Before we get in to our latest update, here are some more pics from
our time in Cappadocia.
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| Quadbiking |
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| Anne W |
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| Nigel C |
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| The "evil eye" |
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| The crazy Capadoccia landscape |
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| Simon learning to weave a carpet |
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| Andrew P |
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| Jacq & Norm |
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| Paul S |
Norm’s birthday was a great occasion and a good excuse for an
almost-final get together and party before we all dispersed in Istanbul.
Pre-dinner cheese and wine, with some reminiscing about the past few weeks was
followed by a Cappadocian feast of mezze, salad, clay-pot dishes and
rice-pudding for dessert, as well as a birthday cake. Lots of food, lots of
fun, despite having to get up for an early start the next day.
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| Birthday meal |
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| Happy birthday Norm! |
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| Al |
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| Andrew P and Ann H |
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| Annie & Phil |
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| Mignon & Paul O |
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| Nigel C, Anne W and Mignon |
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| Nigel H and Ann S |
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| Norm, Simon, Teresa, Andrew E |
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| Phil, Annie, Andrew P, Carmel |
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| Teresa |
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| Toby & Paul S |
And so the time came as we approached Istanbul to cross the
Bosphorous and officially leave Asia, entering Europe.
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| Approaching Istanbul |
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| Crossing the Bosphorous - officially out of Asia now |
Istanbul is buzzing. Supposedly low season, the Sultanhamet area
where we are staying is full of tourists and locals alike. Traffic here is pretty
hectic, but there is a very efficient tram-way as well as metro-bus. Sweet
shops, restaurants, hotels, souvenir shops, cafes round every corner, along
with the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofia, Basilica Cisterns, Topkapi Palace, Grand
Bazaar, Spice Market, hammams – enough
to do and see to fill a few days easily. And unfortunately prices are more
European than Asian!
Our final official day in Istanbul was pretty wet but didn’t stop
people from seeing the sights and ducking into coffee shops, or bars, whenever
necessary to escape the downpours. Andrew P even found himself listening to a
sermon in the mosque, with a free cup of tea, a good way to sit down somewhere
dry and chill for half an hour!
And so on the 1st of December we toasted our journey from
Kathmandu to Istanbul. Approximately 13,594 km over land, and some over sea
too. 10 countries. 12 weeks. So many new sights, new faces, experiences had, food tasted, different lives
witnessed, things learnt.
Another Odyssey experienced.
Odyssey (n) ‘a long wandering or voyage, usually marked
by many changes of fortune;
‘an intellectual or spiritual wandering
or quest’ (Merriam
Webster Dictionary)
Happy travels.
