...The End

July 2006 - the sun sets and our journey finishes...











...for now

Favio

July 2006 - Favio wearing our lucky gloves that were given to us by the guy who runs a very nice cafe in Kusadasi. It does Irish breakfasts, properly delicious turkish food and the worst wine I have tasted for a long time. I couldn't bear to drink it and I'm not exactly fussy...

Fethiye

July 2006 - We only ended up with 1.5 hours in Fethiye because in order to get our connection in Aydin we had to leave at 1.30pm and we only arrived at midday! But we did damn well - the boatyard, the, erm, bus terminal in the middle of nowhere, the Lycian rocky tombs and the harbour (not pictured - seen one harbour, seen 'em all) and we even managed to get back early enough to use the loo at the bus station before heading off again.

Last Night in Olu Deniz

July 2006 - They light up the breakers at nighttime in eerie green light, which drew us like moths.

The Blue Lagoon

July 2006 - This is the place you always see from a paraglider's eye view and it really is gorgeous. We spent the whole day chilling and took a canoe out to go and explore the lake. The beach was packed but the water was so warm AND clean (lots of salt providing natural disinfectant maybe?) and pretty much empty in the middle of the lagoon. Next time we WILL paraglide as well....

Tonos Hotel Olu Deniz

July 2006 - We found the hotel by wandering round trying to find a different one recommended by the tourist information people. This was the first one that didn't try to make us share a bed, and was also very clean, modern and cheap. This is probably because the restaurant downstairs played loud music til late at night but we are both talented sleepers and weren't phased at all.

Arriving in Olu Deniz

July 2006 - It took us TEN HOURS to get to Olu Deniz by bus (compared with about five if we'd hired a car) but it was so worth it. N initially said it was like a poor man's Thailand (or possibly a rich man's, because it ain't cheap) but it won me over within 2 minutes of our arrival and N within a day. Unfortunately we could only spare one + two halves days in Olu Deniz/Fethiye so, erm, we spent all but 1.5 hours of it in Olu Deniz!

Mugla, somewhere

July 2006 - Out the window of the coach from Aydin to Fethiye.

My Foot

July 2006 - If you're squeamish, look away now. Too late? Oops, sorry. Anyway, I thought sharks might come and bite my leg off in Kusadasi harbour if they saw this, but on further thought, they probably wouldn't, would they? Unless they like carrion.

In the middle of nowhere

July 2006 - Well, it's not really the middle of nowhere but it's near enough to where I live for me to bike to if I want some peace and quiet, and I intend to keep it that way so I'm not going to say where it is.

Back Home

July 2006 - Anyone recognise that carpet?! Plus, Caught in the Act and Don't You Dare Come Near My New Kitchen With Those Charcoal Briquettes

P-P-Pink Panther

July 2006 - On the bus.

The Carpet Shop

July 2006 - I know it's a cliche and very scary but don't visit Turkey without visiting a carpet shop, preferably a big one in a posh place. A good seller will know lots of interesting things about the carpets and they are so beautiful to look at. A good seller will also take one sniff at you and know whether you are even slightly interested AND what you're worth so if you don't even have a floor but are highly suggestible and have an account with Coutts, beware.

Pamukkale

July 2006 - Pamukkale is hundreds of kilometes inland from Kusadasi but so famous that we were very keen to see it anyway. The nearest big town is Denizli which is also home to one of Turkey's top 4 football teams (Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Besiktas are the other 3), so we made our way there and hopped on a bus up to Pamukkale itself.

Pamukkale is an amazing landscape that looks like it should be in the arctic - drifts and terraces of pure white calcium, which oozes out of the mountainside, foams up and solidifies leaving these weird cascades. Most of Pamukkale is off-limits now because we keep wearing it down but there's a section you can walk on and bathe in - the pools are filled with this thick mineral goop which is very good for you, apparently. Or you can go down the hill and bathe in thick mineral goop in one of the spa hotels but you have to pay extra for that and it's not as picturesque.

One top tip: if you get the bus back from Pamukkale to Denizli, it goes back in a big loop that can take well over an hour, especially if your bus driver crawls along at walking pace and gets stopped by the police on the way.