Goodbye Turkey(s)

Sat 22nd Nov

So today was our last day in Turkey. When we entered the country, which in some ways feels like yesterday and in other ways years ago, we were put out that we had to purchase three months of car insurance. I guess fate knew more than us; it runs out at midnight tonight!

I hope we are only saying au voir to Turkey and not Goodbye. We have become comfortable here, picked up some language, can shop reasonably competently, have enjoyed the weather (apart from the floods) have enjoyed it's ever changing scenery, marvelled at its history, acquired a taste for its cuisine, paddled in all of its seas, viewed its major rivers, including the Bosphorus and the Euphrates and delighted in the company of its people (well, apart from the bit in Eastern Anatolia!) Turkey has been a great to visit and one that wouldn't take too much persuasion for us to return to!

The road to the Greek border takes us past some very wet fields. In the distance are a lot of large, black birds pecking about. They look rather like turkey's? Whether through curiosity, or simply that we were dawdling our way out of the country we have become so fond of, is debatable but we take a detour! Down the track we go until we meet these strange, large, black birds that look like turkey's. They are turkey's!

A last bit of shopping and a last lunch, of baklava and Turkish coffee, then we are in Greece. The man at passport control gives us two tangerines as we leave. Just to underline how friendly the Turks are!

Having looked at the calendar and the weather, we have made the decision that Greece will be a future venture. Realistically, we have two full months at latest, before we need to be heading home. Based on how long it has taken us to see Turkey, then we cannot do justice to Greece and it's Islands in that time. Apart from which it's ferries are expensive, we have I sited more ruins than you can shake a stick at and the sun isn't shining! There is a motorway that goes right across mainland Greece to Italy. Maybe, by taking the motorway we won't get sidetracked?

With the intention of spending the night in a motorway service station, we drive on. However, this is not to be so. There are no service stations! Not even any lay-bys. What do you do if you should need refreshment, a comfort stop or fuel? The only option is to take an exit and find your way into the nearest town. I hope no one ever feels poorly or over tired on this Greek motorway, because there is nowhere to stop!

We get ourselves to a quiet piece of waste land between the back of a school and the beach. It is Sunday tomorrow so the school will be shut. Now all we have to do is find our way back to the motorway in the morning!

Sun 23rd Nov

By night fall we are the other side of Greece. As we enter Igoumenitsa we see a ticket office still open. The girl inside is very helpful, had we wanted to go to Anconia we could have been straight on a ferry tonight! The Brindisi ferry could take us but not Fay and the Bari ferry could take Fay but not us! Instead we opt for tomorrow nights ferry into Brindisi. The helpful lady draws us maps of where we may like to visit locally while we wait. We almost feel bad about not staying longer in Greece but there is a promise of more sunshine down in Sicily! Ironically, had we taken the ferry to Anconia, we could of been in Morocco before the end of the week! Hey ho, fate has served us well so far, let's see what she has in store for the rest of our trip???

Flamingoes!

Thur 20th Nov

Another night long storm disturbed our beach slumbers, the year really is rolling on and so must we. Our itinerary is left to fate, we will drive to Cesme and see what ferries are going where. It turns out that all ferries go to Chios (a Greek Island) if we want to get to Italy there are four ferry changes to do! The cost is high and the timetable uncertain. We could be hanging around for days or get stuck on an island. Whether it was really this reason or simply that we were hanging out our time in Turkey, I'm not sure but we decide to drive back to Cannakale and enter Greece by road.

Fri 21st Nov

How lucky we were with our decision to drive on. Turkey had yet another unexpected treat in store for us. Having driven through Isme with a very vaguely, half hearted thought that we would check out ferry routes from here, we didn't. It was far too busy a city to stop, the achievement was just getting through! Once out of the city though the road quietened enough to spot a slight detour, worthy of a stop. There in front of us were a flock of beautiful, pink, wild flamingoes! We watched them wade on their spindly legs, that don't look capable of supporting such plump bodies, we watched as their large beaks sifted for food and then the joyous sight of them flying; the sun on their great wings turning the soft pink to a vibrant orange. Up to the last, Turkey has been a real treat.

Our last night is spent beside the sea, we have a commemorative bonfire and bake potatoes and aubergines in its embers. As we sit watching the flames and listening to the waves lapping, a shooting star crosses the sky before us! Do we have any wishes left to make??

Mary's House & Ephesus

Mon 17th Nov

After enjoying a Turkish breakfast in the cafe by the campsite, we have a wander into the village. Then it's back for a last shower before we leave, it'll probably be kettle washing tomorrow so best make the most of a hot shower whilst we can.

It is early afternoon by the time the famous white terraces are behind us. The road to Ephesus is easy and before dark we have found a conveniently located pretty little campsite. It has no hot water and no wifi but to make up for this the little chap holding the fort, gives us a large bag of tangerines from the trees in the garden.

Tues 18th Nov

Feeling somewhat "ruined out" we defer our visit to Ephesus in favour of Mary's House. Travellers come to Turkey, tourists come to Turkey and pilgrims come to Turkey. Today we join the latter.

During our stay in this country, we have visited Islamic sites, Christian sites and Pagan sites. Not one has the atmosphere of Mary's House. This was something neither of us had expected but both of us felt. The house is where, having been brought here by St. John, the Virgin Mary spent her last days. It is now a church, though perhaps it is better described as a place of prayer, since it does not have what we have come to know as the typical church layout. The whole site is very tastefully set out (this was a relief.) The church is very simple and retains its house like appearance and lay out.

The whole site feels tranquil and serene. In the church you can almost touch the peace. Time stands still here. You can just sit, just "be" and remain totally unaware of time passing as unnoticed, the atmosphere washes over you. I can think of no other place that compares to this simple, reassuring yet so powerful a building.

If it felt like this when Mary was here, then yes this was the perfect place to die in. That may sound odd and it is difficult to express, maybe if you think of the perfect death you would wish for a loved one; part of that wish would be that it should happen in a place of peace and serenity, surrounded by love.

If any of our few, fellow "pilgrims" had spontaneously burst into tears for no reason, it would of been of no surprise. If this place could make us experience such emotions, then how much more must have been felt by Popes Paul, John Paul and Benedict when they visited?

I knew, when we came to Turkey I had to visit Mary's house but I didn't know why. Having been here, it will be one of my most special moments but again, I am not really sure that I know why? Would I come back here? Yes, just to sit!

Wed 19th Nov

Having camped by a beach bar last night, we made the most of a gloriously long sandy beach and went for a good walk before breakfast. Having paddled all the way back, my aim of paddling in all of Turkey's seas is now accomplished.

As expected, it took us all day to look round and admire the ruins of Ephesus. It dates back well into BC times and has been built and rebuilt so many times. How restorers now decide which era to restore a building to, is beyond us. There is something quite mind blowing to look at a building that was restored by the Romans! The library was what I most wanted to see and it didn't disappoint!

If we do end up leaving Turkey by the 22nd, then what a finale we have had.

Pamukkale & Hierapolis

Sun 16th Nov

Pamukkale was far more than we were expecting. It is truly a sight to behold and one that defies comparison. The travertine terraces look like snow but don't. They look like meringue but don't. They look like royal icing but don't. They look like 1980's artex but don't. Pamukkale is a unique place all of its own. It is stunning!

Starting from the bottom, we paddle our way up through the warm pools. Amazing! At the top is the ancient ruined city of Hierapolis. Another enormous site of antiquity. It takes us all day to do justice to this site. The ampi theatre is the largest and best we have seen, it took 144 years to build and the story of its discovery and restoration are equally impressive. Once again, this site puts Troy in the shade.

The warm water channels have been made good use and manipulated ever since there was human habitation here. The waters have always been reputed to be healing, so many visitors came for this reason, including Cleopatra who used this water to retain her beauty. On the outskirts of the city was a large bath complex. Visitors were not allowed to pass through the entrance to the ancient city until they had bathed. This was to prevent the epidemic spread of disease.

Even today, the waters are promoted as health giving and restorative. However, for some reason, certainly not apparent to us, the relaxing pool to heal all ills is now set to loud club music!!?? Why? All said and done, though, Pamukkale is a must see place.

Tomorrow we will be back on the road, heading for the last place on our list to visit in Turkey; Ephesus. Then again, who knows what we may find along the way!?

Knidos & Pamukkale

Fri 14th Nov

We were awakened by the Jandarma but at 10.30 pm. The security guard, a senior officer and a soldier with a gun knocked us up, to tell us that we had been told once that camping was not allowed but that for tonight we could but they wanted to tell us twice that really it was not allowed! That was the end of our human disturbance. The weather had other ideas. There was a thunder storm that lasted all night. The rumbles and crashes were accompanied by such heavy rain that it sounded as if Fay was being hammered by six inch nails! Later, we found that we were lucky to be parked where we were, many places in this locality had suffered flash flooding.

Having risked the wrath of the Jandame, we decided that wet weather or not, we would have a proper look round Knidos. The enormity of the site is hard to conceive. An ancient city, with two harbours dating back to BC in parts. Once a colossal statue of Appolo dominated the skyline, now only the plinth remains. There was also a naked statue of Aphrodite, which people flocked to see but this too is no more. We try to imagine the city as it was, with its sights, sounds and smells. This site is definitely more inspiring then Troy.

It is lunchtime before we leave, to explore the next peninsula. A pretty one which collimates in a ship building yard which would be the envy of any art gallery. Wooden ships being hand built; skills which at home we would consider long gone. In the harbour we see the finished articles. They are beautiful wooden charter yachts. Should we ever win our fortune on the lottery, we will seek out this boat builder!

Home for tonight is beside a restaurant, which provides us with the most delicious meal. It's owner is a retired footballer who used to play for Galataseri.

Sat 15th Nov

By early afternoon we have reached Pamukkale. It is a dark, wet day but not enough to distract from the wonder we see in front of us. The travertine terraces are far bigger than we had imagined. The white, wetness glistens like snow. Until you touch it, the landscape is almost Alpine in appearance.

Immediately opposite is a campsite, we book in and make the most of having internet for the first time since Cappoddocia. Tomorrow we will walk the terraces, hopefully the sun may shine?

Not the road to Marmaris!

Wed 12th Nov

What a strange day! Having decided that we have "fiddled along" for long enough and that today we should make a concerted effort to put some miles under our belt, we end the day having done a lot of driving but having got nowhere!

Our aim was to reach Marmaris, check out the possibilities for ferries to Rhodes, then explore the Datca peninsula. According to the map, there were two routes, one a major road the other a minor road. The nearest to the lake was the minor one, so that was the one we took. It certainly was a quiet road and in a poor state of repair. This should have been a warning, we should have recalled the road to the closed border crossing in Georgia but no, unperturbed we carried on. To our delight we saw a wild tortoise. After driving this road for a couple of hours, we are halted by a road block in the shape of an army camp! A somewhat bemused young guardsman tells us that the map may show the road going on to Marmaris but our only option is to go back the way we came and get to Marmaris via the major road route! About turn.

Some hours later we are near Marmaris and give in once again to our urge to explore. We have come to bee hive alley. Hundreds of bee hives line every road and fill every layby. Unlike our familiar traditional shaped hives, these are like coloured filing cabinet drawers. This time the ease with which we get side tracked turns out to be a good move. A small road leads to where a ferry does trips to Cleopatra Island, we nose about then continue on to Marmaris itself.

If we thought that in a large resort there would be chance of finding a campsite open we were wrong. A very grumpy man in the tourist information office, tells us the season is over, they are all closed! We find the ferry office and get a price for the Rhodes crossing. It isn't cheap, so this idea is curtailed. We still want to visit Pamukkale and Ephesus so we would need a return crossing; as with Crete the fast ferry is unlikely, making a day trip unviable. We will investigate ferry route options once we have internet again. It may be that it is Greece that gets put on the back burner??

Trying to find a suitable spot for the night is always difficult in built up areas, unless you opt for side street parking, supermarket car parks or petrol station forecourts. Marmaris proved no different, with every road to the beach being barricaded. In the end we decided to return to the little harbour with the Cleopatra bound boats. Our earlier "fiddling" served us well.

Thur 13th Nov

We leave our calm harbour with its gentle lapping waves and head out to explore the Datca peninsula. At the end is Knidos, a very large archeological site. It is 3pm by the time we get there and the weather is wet and windy, not good for for looking about. The man in the ticket box says we can park inside and have a proper look around tomorrow. Great, that saves driving all the way back to cleopatra's. Unfortunately, the night security guard does not share such generous ideas. We move to the outside carpark. Time will tell if we do manage to stay the night here or whether we get moved on by the Jandame (military police) who patrol this area. If we are still here in the morning, I wonder if we will have to pay another entrance fee?

A romantic evening with Enid Blyton???

Mon 10th Nov

The sun is shining and by lunchtime we have found our way to a secluded beach! Here too, the effects of the storm are still very evident. No problem finding driftwood for a camp fire. With only the sound of the waves and the crickets, we sit under the stars by our superb fire and eat the most delicious smokey potatoes, we cooked in it. So romantic!! But before we get too carried away........

Another car drives onto the beach. Three people get out and appear in the glooming, to be having a picnic? Nothing strange about that but when Richard gets up to gather more firewood, they turn all their lights out. Once he is back they turn them on again. Perhaps they didn't want company? A while later, as we watch the night sea, a light appears through the waves. We wait to see the boat that will surely follow it. It doesn't? The light continues to move through the waves, getting closer and closer to shore. Then the light stands up! It is a diver! He is what the other people were waiting for. They all pack up and drive off without lights. How bizarre. We never managed to work out what they were all up to in the dark. Even though we looked for clues in the morning light. Nothing. It was all very odd, a good start to an Enid Blyton novel?

Tues 11th Nov

Progress around this coast is slow, there are so many beautiful views to stop at! We have a coffee stop at Dalaman, if it were later in the day we may have stopped. The sea is in front and behind is marsh land with so much wildlife, we are surprised the whole area is not a nature reserve. In the short time we are there we see: land crabs, butterflies, kingfishers, terrapins, reed buntings, storks and many other birds and insects.

The day ends in a picnic spot overlooking lake Koycegiz.

Pink Beach & Skalikent Gorge

Sat 8th Nov

Well, we said we would stay until the sun stopped shining. Today is cloudy, so we move on albeit reluctantly. Cirali definitely has its own charm and it is easy to see why people settle here but for us, there is still more exploring to be done. We had originally, in our loose itinerary, allocated a month to the Turkish part of our trip. We have more than extended that now and still there is so much more to see, do and explore. A flexible route plan was always going to suit us best. Time and the weather will determine wether Greece, Italy and/or Morocco get sidelined for future adventures.

Back on the road, we continue where we had left off and follow the Mediterranean coast toward the Aegean coast. The day is windy and storm clouds circle. By the time it is time to think about a night stop, the weather is such that we decide to avoid anywhere directly on the beach or exposed. Our search ends in a quiet car park in the little town of Gelemis. There is a restaurant opposite, where we spend the evening.

Sun 9th Nov

We where glad to have chosen a sheltered spot. The storm broke with wind, rain and thunder. We stay put until it passes, then out of curiosity drive to what had been an alternative choice for the night, had the weather been calmer. Just down the road is Pink Beach. The storm has certainly left its mark. We were glad we opted for the car park. As we make coffee, we notice two young cyclists decamping. They are two Ukrainians we met at Cirali, they and all their was gear was wet. They had camped on Pink Beach last night and whilst their tent withstood the storm itself, this mornings downpour was too much for it and the tent collapsed! Like us, they are hoping to reach Oludeniz today.

Being a dull day, sightseeing is the plan. Not far away is Skalient Gorge. Due to last nights storm it is not prohibited to walk right into the gorge but we go as far as is allowed. The water is raging. It was a shame not to see the full extent of the gorge, it is stunningly deep but what we did see was impressive enough. Lunch there was fun, above the calm section of water which is home to many ducks, are tables and cushions. It really is a case of "one for you and one for me" as we cannot resist sharing our lunch with some very fat quackers.

Having left the gorge, Oludeniz is our next stop. We would imagine that before becoming so commercialised Oludeniz was an extremely pretty lagoon but for us, it has been over done. We end up in a car park, there is nowhere else. We never do see the Ukranian couple, goodness only knows where they would find to put a tent here?

Cirali Beach

Mon 3rd - Fri 7th Nov

One of the other campers, a German lady, travels alone with her black lab, Charlie. They are regular visitors to Cirali Beach; where ever her travels take her, she always manages to find her way back here! Currently, she and Charlie have been here for seven weeks! We intend staying just one day but one rolls into two and two rolls into more.

This is a lovely place, with its own microclimate, we are sheltered from the wind and the sun is hot. Bikini weather in November! Different campers come and go. A Dutch couple, who decided at the age of thirty to save and save for twenty years, then buy a van, give up work and go travelling. Most of the full time travellers we meet are about our age, the youngsters are generally on cycles.

Our days pass, sunbathing, beach walking, cliff walking, wandering into the "village" and for Richard snorkelling and fishing. To walk the length of the beach takes a good hour. The beach is shingle and course sand, rather than sand castles people have built imaginative rock gardens. Sparrows hop about ably assisted by busy crested larks, who scurry along hoovering up crumbs. There seems to be plenty, as bread appears the chosen bait for most would be fishermen.
Behind us is a stream that comes from the mountains, it is home to red dragonflies and blue crabs. On cliff walks it is impossible not to disturb the basking lizards, who then scuttle off to the security of a rock crevice. Most walks do include a little bit of scrumping! Oranges, lemons, pomegranates,avocados; masses of each grow prolifically.

Cirali is a place that was previously a hippy commune, this apparently changed when a proper road was put through. The "village" consists of little grocery shops, some bars, cafés and restaurants, a couple of shops selling beach wear and hippy style clothing, the rest of the buildings are pensions, of which there are many. From appearances, we would guess that some of the original hippies stayed on, grew up and/or grew older and invested in their community for commercial gain after all. The buildings are unusual, we learn that local laws prevent the building of permanent structures, meaning that the "village" is a mixture of various wooden structures. As such the buildings are very much in keeping with the rustic and hippy handicraft that is available.

As we stay, the days take on a little routine. The bin men come daily, we are impressed having previously criticised Turkey for its rubbish. The fishermen who tend the fish farm, which lies out of sight behind the headland, launch their boat twice a day as they go to tend their fish. There are regular runners and swimmers. Everyone is friendly and wave or speak. We go to the first shop from the beach, about a half hour walk, to buy fresh bread each day and sometimes surcome to the temptation of a Simit. Simits are sort of dough based O's, the size of a small saucer and covered in sesame seeds, delicious!

We spend a couple of evenings with a group of Turkish campers. We have only picked up odd words in Turkish and they know only a little English but that, together with a smattering of German and drawing pictures in the sand, we have a very enjoyable time. Ahmet is a retired teacher and Rifka, who plays the violin and looks the image of someone we know from home, his wife and their little dog often travel together.

The little dog, Daisy, looks like a poodle cross with her curly coat. She has a sweet face but this is a lie, as I found to my cost! Very endearingly, she takes treats from her owner in exchange for a beguiling kiss. I should of taken heed of the fact that Daisy was crossed with a Terrier but instead I took the treat offered to me by Rifka, I was not after a kiss or even for dastardly Daisy to take it from my hand. The moment the treat was in my hand, so my hand was in Daisy's mouth! Ouch!! What is a fourteen year old dog still doing with teeth? Her owners are mortified, I try to reassure them but as I am taken to the light, to have antiseptic poured over me (ouch again) I see for myself the puncture. My nurses head says "this wound needs a couple of sutures," my polite English head says "don't make a fuss." We have a fairly comprehensive first aid kit in Fay, hopefully, I will be able to stick myself back together later? In the meantime, the anaesthetic qualities of raki will have to suffice.

Mount Olympos

Sun 2nd Nov

In the morning daylight, we can see what is around us. We are beside the sea on a prom. People are already swimming, despite the early hour. Others are using the open air gym. There are lots of these in Turkey. After a walk and a play in the gym, we head out of town and stop for breakfast in a quiet backwater resort. We briefly play on another gym, Richard has a swim and I top up my tan. Our breakfast stop turns into a lunch stop too. As we leave through the other end of the town, it is clear that in the season, this isn't quite such a quiet backwater but a busy Russian resort. Everything is written in Russian!

Our destination was Mount Olympos. A fascinating mythological site and the location of the eternal flame. We walked up the mountain to see flames spontaneously erupt out of the ground, the fiery breathe of the monster, Chimaera, who was slain here.

Having thought that tonight we would try to find a campsite, such thoughts instantly changed when on our way down we spotted a couple of other campers on the beach. The fiery mountain behind us and the sea in front, time to light the BBQ!

Manavgat Falls & Side

Sat 1st Nov

There is a lot to see along this coast, so our progress is slow. First stop today are the waterfalls at Manavgat. They are not high falls like the ones we visited before but they are very wide and after all the storms, are in full flood, the volume of water is impressive. While we sit having coffee in the cafe beside the falls, we watch a man fishing. This was nearly as entertaining as the spinning fishermen but for an entirely different reason. To see a full grown man, throw his toys out of his pram on such spectacular fashion was laughable. He caught a fish, then lost it; all part of fishing? Not for him. After blustering and carrying on like a spoilt child, he proceeded to angrily throw his rod in great disgust. The funniest part of all this nonsense, was that the rod got caught in a tree and he couldn't release it!!

Leaving the falls raging and the man to match, we trundled on to the town of Side. Here we spent the rest of the day walking round the extensive ruins. We both thought that Side was more gratifying than Troy. Some of the pillars have been re erected; seeing them upright really does make you appreciate just how tall they were. Though compared to the pillars we saw at Erdeck, these were tiny.

Side is frequented by a lot of German tourists and all the signs have a German translation. Side is a pretty place, incorporating both history and harbour. Had the car park been a little more secluded, we may have stayed overnight, instead we journey on up the coast toward Antalya.
Finding somewhere to stop is tricky, we reach the harbour area but it is too commercial. Checking on maps.me I see a possible side road. By now it is dark, making our search harder. "The road should be here, somewhere? But all I can see is a hole in the hedge." Before I know it Fay is driving through the hole in hedge! There is the side road and parked all along it are Motorhomes! I don't think they came through the hole in hedge! We join them.

Castles and Bananas

Thur 30th Oct

Well, what a difference a day makes. It was a good decision to enjoy the sun yesterday. Today it is raining. Rainy days equal driving days, so we continue along the coast toward Alanya. Around us are orange and lemon groves, large cactus grow wild by the road side. Then we come to banana territory, some grow in the open others in huge green houses.

At lunch time there is a break in the weather, which coincides with our reaching Mamure Castle. The castle appears closed but we pull in anyway. Quickly a man appears, he proceeds to give us a whistle stop tour of the grounds. "Take picture here" "take picture there" as we are whisked across the courtyard. "We must go now" It turns out, he is the gardener, the castle is is the process of being restored and we arrived during the builders lunch break!

We manage to squeeze in a look round the outer walls to watch the terrapins in the moat before we surcome to the valiant efforts of the cafe owner opposite, to attract our custom. We enjoy a lunch of gozleme ( a Turkish pancake filled with soft cheese) and salad, washed down with Turkish coffee, which I am getting quite a taste for!

Camping tonight is in a banana plantation. So obscure, it had to be done! Mother Natures light show must be on tour, as before bed we watch a repeat performance of last nights storm.

Fri 31st Oct

So far we have wondered at Turkey's geology, marvelled at its biblical history and investigated its Islamic culture; today we experience tourist Turkey! We have reached Alanya, with its multitude of apartment blocks and every conceivable thing a stereotypical tourist could want: Macdonalds, tattoo parlours, bars and clubs!

We visit the towns castle and immediately notice that now we are in "touristville" we also have to pay tourist prices. However, having said all that the views alone were worth it, miles and miles of clear azure, turquoise and inky blue sea matched only by the clear blue sky and very warm autumn sunshine.

Our campsite site for tonight is on the drive of a friends empty villa, what a difference from the banana plantation. My honest impression of Alanya? It's like Southend with the temperature turned up!!

The Med. Coast

Tues 28th Oct

We leave our wild camping place in the woods after an early morning greeting from a local shepherd. Such a difference from the previous shepherds we encountered. This shepherd wants nothing, just a chat and to share the berries he has collected.

The road toward the Med is busy, it is stressful driving so when we see an open campsite, we pull in. It is a good day to stop early, the sun is hot, the sea blue and the bourganvillia still blooming.

Having changed back into summer attire, we sit by the sea and soak up the rays. We hear the chug chug of a little fishing boat, and are then treated to the most unusual display of fishing we have ever seen. Four young Turks in a small boat, one steering, two standing ready by the nets and one perched precariously on the stern. If he had suddenly burst into song and started singing "My heart will go on" it would not have been out of place!

He spots a shoal of fish. Instantly, in a well rehearsed act, the boat starts to circle. As it does the nets are let out, spiralling in tighter and tighter circles. All the fishermen then run to the middle of the boat and jump up and down. The sound of their jumping and the engine frightens the fish, who leap from one inner circle of netting to the next. A lucky few are in the outer ring, they leap to freedom. When the leaping subsides, the nets are pulled in, together with their catch. It was fascinating.

After lazing away the afternoon, we dine in the camp restaurant. We are the only campers and the only diners!

Wed 29th Oct

The day dawns bright and sunny. Warm enough to have breakfast outside. We work our way along the coastline as far as is possible but the terrain of cliffs straight down to the sea and some new road layouts mean we have no choice but to be taken a little inland. The temperature creeps up. It is a shame to waste such a hot sunny day driving, so at the first bit of beach we come to, we pull in. It is another small campsite but so be it. There is so little accessible beach on this part of the coastline that what is, is private; fenced off in favour of the hotel, apartment block or campsite lucky enough to be so strategically placed.

Richard goes snorkelling whilst I paddle and investigate the many rock pools. I have now paddled in the Mamara Sea, the Black Sea and now the Mediterranean Sea, once I have also paddled in the Aegean I will have been in all of Turkey's Seas. My rock pools reveal little; a few crabs and some red anemones was about it. Richard was luckier with his snorkelling, he saw a variety of brightly coloured fish.

A day like today, which had seen a return of the summer clothes, not to mention the insect repellent and the anti histamines, definitely called for the BBQ to be rooted out from the back of the cupboard. We cooked early, the changing of the clocks has significantly reduced the evening light. A good plan as it turned out, Mother Nature had some entertainment in store for us. She treated us to a light show. The remainder of the evening was spent watching a lightening storm over the sea. A few fishing boats, that had gone out early, soon retreated, hot foot, back to the safety of the harbour. The storm had the sea to itself; sheet lightening lit it up and fork lightening struck like a jagged spear before fizzling out into the breaking waves. The storm went on and on, thunder still rumbling when we had retired and gone to bed.

More balloon pics