAAAAAAAIVs/0MUiRgdmA7E1XlM7Qjj4-uqh02Z1XTrNQCCo/s144-o/20160918_192311.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341557644938658″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_192311.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j5Zp2LAXiUQ/V_ALoQKBkSI/AAAAAAAAHDU/0DiHpXmcGbQfzVzWbOv0PDlizjpb56KagCCo/s144-o/20160918_190318.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6336577461869973794″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_190318.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V6RGWhfHeRE/WASGC9Oz_OI/AAAAAAAAIVs/nSy4buZsQ9wJEBwQudl_b2Xlfvwvq6g-gCCo/s144-o/20160918_190311.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341560599051490″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_190311.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WCTt0VC-oZE/V-1nFQ4ij9I/AAAAAAAAG4k/IL2ExKLfDkUJ01JAQc0R617oKZ-e-PwUACCo/s144-o/20160918_181904.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335833590909276114″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_181904.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HrICskolLX8/V-1nFfTNg3I/AAAAAAAAG4Y/8VlPQtV545ourBxn6Uh8Vo5humujWKFxgCCo/s144-o/20160918_181816.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335833594779239282″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_181816.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ha_zL2IOpjc/V-1nFWiM3qI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/lLCcSWV4baY16ORRVhD3BKpncdgv-D-wQCCo/s144-o/20160918_181506.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335833592426192546″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_181506.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p6gtDLZhoZg/WASGCw0RZjI/AAAAAAAAIVs/YWMpYrMXt84Eh2dpb5la9OdREsZoEs8QQCCo/s144-o/20160918_172846.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341557266507314″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_172846.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TbBQtWpZFs0/V-1nFdf3zhI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/SZYWbK-T2iMOSQU7m_JdP9IvQOn-yH7xACCo/s144-o/20160918_165916.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335833594295471634″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_165916.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G_wT3J9QX1U/V-1nFZoe-vI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/BLHeVx–VbUQgYhC4jGaADi5jySSISPwwCCo/s144-o/20160918_161211.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335833593257851634″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160918_161211.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ]

19th September

Another fun filled day in Istanbul exploring the sights and wandering around the bazaars. We ventured into the Hagia Sofia, the very famed mosque, now a museum, which was constructed as a Christian Basilica during the Byzantine empire and was converted to a mosque when Constantinople was conquered by the Ottomans.  There is therefore both Christian and Muslim paraphernalia throughout…. weird and interesting, and a very impressive building!

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 There was more wandering to be done around Sultanahamet, through the cobbled streets and bazaars in the afternoon. we resisted buying all the tempting clobber…. where would we fit it in the van after all? We did buy a backgammon board though, in Turkish style, and then found a bar where Seb taught me the rules, and I swiftly annihilated him J

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 For dinner we wandered through the fish market on the banks of the river, and sat in the small restaurant, situated in the middle of the market, and ate the finest (and cheapest) fish we’d had in a long time! This place is a must visit if you like fish and end up in Istanbul!

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 We finished up with some shisha smoking and Raki sipping, in true Turkish style J

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20th September

As mentioned earlier, Seb’s computer had packed in when we were in Bulgaria, and we had been unsuccessful at finding anyone who could repair it or even find out what the problem was.  With an essay deadline looming, and a blog not updated for weeks, we devoted a day to sorting this problem out. What a giant faff! We went from small street shops, to mall superstores, and ended up crossing the length and breadth of Istanbul (at rush hour) to get to the manufacturers office. We were assured we would get sorted here. Alas, this was not so! The guy here couldn’t help us. Feeling dejected and wet (it suddenly started to lash rain out of the heavens), we got a kebab, and decided to drive towards the hills to park up in a quiet spot for the night. En route we saw a small little computer repair shop. Seb was keen to have another go, so he got out to chat to the guys in the shop. They ended up being most hospitable and welcoming. Despite no shared language skills, we managed to communicate by sign and ended up with cups of tea in our hands and them switching on some old Colin Firth film on their big cable TV in the shop…. just like home J. They couldn’t solve the problem there and then, but promised a solution by morning. So we made for the remote hills overlooking the city and set ourselves up for a quiet night’s sleep. I should mention here, that a quiet night was our main objective after 3 nights in the Istanbul car park, where we’d endured late night shenanigans in the form of ghetto-blasters playing dodgy music, vendors selling pretzels and fishermen having shouting matches at each other in the mornings…. all a bit hectic. And some homeless passers by causing trouble in the mix too. Lots of fun and games. The lonely hills were a welcome change!

21st September True to their word, the computer was fixed and we hit the Istanbul highway, bound for some ancient history and coastal waters. Our aim was to reach the coast, and stop whenever we ran out of steam. We passed Gallipoli and parked up late in the evening in a small stretch of sandy coast that we found a few kilometres off the main road. The town had restaurants and sun loungers, but was completely deserted, apart from us and a couple of restauranteurs and shop owners who hadn’t yet shut down for the end of season. We found one cosy bar, and enjoyed delicious fresh fish there before parking up for night.

22^nd September: We made our way towards Cannakale this morning and ferried across the peninsula to get to the ancient city of Troy. We took in the ruins and then of course horsed around in the wooden horse…. Had to be done J. That night we stayed in a harbour town further along the coast and sampled lots of tasty kebab.

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23rd September

Our mission this morning was to work out which gas we could use to cook in the camper in Turkey. It varies from country to country; some countries don’t sell gas, some with the right gas but the wrong connectors etc. etc.  Seb can tell you an interesting storey about it some time you have an hour (or three) to kill 😉 This produces a problem when you run out, and are dying for a cup of tea! In the end we found it in the “gas shop”- it didn’t occur to us that there might be a shop dedicated to selling gas and associated paraphernalia!  The nice lady inside helped us find the right thing and we even managed to get another cup of tea from her while we waited J

We drove further south to Ephesus to check out the ruins of this ancient, lost city. These were a very impressive sight. This city had been rebuilt over and over again down the ages, from the far BC’s. Libraries, temples, churches, theatres, baths, bedrooms were all on display. Most impressive, I felt, was the toilet facilities! Referred to as the latrines, it seems these people shared a very uninviting stone, square room in which to get rid of their business. There was seating around the room. Why you might want to sit here and have the chats is beyond me altogether, but different strokes for different folk J

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 Later that evening, we found a sandy beach south of Selcuk to park on and cook ourselves a nice dinner (with fresh market fish) which we ate while the waves rushed in. The police noticed us, a lone van parked on the beach. They drove up, ‘what are you doing here?’. ‘Holidays’ we retorted. Big smiles from them, ‘enjoy Turkey’. It seems the word ‘holidays’ is the word to get you out of any sticky situation with police we have learned J

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September 24/25th

We drove south to the beautiful fishing and sailing town of Fethiye on the south west coast. This is a beautiful, pretty town well worth a visit. We had a run on the marina and then drove south and by chance, found the most amazing, secluded and beautiful beach, hidden away below the hills of the stunning Lycian coast route. Have a look at the photos! We parked up on the pebble beach and enjoyed two days of swimming, sunbathing and barbequing on the rocks, with hardly any other visitors about… heaven!

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 September 26th

Reluctantly, we left our beach and drove south towards Oludeniz. This place is a bit of a costa-del-sol job (you’ll see from photos). But there were things to do around it, and places to see, so we added it to the itinerary. First we walked part of the famous Lycian Way, and then we parked up in a carpark and checked out the main drag in Oludeniz.

What a place! Prices in pounds everywhere. Check out the breakfast menus on the restaurants…. Aldi beans people (are they even a thing?!) Tesco sausages! What more could you want for?!

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September 27th

The fun thing about this town is that it’s the main hub for paragliding in Tukey. The huge cliffs and jaw dropping views lend themselves to this. So we signed up and got in a minibus and made the long vertical ascent to the top. This was scary! You’re tied to an instructor, but you have to voluntarily run off a cliff edge that’s a thousand metres above the sea below you. Hopefully these videos/photos upload properly. Totally worth it. Great fun!!!

After coming down from the paragliding, (both physically and emotionally J), we drove south in search of more secluded beaches. Anything we could find close by was shut off to the public, so we settled on a small car park, unsure where we were. It was pitch dark by now. We cooked up some food and then nodded off.

September 28/29th

We woke to find we had parked at Butterfly Valley. This was the start point to a canyon trek which was well frequented by tourist hikers. So we thought we’d better do the hike too. It was a lovely 2 hour hike up and down the valley, with great views and not to mention a beer at the bottom. No butterflies mind you…. not one! Returning to our parking spot we noticed a small hotel perching from the cliff tops. It looked totally idyllic with views of the valley, small cute cottages and even an outdoor pool. We wandered in to use the Wi-Fi, and after a chat we were told we could park up on the grounds, use the pool and showers and all the rest, and the offer of a cheap dinner and breakfast deal was on offer if we wanted. We really couldn’t say no! We were drawn particularly by the freshwater pool and, wait for it, a warm shower. It had been quite some time since we’d had this indulgence. 18 days if I’m honest! Don’t get me wrong, we had lots of sea dips, and we used a jug and water to improvise a make-shift shower along the way. But you can’t beat the real thing J.

Anyway, the swim and shower were divine, as was the delicious dinner he served up! Hotel Montenegro, at Butterfly Valley. Can’t recommend enough. So good we stayed a second night!

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The second night followed on from a boat trip we drove back to Oludeniz to catch. This was a day long trip we were coerced into by a ticket seller on the beach. 5 euro, with lunch included! We couldn’t not go! It turned out to be a great day. Jumping off boats, snorkelling, swimming in the turquoise seas, eating some tasty fish, and watching the Turkish holiday makers get groovy to the sound of some local tunes on the booming boat stereo…. good fun J

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mFk7apDvXQ8/WASGC2kV3OI/AAAAAAAAIVs/h4pnpq3RLGEiLBa2kXD2osTZv41fJxY9QCCo/s144-o/20160929_171720.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341558810303714″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160929_171720.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Cfhf5mrPC4U/WASGC41UKpI/AAAAAAAAIVs/VmSMS8iXCesNZq4ZrJasNP9BVCr2ErfbACCo/s144-o/20160929_120040.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341559418366610″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160929_120040.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ]

September 30TH

We drove on further south, this time towards Antalya. This was a long day’s slog behind the wheel, but some awesome views along the breath-taking south coast! The highlight of this day was Seb finishing and submitting his essay for his Masters course, which he had been chipping away at for the previous few weeks. Good to get that out of the way! We made our way towards Olympos and settled on the beach in the pretty town of Cirali nearby. Then we had some Bulgarian brandy to celebrate the submission J.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D9esNBt6lpM/WASGC_AM7XI/AAAAAAAAIVs/onNkOjBE1gI6rdUaNwYI8U3HaIK_Up0kQCCo/s144-o/20161001_094234.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341561074642290″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161001_094234.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zAKplopVIdU/WASGC1fdFFI/AAAAAAAAIVs/UQYi-zfTn7UbijOlrZFcyXqlOyfsnDZDACCo/s144-o/20161001_094040.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341558521369682″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161001_094040.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tLaPEVgVT2w/WASGC5szj6I/AAAAAAAAIVs/HU6vX_pjuU4GFWaPODruTjutFeoG-A1AACCo/s144-o/20161001_092808.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341559651110818″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161001_092808.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-H7Q5ubfGZx8/WASGC38DB1I/AAAAAAAAIVs/d9Nil8z0wBEAwuMpth3A6MmpQGj2xtRnACCo/s144-o/20160930_170629.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341559178168146″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160930_170629.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ]

October 1st

We awoke to a fine October in Cirali, with soaring temperatures. Almost too hot! J One last dip in the sea and then we drove inland, destined for the city of Konya, home of the whirling dervishes. This is a traditional Turkish Muslim ceremony, which takes place in the huge and very modern Islamic centre in Konya. It involves some musicians and about 20 dancers, who live like monks and are devout worshippers of Allah. The wear red, white and black cloaks, and spin in circles as musicians play and passages are read from the Koran. Really, really unusual and fascinating to see. Video below! Not being familiar with Konya, and it being dark, after the show (which was totally free I might add!), we parked up outside the Hilton and availed of their Wi-Fi while slowing nursing two extortionately priced bottles of Effes beer! Then we parked up for the night, just outside the carpark on a side road/taxi rank. No-one seemed to mind anyway. Or at least, they never told us if they did J.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2MmW9_DLmYU/WASGC6EcnDI/AAAAAAAAIVs/41K4LSaSCXMWovcX5QwFDnnQQAN9UEvHgCCo/s144-o/20161001_193512.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341559750270002″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161001_193512.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XkqVoAaF3M4/WASGC8b2JFI/AAAAAAAAIVs/jBM7u7MnW0wOdBF44Wi-29BR5yZd4N2_ACCo/s144-o/20161001_193422.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341560385283154″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161001_193422.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

2nd October

We hit the road early this morning, eager to get to our destination, Goreme in Cappadocia, where we had a hotel booked to stay in!!! We were very excited about this. It had been a while since we’d had such a luxury. And they’d had showers there too for sure…. oh joy!J  Cappadocia is a really, really cool area in central Turkey, where there are the most unusual of rock formations. And where in ancient times, people lived in caves in the rocks. Entire cities existed underground and were built and extended to protect the resident Christian populations from invading Arabic and eastern Muslim groups in the region. We decided to visit one of these ancient cave towns. Now en route to the town, we had a little logistical set back in the form of a flat tyre. Squashed to non-existence on the axle. Not a hope of salvation L. Luckily I had the skills to solve the dilemma, and could guide Seb through the changing of the tyre J

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xRnqELq0jzY/WASGCwTwKiI/AAAAAAAAIVs/553q1SpPDhIZq5OsMCZpllFOY8uJ2lmvACCo/s144-o/20161002_142327.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341557130111522″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_142327.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mUrIYTDnUQA/WASGC1TajwI/AAAAAAAAIVs/9JzTbs68_ggRj8Qi3cHvLWVRNiAP9NoTwCCo/s144-o/20161002_142139.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341558470872834″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_142139.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YpP-wkveqEw/WASGC7nswZI/AAAAAAAAIVs/HjmxCV2t70wgG4PkNgRr1-1ggLjjJx3PwCCo/s144-o/20161002_142125.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341560166564242″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_142125.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CmO7KW8Ek2w/WASGCzB0_PI/AAAAAAAAIVs/pSzag_ytwVYFjd4ZOD4MfFRuat1LqVcfACCo/s144-o/20161002_141016.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341557860236530″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_141016.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U1aO4D-7lOg/WASGC5wRZiI/AAAAAAAAIVs/Dq4CZ60jtKog1SgJfoclK1cfKWAXGVAhQCCo/s144-o/20161002_122635.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341559665649186″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_122635.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ]

 Luckily he’d picked up a spare before we left London in August. Not just a pretty face 😉 . So with our new tyre, we journeyed on to the cave town. This was fascinating. To imagine how entire villages lived, for months, in these confined circumstances was really something of amazement. They had their livestock with them in the caves too! Interestingly, they managed to make wine down in the caves too…. man’s priorities clearly were, then, precisely the same as they are to this day J. See the photos below. Those things which look like urinals were in fact wine tankards. Seb was perfectly proportioned for the caves… fitted right in in! J

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pyh5osMVs_U/WASIadYmKnI/AAAAAAAAIWE/w2xzQWe8z3YaGnLf8Yz5kf22LP-5plQ6wCCo/s144-o/IMG-20161017-WA0009.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342344163390270066″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20161017-WA0009.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cv27OqKwA5Q/WASGC26NztI/AAAAAAAAIVs/NK5Mf4YeHt0fnDfzxJcmeHajuiDlSpdGwCCo/s144-o/20161002_155927.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341558902050514″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_155927.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ESPptzpbrhQ/WASGC9ZbJPI/AAAAAAAAIVs/5sam6gEZySsBUsWDBY8suQeF9TUgYEwrQCCo/s144-o/20161002_154536.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341560643560690″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_154536.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9pl6MtMYZA0/WASGC_eeK3I/AAAAAAAAIVs/6umZb8J41UkYiepVsjdKS4d2I8axv-UjACCo/s144-o/20161002_154518.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341561201601394″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_154518.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bxEnXNMsTf4/WASGCx7nZWI/AAAAAAAAIVs/1c8E0BKwTl4-1X7FkyjU-RSPt5rvodSwwCCo/s144-o/20161002_154250.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341557565744482″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_154250.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CSnVOXUDuos/WASGCy1DW5I/AAAAAAAAIVs/RZx7Cjs_744YIcQU2cx0GV7JdA1TuOAqACCo/s144-o/20161002_154150.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341557806652306″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_154150.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RxNNf5ozblI/WASGCzTnDbI/AAAAAAAAIVs/at3SvNWFtagGztEsmKEIarqwdtEF2QiNwCCo/s144-o/20161002_153900.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341557934820786″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_153900.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PiQyHpAY_2s/WASGC1hCX2I/AAAAAAAAIVs/FhiqBpOol08JIBoLg3Fxb7MIAptE3WeNQCCo/s144-o/20161002_153340.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341558528008034″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_153340.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c17coliWJqs/WASGCzQgIFI/AAAAAAAAIVs/yFSWFg1r-boBJPSoK7G3dF9FnkFZHIuZwCCo/s144-o/20161002_153125.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341557921783890″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_153125.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

 We later reached Goreme, and settled into our most awesome cave room! Have a look at pictures! It was once the chapel, and at a later time the pigeon coup in the cave in which it was built! It was beyond cool! Also, really comfy and cosy! And, of course, the hotel surrounds were heavenly and lovely with a little pool, a balcony with splendid views of the town, and some primo hot power showers J . We had pida for dinner. This is local cuisine of pizza bread covered in cheese and various other tasty bits…. yummy! Then some drinks and tea before bed.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WarB36AF82E/WASGC8Y7uII/AAAAAAAAIVs/LHvVV6IHcKc59fIAc4tEB3DbQlxwoikcgCCo/s144-o/20161003_131309.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341560373065858″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161003_131309.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rrDvxQhzMWs/WASGCwpkntI/AAAAAAAAIVs/comfOIX_f_sJ-FbEa-PZObpLHT-blD9fACCo/s144-o/20161003_112836.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341557221629650″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161003_112836.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pOVayBkun6M/WASGC0bUYMI/AAAAAAAAIVs/OgQ4pJLeis063M0oGF0GAzrPX8YSygPDgCCo/s144-o/20161003_112743.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341558235586754″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161003_112743.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-83kZBsKmB0A/WASGC3arVEI/AAAAAAAAIVs/1WJCUrKYYuohywNKhNH4TFQYx32oP3C3ACCo/s144-o/20161003_112737.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341559038202946″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161003_112737.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nSimt9n6j7w/WASGC0SPBLI/AAAAAAAAIVs/j-_e2ILWIaIy5zgH_QG93aLGALp7vclUACCo/s144-o/20161002_162534.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342341558197486770″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161002_162534.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

October 3rd

We got up at the crack of dawn to see about fifty hot air balloons take off into the sky at once! This is a beautiful, beautiful sight! A dawn balloon ride is a phenomenon lots of tourist come to the region to enjoy. We chose to watch instead of balloon ourselves. Far cheaper! J

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 We then set off to cover some more miles on our journey across the gigantic country of Turkey. En route we needed to replace the broken tyre so we once again had a spare.  Either we payed far over the odds or the owner was very friendly.  In any case the chai, cigarettes and stories of England were flowing once again J

We powered on along the road, until we could drive no further! Exhausted and so far off the beaten track that even the traffic police don’t bother showing up for work here (see photo:)), we gave up as we came near a very, very tiny, very, very rural town in north east Turkey. We picked up some groceries, then found a parking spot in the surrounding hills and made our dinner. An impromptu sing song and drinking session followed on well into the night. Sometimes you’re just in a party mood J

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 October 4th

A wee bit weary and hungover, we drove onwards for the day, passing into more and more remote territory as we went. By the time we reached the northernmost past of Turkey, near the border with Georgia, we decided it was time to stop. It was already after 8, and border crossings can take hours upon hours, so better to settle for the night and cross in the morning. We found a quiet spot on the outskirts of town, nestled in some trees, near but not adjacent to some houses. I got in the back and started getting some dinner ready. All of a sudden we heard this atrociously loud, haunting wail from outside the van. It was like a banshee on Halloween night or something. We pieced together that it must be an old woman, coming down from her house to move us along off the site. Seb went out to chat with her J What ensued was priceless. She wailed loudly, more and more so as he approached. I followed and tried a smiling technique (actually Aoife cowered in the van…). That wasn’t working either. Seb gesticulated and spoke calmly in a hope of gaining her trust. He then told her, ‘I am English. Tourist.’ The wail reached its pinnacle and we swiftly turned on our feet, shut the doors and left for dust. The wail continued until we were a good distance away! We eventually found a quiet spot a mile further on and slept there and calming down after the commotion! In the morning we had visitors again…. this time another old lady but looking down at the van with more friendly curiosity J. We made our way to the border crossing. There was a bit of a queue forming so we started to cook up some porridge and have breakfast. We then sailed through the Turkey exit, but not before being handed chocolate cakes by the border guard! … Turkish hospitality seems to know no bounds J.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O0Ea57rzgqg/WASHeo1tyfI/AAAAAAAAIVs/4BsJqFR-MbA2KQc4ld4X-eBBejx1umY-gCCo/s144-o/20161005_100216.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342343135673043442″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161005_100216.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oBCumRJ09oc/WASHevXwXmI/AAAAAAAAIVs/-zDx2i1Dgqku8SihfZ87hNTc6nfWvjIqACCo/s144-o/20161004_185340.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342343137426431586″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161004_185340.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JXrvHWx9ydA/WASHegx4c_I/AAAAAAAAIVs/a5d9ynlWoMkjft5H0VbomleEUrQtIpV_ACCo/s144-o/20161004_173954.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342343133509481458″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161004_173954.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qseK5zvIpJ4/WASHeg61aZI/AAAAAAAAIVs/g_scsAfDEuoqfBv4UOHxajGwFggHvjzAgCCo/s144-o/20161004_171929.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342343133547030930″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161004_171929.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EXSr-DYKxDI/WASHesRrmvI/AAAAAAAAIVs/R7y5D2da0j0Efv76SA3UXjgHzrLWq–TwCCo/s144-o/20161004_171927.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342343136595647218″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161004_171927.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

And the next thing we heard was, ‘Welcome to Georgia!’ J

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-B-WvM9SJTlI/WASHeptB2nI/AAAAAAAAIVs/BopjHw9O_UI9qJfB1p22Mm7KJbBkqrUyQCCo/s144-o/20161005_105526.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342343135905045106″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161005_105526.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qat6tVJaWzM/WASHett8U5I/AAAAAAAAIVs/y9gx0YiQm8oXe4Bq4uxzGOyAkiGV5yw4gCCo/s144-o/20161005_104622.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6342343136982619026″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161005_104622.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

September 7th

An early start coupled with the realisation that Bulgaria is two hours ahead (so by the evening we’d be feeling the 4am start) made it a grumpy start to the morning!  Our flight was connecting through Charleroi and we had 6 hours to kill there- may as well go and check the place out.  We took the bus into town and grabbed some lunch.  First shock- 15Euro for a salad!  Welcome back to western Europe!  We had no choice but to sleep the shock (and the early start) off in a park.  The sun was warm, the beer cold and music good J  We got our evening flight into Dublin arriving fit for sleep….but with serious logistical challenges ahead…

Our emergency passports covered for us to transit through 5 countries, and we had been through five since Montenegro! There would be no return travel without new passports so we had to get to our respective passport offices in person for urgent appointments we’d made the following morning at 9am. This was Dublin for me, and Belfast for Seb! A serious task before getting to the wedding on time, in Meath for 3 in the afternoon! More blockades to come! ….Dublin bus drivers picked that day to be on strike, and we hadn’t sorted out the right car insurance for Seb…  We had to rectify this with a rental car and the use of a bicycle 😉

I visited the local police station to have my new passport application form stamped before my appointment. I produced my emergency British passport to the Garda/policeman behind the counter. He examined it curiously.

‘So….you sold your soul to get home then??….’

‘I had no choice garda’, I pleaded. ‘ There was no Irish embassy in Montenegro’

‘Look’, he retorted, shaking his head, ‘it is what it is!’

Couldn’t argue with that. He stamped the application for me anyway, leaving me to ponder my infidelity, and the sacrifices you sometimes have to make 😉

 

September 8th

I (Seb) took off in the rental car for Belfast at the crack of dawn.  Suddenly driving towards Belfast the radio announced that the city centre was closed due to an “incident”.  Traffic slowed to a crawl and the minutes ticked away.  Eventually the car was dumped in a car park about a mile from the passport office.  I’d run the last mile no problem.  Second serious shock of the week- 6 weeks of van living had robbed me of fitness and I arrived hot, bothered and exhausted at the passport office (and 10 minutes late).  With visions of being sent away I offered my profuse apologies, to which I received raised eyebrows and a “sure, no problem.  Sit down and wait over there”.  After a short interview, I was upgraded to the 4 hour turnaround service J  I’d make it to Meath by 3 and have time for a fry up whilst I waited.  Result!

Aoife cycled to the Dublin offices, got sorted and made her way up to Ciara and Shane’s house for her lift to the wedding.  We got ready en route, and Seb walked in just ahead of the beautiful, slightly late bride…..phew J   We had a fantastic, fun filled day and night in the beautiful surrounds of Clonabreany House in County Meath.  Great company, and good times celebrating the marriage of two awesome people, Juliene and Shane! Congrats and thank you for the great day out 😉

After being confined to just each-others company for the best part of six weeks it was great to eat, drink and dance with fresh faces J

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The astute amongst you will have note we’re wearing the same clobber that we wore in Frankfurt a few weeks ago (although Seb changed his tie- apparently this is important…)  This is all the formal wear we could justify bringing with us in the van in fairness. We’re glad to be free of the bulky suit bag now….but we’ll struggle if any more formal occasions arise J

 

September 9th

 

After a good recovery breakfast, we set off for Dublin, picking up my (Aoifes’) new passport along the way! There were post wedding celebrations that night of course, gold standard of a good Irish wedding.

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September 10th

We awoke the next morning a bit tired and hungover.  Two days of revelry back to back had taken its toll 😉  We headed back to Dublin airport for the short hop to Stansted for our connection flight to Sofia.  After an argument with security about the “European Law” stipulating only one plastic bag for your toiletries/liquids, we got ourselves a nice dirty lunch and some punchy coffee to sweep away the cobwebs.  Finally back in Sofia, we enjoyed a couple of 1Euro welcome back beers (thank heaven for Bulgarian beer prices!) and settled into Seline for one final night chez Ibis hotel.  We were relieved to find Seline alive and well, and quite frankly she was probably delighted for the space and break away from us for a few days 🙂

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September 11th

Time for some sunshine again! We drove east, bound for the Black sea. We made it as far as Veliko Tarnova, a medieval old town in the centre of Bulgaria. We had some delicious traditional meaty bites here and good Bulgarian wine, and slept soundly down by the riverbank.

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September 12th

We took to the road early and landed at the coast near the port of Varna in trepidation of what we might find- beach side paradise or over developed holiday hell?  We ventured north a little and found what can only be described as the equivalent of Shagalluf J

This wouldn’t do at all… we drove on again, through a small town and down a dirt road that appeared to lead to nowhere.  Suddenly it opened up and we were on a glorious beach!  We parked up about 50 metres from the shore. There was soft white sand stretching on for miles and the place was deserted, apart from a couple of funky beach shacks serving beers and food.  We called into the closest bar to see if we could park in exchange for buying dinner.  They wouldn’t give permission (apparently wild camping is technically illegal in Bulgaria) but made it clear that there would be “no problem”.  The alternative was a travellers halting site about 100 metres away, fully furnished with piebald ponies and horses (see photo) J  . We settled in for the night and lapped up beer, sardines, and bluefish to the sound of the lapping waves J

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sf0bRZi1KEI/V-1nFSwusgI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/uLXjleaXhskqWQ03KL25H-7c4DsKlc9IACCo/s144-o/20160914_132204.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335833591413387778″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160914_132204.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zPnYef57utI/V-1nFbgfbOI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/r3zrZf5iQQAdrSjiE8gRD8XHVkpDknHowCCo/s144-o/20160913_194647.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335833593761197282″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160913_194647.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tnUePqJVDOQ/V-1nFQTNjCI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/syJUcr8gbxMv-ld26UP9lzU8kXtSrTOrACCo/s144-o/20160913_191940.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335833590752709666″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160913_191940.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PM5YW7tjPOE/V_AC4zud83I/AAAAAAAAG-s/rH3b5H6kMNY22LTRUWMvAauwuk3qVlUnwCCo/s144-o/20160913_191929.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6336567850691326834″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160913_191929.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Hl2M4yNcU5s/V-1nFemHACI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/wOJhwiQvrxkvJsyl3sDaoskziOUunTA6gCCo/s144-o/20160913_144903_001.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335833594590068770″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160913_144903_001.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

September 13th

It was lovely to wake again to the sound of these waves, and then jump straight in for a morning dip! Bulgaria’s East Coast seems to be the victim of some serious development in recent years, however, this beach seemed not to have been struck by massive tourist development as yet. It had many charms to it; the soft sand, the relatively few people, the old-man in the sailor hat, doubling as a lifeguard while minding his doggie, the lifeguard station falling over in the sand (possibly due to the robust size of said old-man lifeguard!), the arrival of another old man on a tractor to sort the problem out 🙂

Bulgaria also has the huge plus that it is incredibly cheap! In the evenings we had all we could eat and drink and rarely spent more than about 50lev (about 25 euro).  We therefore took a well-deserved break from cooking our own food!  After a day of sunbathing we enjoyed an evening stroll down the beach and had some more seafood for dinner.  We finished off dinner with some Bulgarian brandy (excellent) and a few games of cards.  Heaven!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lIVDmLnRO5s/V-1pQSUcRYI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/lLxSGDwCUZsBrLEVqipvN92KZNezdjbCwCCo/s144-o/IMG-20160929-WA0006.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335835979296556418″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20160929-WA0006.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V2yQ9UBNegs/V-1pQfSBb0I/AAAAAAAAG4Y/fCsLqv1FVj8Z0W9vAlvisXDp9aLhuMs6QCCo/s144-o/IMG-20160929-WA0002.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6335835982776069954″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG-20160929-WA0002.jpg” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DHG9tgw7bF8/V_AC45ugw1I/AAAAAAAAG-s/yc1-6nNKCWE0Sljele9slhm2kQTau-TDQCCo/s144-o/20160914_132046.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6321586539379131713#6336567852302123858″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20160914_132046.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ]

September 14th

The fridge in the van is what is known as a “three way” in that it works on 12v and 240v electricity or gas.  I bought it second hand but having run out of time in England preparing the van, I’d never got it working on gas.  Now that we weren’t driving as far every day the van batteries weren’t up to powering it anymore.  After another evening of coming back to the van to no lights because the fridge had drained the battery I vowed to finish what I’d started on the quayside in Split and fix it.  With visions of cold beer always available in the fridge I packed Aoife off to the beach for a sunbathe and set to work.  After dismantling the gas and cleaning the burner (a spider had made its home in there, no wonder it wasn’t working…) the little blue flame sparked into life first time.  Alas, it wouldn’t stay lit without holding in the gas knob.  From a little internet research, I was sure that the thermocouple was broken (this is a safety device which automatically turns off the gas if the flame goes out.  Kind of important!)  We therefore re-mantled, packed up and drove to the nearby town in search of the parts necessary to fix it.  Despite asking lots of locals (and being invited into someone’s house for beer to discuss the problem) the part proved impossible to find.  We were met with a lot of, ‘not in Bulgaria’.  This was somewhat disheartening since the part could be bought almost anywhere in the UK!  But we drove on south anyway, in search of another nice coastal spot. We came across Sozopol! This is a beautiful old harbour town, with spectacular views from a cliff fortress and a fun and buzzy atmosphere through the streets. We ate out in a cute cliffside restaurant and enjoyed more draught beers for a euro…. These one euro beers were a luxury we were soon to lose and lament the loss of deeply once we’d leave Bulgaria 🙁

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September 15th

We jumped from the Sozopol rocks into the clear blue sea this morning. A perfect wake-up exercise! We explored the town of Sozopol some more in the afternoon, the drive to the marina to watch the small fishing boats come in and out. We met an old Bulgarian man who was parked up down by the marina. He was in a real retro old camper. Seb and he swapped fridge stories- apparently he was having the same problem with his fridge and had solved it “Bulgarian Style” (using a piece of wood to hold in the gas knob, defeating the safety device).  Anyway he told us we should speak to the third camper owner (the guru). This was another older Bulgarian man who was parked up in his camper nearby. Unfortunately, the old guy had no English, French or German (the three languages which we can offer (low levels of each at that!)- he offered Russian or Serbian as alternatives in return…), and unfortunately our bilingual friend was nowhere to be found when we approached the guru for help…. The fridge saga would continue!

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We went for a run and a swim before sampling some more lovely local fish that evening.

The technical challenges were mounting- Seb couldn’t find the parts to fix the fridge and the laptop, which hadn’t worked since returning from Ireland, was proving harder to fix than expected (thanks Asus for making a special power adaptor connection which no-one else uses!)

Hence the blog delay folks…..at least part of the excuse anyway 😉

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September 16th

This was another day spent swimming and seeking laptop and fridge support. There was a lot of admin to catch up on also, and further trip planning which we had been neglecting. So after some laborious admin work we bought two lovely plump white fishes by the seafront for the princely sum  of three euro!! Bonito is the local catch here. Soft, flaky and succulent….in a word…..yummy! We cooked them up on the pan and then gobbled them up with some salad, veggies and local wine J

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September 17th

It was time to leave Bulgaria. We packed up once again and made for the border crossing into Turkey, with Turkish visas in hand. Now, for any of you who think you know all about bureaucracy this crossing was a faff and a half!  There were five separate checks to do.  The exit check from Bulgaria was a 45 minute queue!  Next, passport queue for Turkey- when we got to the window the border guard went off for half an hour with no explanation whilst the queue behind us backed up.  Next was the customs check where we had to get our greencard insurance.  Cards were not acceptable, and the only cash we had on us (ahem…. Rookie Error!….One should always have cash at borders….another lesson learned!) was some Pounds Sterling.  At first the insurance salesman was quite happy to take our Sterling as payment for insurance but once he saw the Northern Irish Twenties he changed his tune because they weren’t “real”.  We tried showing them pictures of our legal tender on google images but it didn’t help…. he was having none of it!! There was no way the Greencard office would accept our money and with the nearest cash point a 45 minute taxi ride away, this was a pickle!  But then all of a sudden we had a massive, unexpected stroke of luck. A German guy (who was also travelling in a campervan, which was the size of a house!) came to our rescue when he heard the kerfuffle. He offered to exchange euros for our sterling. What a kind gesture and a legend of a guy. We graciously exchanged, and then eventually, entered Turkey…not before the baggage check, and then the check-you’ve-been-through-all-the-other-checks check J

We finally made our way towards Istanbul with eager anticipation!

It was dark when we finally got to this giant metropolis of 14 million people. We had located some campervan parking at the dockside, and so we made our way here. It was strangely quiet, with no other campers. There were, however, a few shady looking characters hanging around their cars, with music on full blast and selling wares out of their boots. Selling what, exactly??….We didn’t get close enough to see. There was, however, a security guard overlooking everything. He assured us we would be safe as houses, and he wouldn’t be budging from his spot, so we camped up and went off for some late dinner. We crashed early after the long day.

And our security guard was true to his word. For three whole days and nights, anytime we passed, coming or going, there he was perched in his cabin, bright-eyed and bushy tailed! Hopefully he got himself a bit of sleep after we left Istanbul!

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