Here we are again folks --- last time we had climbed Nemrut Dagi and I felt that we needed a T shirt saying we had done so! – The guy in the hotel offered to write it on a white T shirt, if I had one!

We were (and are) feeling very lonely – only spoken briefly to some Germans and Americans at breakfast one morning. At the hotel in Kahta there were 2 coach loads of English – great, we thought – some conversation at last. ----- Not on your Nelly: they cut us dead - it was as if we didn’t exist. So snooty it wasn’t true. As you can see they really climbed up my nose! Any contact from you is greatly appreciated !

We left Kahta on Tues 4 Oct and had a good run though to Gaziantep on a ‘B’ road that had been suggested by the driver at the hotel. What a star, he said that it would be a good road surface and, for once Colin was able to get out of third and fourth gear. It also cut out 60k from the trip. We were stopped by a Military checkpoint with a Sarasen Armoured Personnel Carrier---- all the guys were armed – but we were waved through after stopping.

We now on the tourist strip and Colin is hoping that finding hotels is going to be easier from now on!

Fri 7 Oct and onwards to Alanya – on the south east Turkish coastline and very much a tourist area for Turks and Germans. This was again an horrendous drive through roads that were unmade, rubble and potholes. The coast road winds from being 20 feet from the sea, then up into the mountains where, more often than not, you are riding off road. No hotels or petrol stations and hard going. Colin had had enough--- we are tired and then we saw the weather forecast for the next few days ---- heavy rain and wind! ---- We are booked into the hotel here till Wed 11th and will see if the weather has improved by then. It’s an opportunity for Colin to rest as well.

cotton fields

We have reached the stage in the trip when it’s time to go home although we are in line with Cyprus here and St Petersburg or Sevastopol in the Crimea. So it won’t be a quick return. Colin reckons 6 more days in Turkey and then we hope to island hop from Cesme in Turkey to Chios which is a Greek Isle. Ferry from Chios to Athens. Ride across Greece to Patras and catch another ferry to Italy (either Bari or Brindisi) ------- then we are staying on the auto route to home!!!!! More to come ---

Total miles : 5012