Last Day In Turkey… Finally…!!

I wanted to get all my admin out of the way before entering Syria, as I had heard that the internet connections there are “a little medieval” to say the least….

It had been more than 10 years since I last wore glasses, but all this map reading was playing havoc with my vision...!! So I bought these zany blue jobs in Cyprus... Cost me a whole €3.00...!! Outrageous...!!

I spent a full day on the Olba Hotel’s veranda, sitting at the same table I used the last time I was here… The hotel was deserted and I was again the only guest, although a couple came in during the course of the night and used the room next to mine for a few hours…

Judging by the noises coming from there, they had not indulged themselves in a game of scrabble…!!

In between emails, writing, editing and uploading, I took a ride into town to clear my head and found myself down at the harbour, where the wooden boat I had photographed three weeks ago, had undergone an amazing transformation…

Remember this photo from my first trip to Tasucu....??

Well, this is what it looks like now...!! Big Fella and I went over to do an impromtu inspection...!!

I told the guys working on it that I was pleased with the progress they had made, and that they would receive a special bonus if they could get the vessel into the water within the next few days…!!

The joke was on me, as they told me they were putting it into the water that very night, or at worst, the following morning…!! They were just waiting for the crane to arrive…!!

I went off to a nearby supermarket and bought them each a litre of Cola, telling them that this was as special a bonus as I could afford…!! They laughingly accepted my gift and were all smiles when they waved me goodbye…

Then I had an early supper at “my local”, and headed back to the Olba to get all my kit ready…

I was welcomed with open arms by the manager...!! I never did get his name, but then, he never got mine either...!!

I asked for a cup of coffee and a "plate of meat"... And that's exactly what I got...!!

I stood out on my balcony, thinking about the days ahead, and reminding myself that I would be going back into a Muslim culture that was not as relaxed as it was here in Turkey…

The sun sets on my last day in Turkey...

I received and email from Arno in Nepal, telling me that he thought my plan to ride to Aleppo in one day from where I was, was being a “little ambitious”…!! That sent me scurrying for my Mapsource program again, and hauling out the map of Turkey, rechecked the distances between Tasucu and Aleppo…

With about 480 km to ride and a border crossing to contend with, I knew it was going to be a bit of a challenge…

But then “Challenge” is just one of my 47 middle names…!!

©GBWT 2010