We kayaked over a sunken Roman city, which was cool, and we had a chance to swim to along the way. The colour of the water is so beautiful...I can see why rich people buy yachts and sail around these parts...I kept hoping to meet someone who had one! The idea is great, the reality for one who gets seasick, not so good.

Although we had such a big day we were feeling pretty energised and up for a big night. We went looking in the shops, had a cheap dinner and then Kelly and I ended up having a dring and a Nagili pipe...you know the big water pipes. They have flavoured tobacco in them and you don't inhale. It isn't anything like the taste of cigarette smoke and we had a strawberry flavoured one. It was kinda silly, we were in this bar, sitting on cushions at the front with European tourists finding us amusing. We ended up bumping into more of the group and sharing a couple of pipes and some wine between us. Then we went dancing and went to a bar called Queen Bar which we had been warned was a gay bar, but locals claimed no...we met Arzu and Caz there and for a while had the place to ourselves and then it got really busy, with both gay and straight customers. lots of fun and Arzu met a guy there (our waiter) who we all agreed was seriously 'hot'! Anyway, it ended up being a bit of a crazy night of dancing with Kelly and I coming home at some ridiculous hour to pack for an early start in the
morning. Sleep is overrated right?!

From Kas we went to the next sea town of Fethiye which is on a harbour and has an interesting old town. We got there in the morning which was great and so had an afternoon to be free...we decided to catch a dolmus to SaKlient Gorge, which is quite an attraction in these parts for Turks too. It was a good hour on the bus and we had a great driver who really looked after us. Along the way, we picked up his wife who was a lot younger than him and so pretty, we all figured they were recently married, because they had they totally in love look, it was really sweet. When we arrived at the Gorge we had lunch in this buffet restaurant which had little jetties over the river, so we ate on cushions over the river, it was pretty relaxing. I was 'in charge' of this trip...honorary tour leader (because you know it has run through my mind more than once to look into this as a job...) The main attraction of Saklient Gorge is to walk through it, through water that is just above freezing because direct sunlight doesn't ever make it into the narrow gorge. We had to hire jelly shoes and then entered the park...my main concern given I was in charge was the posibility of someone breaking something (OK, I know, the only real risk was me breaking something...well, something else...) Luckily for us the water level wasn't too high, sometimes it can be waist deep, there are nothing but rocks in the river bed and the current is very strong. The Gorge was stunning and the walk a lot of fun. The guys, Dan and Anthony played a fairly wicked practical joke on me regarding the depth of the water (yes I actually believed Dan was standing in deep deep water and not actually kneeling in it...duoh!)

the next day was something we had all looked forward to on the trip, the chance to go to Oludeniz beach, a perfect half moon beach, white sand, blud water and the lovely lagoon. Of course, being the adventureous types, we decided against the soft option of catching the bus, we drove to an abandoned Greek village first and then hiked for 2 1/2 hours...god it was hot, and at one stage Oludeniz was alluding us (look, one person laughed when I said it...!) and eventually after loosing the path for the third time we made our own and found a private beach to spend the afternoon at, no sand, but lounges and beer and the dulcet sounds of whinging Poms...but once you switched off to that, it was fantastic and so relaxing. Kelly and I had an adventure getting home after the others had left by finding out all the buses from our beach had gone...luckily a hotel bus was kind enough to give us a lift to the dolums station and then we were fine. That night we ate fish and chips cooked on a boat, eating them on the little boat in the harbour which was fun.

From Fethiye we went to Pammukale, somewhere I had seen for many years in photographs and had wanted to visit. Pammukale is the white travatine terraces that are pretty famous, but over the years have been destroyed due to people bathing in them. When we arrived in Pammukale it was really hot weather, but our hotel was pretty cool...actually called Melrose Place because it was built around a pool. We decided on the bus over we should adopt a Melrose Place character...I bet you can't guess who I got? Anyway, Kate had warned us that Pammukale was memorable not just for the terraces, but the people who visited them, and she was not wrong. Unfortunately the terraces do not look so great now and while there are no longer pools for people to bath in, you can still walk up them along a path. There is just one guy who is supposed to keep check on what people are doing and that is no easy job, because basically there are about 1000 people on there at any one time. Let me clarify that, nearly 1000 scantily clad Russians on there at any one time...scantily clad no matter what their size too. Believe me, I have seen enough human flesh in that one afternoon to last a lifetime. It also strengthened my theory on speedo wearers...i.e the smaller the speedo the larger the stomach overhanging the speedo. Us girls were thoroughly repulsed. The guys scored a little better, some of the bikini wearers had bodies that were designed for them...but still, we all found
the displays over the top and pretty offensive. Pammukale itself is still quite conservative but you had girls walking back to buses, in heels and
g-strings....Not only that, but there were a heap of people posing as thought they were doing modelling shoots, except they weren't...it is just apparently
the thing to do. We all decided that these antics were the thing we would remember most about Pammukale. The thing is, unless this site is closed to all
people very soon, there will be nothing left within a couple of years anyway.

Another early start and we were on our way to the town of Selcuk, mainly to see the old Grrek/Roman city of Ephesus which is a large archaeological site and has a massive theatre. We ended up going to Ephesus in the afternoon and had a very interesting guide called Juan who had a great knowledge of the site. The city was amazing, the second best one I have seen after Pompeii. After severall really hot weather days, it was fantastic that the temperature was cooler because it was overcast...otherwise we wouldn't have enjoyed the tour which was quite long. that night we went up the road to a hotel and had a dinner for 10 Lira, which is about $10 AUS and it was really brillant. The hotel is run by a couple of guys who are characters, one who is very keen on Nagili pipers, so once again we indulged. This one was so strong though, and not as nice! But I got to wear a silly costume.

The next day was a free day, but we arranged a trip to go to a greek village for lunch and fruit wine tasting (the wine was awful but the town sweet and I bought a great dress!). In the morning Caz and I went to explore the town and got caught talking to a carpet salesman, who offered Caz 5 camels to marry me. Caz argued I was worth at least a 1000! He argued 5 camels was a good price....hmmmm. I wasn't tempted. We also visited Mary's House, which is the site believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary and where she died. There is a lot of evidence to support this, and John the Baptist lived in the area for a while too (he was responsible for looking after Mary once Jesus had died). The house has gone, but on the remains a chapel was built. The surrounding area is lovely and serene, and there is a section where people tie bits of string and fabric and make a wish...which I did too.

That evening I had a really great experience, while shopping! Kelly and I had ventured into town, got completely wet in the rain and sought refuge in a bar with a beer. On the way back to the hotel, we went down a different street and met Julia who had a jewellery story and promised us she didn't have a cousin who sold carpets (this joke is much funnier after being in Turkey for a while). We had such a brilliant time, because the stuff she sold was lovely, but Julia was just an amazing and incredible person. Full of life and compassion (she was looking after a 4 year old Japanese boy who had been dumped for the week by his mother). We ended up in the store over an hour, talking and drinking coffee and her husband then read our coffee (Turkish coffee is like mud at the end, and you tip your cup over onto the saucer and after a bit your fortune can be read). For both Kelly and I, it was an interesting experience, and I apparently had a very big fish...the biggest he had ever seen, which means I am a very lucky person (but you know, after the life I have had so far, I could have already told him that!!)

Our next day was another big travel day to Cannakale our point for seeing Gallipoli, a place I have wanted to visit for some time, although not really sure why. Cannakale itself isn't much, but at Anzac House you can watch the Gallipoli movie and have a hot Milo (we did both). The next day we visited Troy in the morning, the city of legend and myth which is actually 9 different cities built over the ages on the one spot. It was a cool site, although the wooden horse there was really tacky and when you think about the whole idea of the people being fooled by the wooden horse you have to wonder! The who afternoon was over at the Gallipoli pennisula, a very moving tour. We visited Anzac Cove, and all the major battle sites, Lone Pine and many Turkish sites. The cemeteries are very emotional, expecially to see the ages of those who died, and how many. the Turkish one didn't have anyone older than 24 in it. To see the place that has become legend in Australia is hard to describe...it is a beautiful place, lovely beaches, lots of trees and birds singing. It is quiet and serene, such a contrast to 90 years ago. The trenches still survive, they are haunting. There are places where a thin road now divides the ANZAC and Turkish trenches, these soldiers could stand up and they would have seen each others faces. Apparently they would throw notes and presents to each other, which makes it seem even sadder because there seemed to never be any anger between the two groups who were told to kill each other. Even today, the Turkish people hold the ANZACs as heroes like their own soldiers. Another thing you realise about Gallipoli is that it was a Turkish victory, and so there are thousands of Turks who make their own pilgrimage to this place. I am glad I went, although it makes the whole idea of war seem even stupider and more criminal when you see just how small the area of land they were fighting for really is, and how many people lost their life on it.

After a really early morning start, we were on a bus the next day back to Istanbul, with all of us in a bit of shock that the 22 days had gone by so quickly and the next day would be many peoples last. We reached Istanbul at lunchtime and then headed out for last minute shopping. We had some games for our goodbyes and a cool dinner and night at a bar where we played a quiz on our trip. It was a fun night, but the next day was goodbye to most people and that is the bit that is always hard. Kelly and I had one more day together and we went to the Grand Bazaar again for shopping and a last lunch. Then the next morning it was my turn for goodbye as I hopped on a plane back to London. I loved Turkey, it was more than I expected it to be and I had only ever heard people rave about it. I wish I had more time there but I guarantee I will be back there sooner rather than later. It was a brilliant time, and most of that comes down to the fantastic people I travelled with, 12 strangers who are now friends...which is what makes these trips so worthwhile.