LAST TURKISH ENTRY

We have now spent just over three weeks in Turkey and have experienced radical changes in both the climate and landscapes, what a place started off from the border with Bulgaria through lush green landscape, very similar to the countryside of England, fertile farming land abounds in all directions, as we moved south the landscape becomes more rocky and tree line with huge greenhouses full of tomatoes filling the protected valley’s near the coast, and then moving on through to western Turkey across the high mountain ranges where the temperatures plummet. We have experienced highs of 28 degrees and full on frosts on the tents first thing in the mornings. Oludniz a resort geared directly at the English holiday maker with full English breakfast advertised by all the bars, not our sort of place but a walk from the campsite over to the ghost village is a real gem, with views over deserted bays and several wild tortoises just roaming over the path that we walk. lots of the group took the opportunity to paraglide from the top of Baba dagi which is taller than Ben Nevis down onto the beach, not something that Jan or I done because I had recently done this in Meribel on ski’s, while Jan is now having second thoughts and intends to do one later on this this trip if the opportunity arises after hearing the tales from the rest of the group. Olympos our next stop is a quiet resort that is built around the ruins of Olympos no building may be built here that is permanent, so all the accommodation is wooden huts (tree houses) if you count 18 inches off the ground as a tree house and not a bush house, very nice though they are about four times the size of our little house on the Prairie that we used to have back at High Road in Trimley mind you these are very nice with en suites and air con, not that it is quite warm enough for the air con just yet. Got my first & last swim in the Mediterranean here, very pleasant while Jan did some painting on the beach her first watercolour for ages. Went up to a place called the Chimaera that night, this is where gases coming out of the hillside spontaneously ignite very impressive, we looked hard for the transco man who was controlling the gas supply but we couldn't find him anywhere they hid him well.






Leaving Olympos we headed off for the Cappadocia area a region where different volcanic eruptions over the years have left rock formations known as Fairy Chimneys and also people have hollowed out the hillside to make homes, and even complete towns in them, we visited a few plus a complete underground city luckily the day we visited this it started to rain so we were better off underground instead of facing the cold damp English climate above. We also took a balloon flight, for both of us a first, and for anyone who knows Jan not one of her first choice things to do but she did manage after a hesitant start in which she spent two minutes clambering in, it was a bit of a climb the basket held 21 people, she panicked and jumped straight out clearing the basket in one leap because she felt to hemmed in, I’m pleased to say we were still on the ground at this point, after a little encouragement from the rest of us she re-boarded and our flight got under way very nice we got to a height of 1500 metres and the view was spectacular.

It was at this campsite that we bumped into the Oddessy Overland group they had left London two weeks after us and are heading for Darwin on a more northly route instead of going through Iran & Pakistan, the good news was the weather had been as bad for them as it was for us on the way down, we all went out for a Turkish night and just to help with the cultural interaction between the different countries I took the opportunity to introduce them to my famous Trimley break dancing technique as seen at the Orwell Ladies netball disco in years past, fortunately my head stood up to it and it was well received by all (Charlotte you would have been proud).
After this three night stop it was time to head off for three nights of bush camps one being at the top of Nemrut Dagi about 2000 metres high and with an approach road with a one in two incline and shear drops on the corners, needless to say camping at the top was fresh (freezing) but with getting up at four oclock the next morning and walking the last 200 metres to the summit to see the sunrise was a truly tiring experience but well worth it, of course only one of us actually got up and done it and your be very surprised to hear that it was me, and I’m still recovering !!!

BUSH CAMP TOP OF NERMUT DAGI

It was at the first of these three bushcamps that our head of navigation & communications (Jan) misplaced/lost her glasses which we hope will turn up on the truck somewhere in the future. From Nemrut Dagi we headed off for Dogibizuit a town only 30 km from the Iranian border this should have entailed a pleasant ferry crossing across a lake the unfortunate thing being that when we got there it wasn’t running, so it meant a three hour back track around the lake our first detour on the journey so far, not bad for an exploratory overland trip. It was on the last day of these bush camps that after a toilet stop our head of communications discovered she had left her phone in the loo after carefully removing it from her jeans to prevent losing it down the squat toilets, that one of our group had the misfortune of doing earlier in the trip, we were travelling up a narrow gorge road at the time and so Jacko had to turn round which he managed ,and luckily it was still there on our return so as preventing a major overhaul of the communications dept. This last road took us within a 100 miles of the Syrian & Iraq borders and we passed through several army checkpoints along the way I’m pleased to say we didn’t come under attack from any scuds or friendly fire from the Americans. Dogibizuit was our last stop in Turkey this allowed the ladies to go out and get there clothing ready for Iran as they have to be covered up for the duration of our time in Iran only the face and hands are allowed to be exposed, quite a morning rummaging amongst the bazaars until they all got kitted out. Dogibizuit altitude is actually higher than what we were at when we were up Nemrut Dagi which would explain why on our last morning in Turkey we woke up to find the tent covered in a thick layer of ice we will be pleased to get into Iran and hopefully some warmth.

HAIL STONES OUR LAST MORNING IN TURKEY.

To sum Turkey up we were surprised at the development going on across the country there certainly appears to be money available especially at the petrol stations where fuel is more expensive than in England about £1.30 a litre and 90% of the fuel stations are brand new, with facilities to match any 3 star hotel (very important when your an overland traveller). The good old Sherpa truck is a real big hit out here must be the lack of rain they don’t rust away so quickly & keeps all those mechanics in work repairing them, & what with income tax at 43% I don't think Turkey is on our short list of places to live. Well that just about covers our three weeks in Turkey we are looking forward to Iran and our next blog update.

Quick update due to lack of internet in Iran which we are now one week into, this blog update comes to you a little late but better late than never Iran going really well border crossing good, weather good, people very very friendly but will update you in next blog the Iranian special.