Fri 24 Jun 2016. Pamukkale to Gallipoli
Woke up thinking it is really too hot to be in southern Turkey much longer. Farewelled our bus friends, (Giovanni extending an invitation to get together in England next year, and promising to let us know his best travel hints for St Petersburg), and left Pamukkale.
Ozzie and passengers travelling well, so kept going past day's 300km destination, then past Boomer’s recommended campsite Misakca at Mediterranean, turning west towards ferry at Cardak to find out if it carried vehicles, and was still running. Day was too impossibly hot to stop to prepare lunch even if we could have found shade; ate hot mince and eggplant meal (hot as in chilli and red pepper hot!) in a fan-cooled roadside cafe instead.
Blustery head wind picked up, hot and full of dust across the plains, almost blowing over man carrying bale of hay, and pushing down Ozzie's fuel reserves alarmingly. Stopped for fuel and toilet and to get rid of final coins, ice cream melting down our hands as we walked out of shop. Irrigated crops, forage grasses, orchards, row upon row of chicken houses, in an otherwise dry and uninspiring landscape.
Woke up thinking it is really too hot to be in southern Turkey much longer. Farewelled our bus friends, (Giovanni extending an invitation to get together in England next year, and promising to let us know his best travel hints for St Petersburg), and left Pamukkale.
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| Multi-coloured mineralisation |
Ozzie and passengers travelling well, so kept going past day's 300km destination, then past Boomer’s recommended campsite Misakca at Mediterranean, turning west towards ferry at Cardak to find out if it carried vehicles, and was still running. Day was too impossibly hot to stop to prepare lunch even if we could have found shade; ate hot mince and eggplant meal (hot as in chilli and red pepper hot!) in a fan-cooled roadside cafe instead.
Blustery head wind picked up, hot and full of dust across the plains, almost blowing over man carrying bale of hay, and pushing down Ozzie's fuel reserves alarmingly. Stopped for fuel and toilet and to get rid of final coins, ice cream melting down our hands as we walked out of shop. Irrigated crops, forage grasses, orchards, row upon row of chicken houses, in an otherwise dry and uninspiring landscape.
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| Ooh, these three vehicles are mighty tight... |
Just managed to squeeze on 6.00pm ferry to Gelibolu/ Gallipoli, in spite of 15 enormous trucks and 5 cars ahead of us. It was so tightly packed very few could get out of their vehicles for the 20 minute trip. Off the wharf, turned right and followed coast road until came to a dirt track, followed it along the shore, past houses and agricultural fields until reached a headland. BoyRob found the most level spot - had to pick a path between pretty but stinging nettles setting up for dinner. Once GirlRob's antihistamine worked to clear up allergy to dust from afternoon’s travel, it was very pleasant to sit outside with our tomato sandwich and cuppa. A shepherd's three large dogs came to check us out (albeit from 50 metres away).
We decided we were not only too tired to rinse and wring out our washing but also thought it best not to leave items out overnight whilst free camping (or “wild camping” as fellow travellers call it). A sweet breeze came up from the ocean, we sat watching lights come on on the opposite shore and the last freighter straggle up the Dardanelles. Had a good wash in water from tap, lukewarm from the day, before lights out.
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| Ouchy... |
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| Double ouchy.... |
We decided we were not only too tired to rinse and wring out our washing but also thought it best not to leave items out overnight whilst free camping (or “wild camping” as fellow travellers call it). A sweet breeze came up from the ocean, we sat watching lights come on on the opposite shore and the last freighter straggle up the Dardanelles. Had a good wash in water from tap, lukewarm from the day, before lights out.
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