Thanks goes to my mum

Day 5
Location: Bus. Middle of no where
Lesson: when they say 9 they mean 14
Authur: Simon the bus driver

So today thanks has to go to my mother. I owe her a great debt of
gratitude.
Currently I am multi tasking (for this skill the praise goes not to
mummy but to my slightlu girly side, which I guess is her fault also.
Why did she make me go to drama class and not football club?) I am
writing this blog and watching a film and, the important bit, while on
a night bus. Davina, on the other hand, is not. Well she is on the bus
and she is mutli tasking the diffrence being that she is trying to
keep her eye on the horizon which turns out to be quite hard at night
at the same time as supressing her travel sickness.
I don't mean to boast. But I could read hanging upside down while
traversing the worse roads eastern Europe can throw at me at the same
time as eating a bigmac without feeling queasy.
As a child we travelled alot mostly from our...
I had to pause here as watching "transporter3" in tukish with Turkish
subtitles required more of my concentration than first allocated
dispite my multi tasking. Then as it was midnight I went to sleep.

....we travelled alot as kids to visit my family in Devon and this was
before the days of seatback DVDs so we had to entertain ourselves with
books or games. We also used to sleep which is why I think I sleep so
well while travelling. And for this education I thank my mother.

We are now on the south coast of Turkey in olympos after 14 hours and
3 buses. It was not too bad, the main bus was quite empty and we both
slept well. Actually Davina did not suffer with motionsickness too
much. We have these funny little bands that sit on your wrist where
you check a pulse. No idea what that do but seams to work.
It is beautiful here.

Are we here yet?

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Derinkuyu

Location: derinkuyu... Aka place with no women
Status: a little freaked out while waiting for a bus... Again
Lesson for today: sometimes you miss the bus
Author: Davina

Day 3 of our travel and we have about half an hour for the bus.
Yesterday was a nice day. We slept in, booked our balloon ride and
explored.

We went to an open air museum in goreme. About 1000years ago the
Christian population were forced into the area so they built their
houses and churches in the rock. Cannot describe what a fasinating
place this is. There are holes everywhere in the rock and sometimes
the rock has broken apart and you can see into rooms. There are 1000s
of these and the open air museum is a collection of churches and a
monastry. All very amazing.

Two thing for the historian in me. If I was a museum curator I would
have a blank canvas to work on. There is very little information on
how the houses and community were run and lived. You have a sign that
says this was a house and you see an empty room with nothing else. It
was fun trying to imagine was they did here but would have liked to
how found out for sure. Also after a while it is just another room
seen one seen them all.

Secondly alot of the painting had been damaged deliberatly. People had
scratched out the eyes and faces of some beautiful paintings and when
I asked why the attendant said they had only been protected since the
Early eighties and before then people would come in and damage them.
Was a real shame.

Then we went bush bashing. We found this little tiny valley like space
and we walked down into it. There was an ancient walk way running
along it under the rock so we got to explore that and there were fruit
tree and flowers and all isolated.

I have to admit I was having images of us getting lost and having to
be rescued just like the English backpackers in Australia who take of
for a walk in the desert with no water, no map and not having told
anyone where they were going or when they would be back. Luckily that
wasn't us.

Then we went back to the hostel rested up and went to see the sunset.
We climbed a hill and sat there watching the sun go down and take so
many pictures that you will all be bored by them.

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Cost of traverling

Day 3
Location: 1000ft above turkey
Status: Rich in other ways
Author: Captin Simon
Lessons: Comfort and the sins cost. Don't pull the red cord

Money and budget features heavly in our lives and has done since we
started saving about one year ago. For example we moved from two large
rooms in a wondeful house in the centre of greenwich to a small room
in a friends flat in Morden (the end of the earth) just to save money.
Dispite our best efforts we left England with less than expected, this
is due in part to the large pre-departure costs that we had not
expected.

Bag £100
Injections £360 (better be worth it)
Camera £170
Itouch £110
Custom Earplugs £67 (worth it already)
visas £680

But off set with planning for a year are birthday and Christmas
presents in the form of:
Pacsafe
Thermals
Travel pillow

We also worked hard on all loyalty points with enough air mile to fly
hong kong to vancouver and Vancouver to Perth in oz.
Nectar points to purchase essentials before flying.
Hotel points for a night post trans Siberian in china

Still daily budget is on my mind 24/7.
And we really messed it up today with a sunrise hot-airballoon which
was about 4 days money in 45mins.
But it was worth evey penny.
Awoken by the call to pray at 5.24, quick cold shower then collected
by minibus and taken to the launch site. I was expecting a few
balloons but there were loads, I counted 31, each one could hold 20-25
people. It was really exciting to watch the teams set up and inflate
the massive balloons. We all jump in, then quick safty talk which was
basically not to get to out of the basket or to pull the red cord.
Then off!

With so many balloons in such a small space it was quite impressive
and scary. We fly into a valley, very close to the rocks and sure to
hit the wall on the other side. Then up, over the region and to the
landing site. Our pilot, John, landed the basket perfectly on the back
of the truck. As soon as we were down out came the souvner hats,
fleases and photos. From getting in the basket where our photo was
taken to landing the best of the pics were printed off, given to the
correct groud crew and the displayed. Of course we had to get the one
of us!
It was a wonderful experience that showed beautifully the area of
cappdioca off.
I have to say that most of davinas flight was paid for by her friends
for her resent birthday. Very greatful to them for this.

*note added by editor.
The following day I got up before sunrise and went for a little run to
the launch site. I was not there in time to see them all depart but
saw them all floating off. An amazing sight After 10mins or so just
as they were all dipping in and out of the valley I noticed that one
of the balloons had landed in the valley. This must have been by
accident as there was not space to roll the balloon up. I assume that
it hit the valley wall and came down. There was still alot of air in
the balloon so must have glided gentally to earth. Sure no one was hurt.

About 50km from where we are staying are some man cut caves that were
dug to house and hide a whole community. About 10000 people lived
undergound for months at a time as all they required was there with
them, kitchen, stables, church, school and wine press. Air was
supplyed by hidden chimnies. The whole complex was impressive, all the
way down to 50m.
Getting there was no fun for us and here we learnt why comfort comes
at a cost. There was a nice easy bus tour that would pick us up, show
us the caves, give us lunch and return us home. But at a price. So we
go it alone on public transport. We totaled about 3.5 hours waiting
for busses and only had crips for lunch but at 25% of the tour cost.
We are very aware of money and that eveything costs. We have to have a
bed, that's ok. But we are able to cut costs everywhere else.
Sitting down costs as your normally need to purchase something. I had
in mind that many hours would be spent drink coffee on the balcony of
a cafe, reading, watching the world go by, maybe even penning some
prose. There will be no prose as coffee costs. There will be no crazy
party stories as beer costs.
There will be no action pictures as white water rafting costs.
So by cutting out comfort, evils (coffee beer and some time washing)
and adventure/fun we can stick to budget.

Pondering this sad state of affairs brings to mind the poem by the
wonderful Tim Minchin where he discribes as conversation he had with a
banker about how the successful money man thought that Tim,
struggeling artist, was, in fact, richer than he. But in a spirtual
way. And the banker would give up all his riches for what Tim has. I
am not sure what this musing is called, search it on YouTube, I can't
as the Internet costs.

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Day 2
Location: hotel pretending to be Istanbul
Status: waiting for the airline to pick us up
Author: davina
Lesson for today: when you find out how to get somewhere make sure you
find out how to get back.

Today was the first day of our mamouth trip and we aren't even there
yet. After deciding we didn't want to get up at 5am to catch the 6.30
flight we thought to stay and relax on our first day. And that is what
we have done.

While our fellow travellers left early we woke up at 9.30, went to
breakfast went back to the room and went back to sleep again. Nice!

Eventually we decided to get up and actually do something. After
finally working out how the shower worked we set off to see a small
port town of Tulza. The receptionist told us to catch a bus by asking
the driver if they go to the right place. Finally we got on this tiny
bus where the aim of the game was to stop for as short a time as
posible and drive while on the phone and taking money and give change.
We were not charged money and couldn't work out why some passengers
paid while others didn't. It also seemed that the bus could stop
anywhere it wanted to either pick up passengers or drop them off. We
were just following the signs and hoping for the best.

The driver worked out that he shouldn't have told us to get on the bus
so pulled over at a junction and waited for a bus that would take is
there.

Eventually we got to Tulza and it was a nice little town with a large
number of stray cats. Not skinny cats mind you as all the bins were
open and we watched one cat go into a bin 3 times and each time came
out with a fish in it's mounth.

We had a look around ate something nice but have no idea what it was
called and can now understand how you get fat travelling. Then thought
about how to get back.

As we caught the wrong bus we had no real idea of where to go or what
number. We thought of hiring a taxi but could not find any signs of
one. We eventually hoped on a bus and gave the driver the hotels
card. He of course drove off and allowed his conductor and another
passenger to work out if we were on the right bus or not... We werent.

They told us to get a bus going to a
Place we didn't know how to spell and dropped us off. So we stood by
the side of the road, not sure if we were actually at a bus stop and
hoped for the best.

Then an old lady started talking to us. We said we were English and
looked sorry. 2 other ladies turned up and she started talking to
them. Suddenly one asked in English where were we going?

We handed the card over they talked it over a bit then told us the
number we needed, flaged down the bus and told the driver where we
were going, the driver then told us where to get off.

God bless the kindness of strangers.

Now we are back at the airport, having been picked up in a bus with a
fridge and coffee maker, spent a small forture on not very nice
airport food and the flight is delayed.

Never fear we will get there ... Eventually

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Thank you British Rail

Day 2
Location: hotel on outsirts of Istanbul
Status: not as stressed as some.
Author: Simon

I have to thank British Rail or rather it's privatized components for
their training in disapointment and how to handle disaster. Really
this blessing comes from every element of british rail travel whether
it be a broken down train at Liverpool street, points failer at
watford juntion or leaves on the line in the middle of nowhere.
As a user of the British transport system for many years I am now used
to or even expect delays and the chaos that ensues. For example, my
last trip with MA was back from Edinburgh. I was looking foward to 4
hours of relaxing in firstclass with many G&Ts and some DVDs. The
chaos at the staion gave the impression that every train track in the
country had exploded and that the end of world might be close so grab
your towel. Actualy it was just the east coast main line that had been
flooded. No trains going south or coming north. I make it to the
informatin desk to be told that my option was join a queue longer than$
$$$! For a coach to newcastle picking up the train onward to London
from there. This was not really an option. It was only 3.30 but there
were alot of people with no sign of a coach meaning a late night. So I
remembered past lessons from BR. Took a deep breath and sat down. I
watched the arrival board. All trains from the south were delayed or
canceled. Then one arrived so I got on it assuming that if it came
from London it must go back. I sat in first enjoyed some coffee and
sparkling water while the world outside the train collapsed. After a
while it left, not to London but to Glasgow were I picked up a virgin
train to London. So I did not get my G&T but at least I was not on a
coach to bum-f$&k nowhere.

Yesterday we arrive at stanstead on time but the flight to Istanbul
was delayed. We checked and they should hold our connecting flight for
us. We check again once on the plane to be told it will be ok We land
at 7.24 and our next flight is at 7.25. The pilot comes on the PA just
to let us know we have to wait on the tarmac for a few minuets untill
another plane has moved out of the way, turns out to be our connecting
flight of course we don't know this at that moment. More garbled
anoucements that basically instructed all british tourists that they
needed to panic, run off the plane and start shouting. So we do. Run
through passport to the help desk where, just like Edinburgh, chaos
has erupted. The three connecting flights have all left and they are
offering to put us in a hotel and on the first flight in the morning,
we are to go to the sales desk to get further instruction. I take a
deep breath. Think for a second. Agree with Davina that she will
collect the bags and I will wait in line at the ticket desk and ask to
not fly at 6.30 in the morning, rather get the evening flight. Simple.
Not for everyone else. Do they not remember the lessons from BR? Our
flights have left and there are no other flights. The poor 16 year old
behind the counter can not answer your slilly questions and it was not
their fault. Anyway, why do that to yourself? Why get in such a state
and make a bad situation horrid for all? One very cross woman was
complaining that she had been traveling since 5am (she lived in London
like us and we left at 9am?!) I wanted to point out that I had just
left everything I knew, my friends and family and that she should shut
the fuck up.

I knew we would be ok. We had water, snacks, a book and a pencil. Even
if we stayed in the airport we would have been ok. In the end we got a
free night in a nice hotel with a free meal which we ate with three of
the shouty British tourist who had calmed down and turned out to be
very interesting. What was also a little interesting was the two
crossest were starting a very relaxed 5 week trip around turkey so
were on no dead line!

We are in the middle of nowhere. But we have a large clean if sparce
room and all is well.

So thank you London underground for training me in disapointment and
dely

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See you on the flip side

Departure day
Location: Mac's car, m25.
Status: feeling rather sick
Author: Simon

It's depature day. We are off.
Packed and on our way to the airport.
This has to be the strangest day ever, I am so excited, a little
nervous and so sad.
Leaving is alot harder than I thought it would be. I know the time
will go very quickly and we currently plan to see my family in only 10
months when they come over to Oz. I also know the world is now very
small with facebook, email and skype. But still very sad. I will miss
my family, friends and current life very much.
I am also finding the change of status hard. Gone from nice job, great
house in Greenwich, great friends and eveything in it's place. To
eveything in a box or a small rucksack. I am a creature of habit,
maybe a little OCD, so this is hard for me.
It's not all been bad, going through everything I own is very
refreshing, questioning everything. I hope when I do settle again I
will reavaulate all the 'stuff' and weather it really need it.

Also learnt alot about preparation. We have been working on this for a
year and some tasks we completed months ago. But too much we left to
late meaning the last few days have been unnecessarly stressful and
less fun

Lesson is. Do it today. Not tomorrow

It's now three hours untill we fly. Fuck.

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