I thought I'd take thıs chance just to have a quick update. It's twenty to eleven ın the eveıng and the call to prayer has just started. It's an amazıng sound especıally as you can hear the call from one mosque (The Blue Mosque fırst) then a second, then a thırd. But maınly ıt's good because they turn the musıc off for a whıle.
I wıll wrıte about what I dıd today at another tıme but wanted to say somethıng about the flow and rhythm of the days. We haven't got ınto a pattern yet so thıngs lıke regular uploadıng of pıctures and wrıtıng of dıarıes and contrıbutıng to blogs ısn't happenıng. I am havıng a marvellous tıme just lookıng out of the wındow when we are travellıng along. It really ıs a chance to fıll up your eyes. The truck ıs so hıgh that you can see over thıngs you mıght not normally be able to see... I had thought that some of that tıme on long drıve days would be used sortıng out pıctures and deletıng as I go but I have been too engrossed ın what's outsıde. Same wıth all those books I rushed to put on the Kındle. No chance to read any of them yet. I expect ıt wıll change and I wıll have a day when we have a fast enough connectıon so I wıll be able to upload pıcs before I get too far behınd. I dıd add some to folders already ın place the other day.
I now have three days of Istanbul pıctures to go through as well so ıt wıll have to be a super connectıon.
Last thıng before we go to bed - hope that Dot and Ian have a brıllıant Open Garden Day tomorrow and that they make loads. Don't know how they wıll cope wıth the car parkıng wıth Nıck not beıng there.
Cheerıo J XXX
Saturday, 30 June 2012
Days 12 (contınued), 13 & 14 (both in Istanbul)
[Apologıes for the spellıng/typıng ın thıs post: I'm struglıng both wıth a turkısh keyboard and to hear myself thınk above the non-stop musıc ın our hostel playıng dırectly above my head and turned up to 11.]
At the end of the last post, we'd just arrıved ın Istanbul. Wıll parked the truck ın a secure compound then lead us on foot to our hostel and home for the next three nıghts. Fırst order of busıness was to fınd somewhere to change money so we could get some dınner. [When not on the truck, we have to fınd (and fund) all our own meals.] Quıte by chance we found a money changer just as he was about to close up for the nıght, but keen enough to do one last deal. Turkısh Lıres ın pocket, we set off ın search of a reasonable prıced meal. We've set ourselves a budget of £100 each per week, whıch has been fıne up tıl now, but £14 a day doesn't go far when you have to buy all your meals ın restaurants set up to cater for more affluent cıty dwellers and tourısts plus have somethıng left over for entrance tıckets, etc. Any way we found a small Kebab shop, chose the cheapest thıng on the menu and went back to the hostel for a glass of tea on the roof then turned ın for the nıght.
I've never lıked hostels and thıs one has done nothıng to alter my vıew. We're all ın together: cheek by jowl ın a 30 bed dorm, sharıng not only wıth our fellow passengers, but wıth another dozen or so other randoms, nervously clutchıng our bags and valluables tıght to us lıke securıty blankets. It's not that the facılıtıes are bad - they're not - but the aırless and slıghtly funky atmosphere together wıth a nıghtly chorus of snorıng and moanıng wıth people comıng and goıng at all hours wıth varyıng degrees of ındıference to theır fellow travellers ıs challengıng. If we could have upgraded, we would have sold a kıdney each to do so.
***
Any way, glossıng over all of that, the next mornıng (day 13) we set off agaın ın search of breakfast. We had a bıt more luck thıs tıme and found a cafe ın a square not far from two of the bıg draws of the cıty, the Blue Mosque and the Haghıa Sofıa. We chose a Turkısh breakfast plate of meat (not sure whıch) cheeses, tomato, cucumber, olıves, fresh bread, cherry jam plus butter wıth honey and another glass of Turkısh tea. We thought we'd done well but later worked out we'd spent almost half our daıly budget on breakfast, so set off to fınd free thıngs to do. Fırst on the lıst was the prevıously mentıoned Blue Mosque. I stayed ın the cool courtyard whıle Julı went ınsıde to take photos. I'm not a keen sıghtseer and was glad to rest both from the heat and havıng to carry our bags around, not wantıng to leave them ın the horrıd hostel. After the Blue Mosque, we walked across the square to the other bıg attractıon ın that part of town, the Haghıa Sofıa, orıgıanlly a mosque, then a church, then a mosque agaın and now a museum. Thıs one has queues for tıckets (unless you buy a guıde book, a guıde to go wıth ıt and a tıcket, all for a much hıgher prıce, or are wıth an organısed group) but nowhere does ıt tell you the prıce untıll you get to the tıcket offıce. I dıdn't want to queue ın the sun, but Julı was quıte keen to see ınsıde, so lıned up wıth everyone else and put up her orange umbrella for some shade. Several mınutes later she came back wıthout a tıcketş beause one would have cost us another thırd of our combıned daıly budget. It was the same story at the underground Roman cısterns too, so ınstead we sought out the shade of the Grand Bazaar, whıch ıs a network of covered streets full to the brım wıth merchants sellıng all manor of thıngs ıncludıng jewellery, carpets, brass lanterns, sılks and pashmınas, clothes, food and anythıng else you can thınk of to keep the tourısts (and locals) happy. It's also free to wander round. After all that wındow shoppıng, we were gettıng hungry, so went back to the square between the two mosques, where we'd seen some stalls sellıng cheap toasted sandwıches.
By now I was as good as done wıth Istanbul and wanted to go back to our hostel for a shower and a lıe down, whıle Julı dıd some e-maılıng. before I knew ıt, she was back and ıt was tıme to go out huntıng for food agaın, thıs tıme wıth next to nothıng ın our pockets. Fırst though, we decıded to go for a walk along the Bosphorus ın the hope that ıt would be a bıt cooler by the water, whıch ıt was. As the rush hour traffıc crawlled past us, we strolled along watchıng men fıshıng wıth rods and lınes for tıny shıny fısh, some of whıch they gave to a lucky few of the ferral cats that you see everywhere ın thıs cıty. Further along we saw men swımmıng from the shore, a precarıous actıvıty gıven the strong currents ın the straıght, as wıtnessed by the dıffıculty some of the smaller boats were havıng makıng ıt across ın a straıght lıne. There are dozens of boats on the Bospherus: large ferrıes, smaller day-trıp cruısers and enourmous contaıner shıps all jockeyıng for posıtıon. We also saw one huge cruıse shıp berthed a lıttle further along. Back on the land, we also saw men pushıng carts of varıous snacks ın and around the streams of cars. Theır passengers would eıther call a seller over or just get out, wander across, make theır purchase and catch up wıth theır drıver, ın most cases not much further along than when they got out.
Movıng back ınland, away from the traffıc, we found a lovely, cool and shady park outsıde the Topkapı Palace walls. We sat on a bench and bought tea from a passıng chaı seller and just lıstened to the many bırds, watched the many cats and allowed the stress of the day to leave us. Feelıng able to brave once more the square between the two mosques, we walked back and wandered along a small market street, where we found another small restaurant wıth just two tables and four chaırs. They seemed quıte pleased to see us and, crucıally, theır prıces were very reasonable. I ordered Menemen, a tradıtıonal dısh of loose scrambled eggs wıth tomatoes, onıons and peppers, and Julı had a chıcken kebab dısh wıth lots of salad. Whıle we were eatıng, a number of chıldren came wıth theır parents to buy ıcecream and the guy servıng would put on a bıt of show, whıch mostly ınvolved apparently gıvıng the chıld her or hıs ıcecream then snatchıng ıt away at the last mınute, but ınstead of the antıcıpated tears, the chıldren would laugh lıke draıns, whıch, ın turn made all the adults laugh, ıncludıng us. Afterwards, we went back to the horrıd hostel, but ıt was horrıd so we head back to the square agaın and sat and watched all the local and tourısts wander round ın the cool of the evenıng. We found a bench just ın front of the Blue Mosque, whıch was lıt up and lookıng lovely wıth the moon behınd ıt. In front, was a guy sellıng lıght up whırly thıngs on a catapult. You pull the elastıc back then launch ıt ınto the nıght sky. When ıt gets to the top of ıts arc, the thıng gently falls back to earth, spınnıng lıke an ıllumınated sycamore seed ready for ıts next flıght: a bıt lıke an everlastıng fırework. In contrast to the day, we had a lovely evenıng, but after a few hours of just sıttıng, takıng ıt all ın and another chaı, ıt got to be nearly mıdnıght and so we decıded that we had to go back to the horrıd hostel and face the dorm.
At about four o'clock ın the mornıng, Julı awoke wıth a start to fınd she was now sharıng her bunk wıth a cat who wasn't havıng any suggestıon that ıt shouldn't be there. Perhaps fortunately, shortly afterwards, some of our fellow passengers came ın from a bıt of a late nıght out, and the cat decıded they were more ınterestıng and left.
***
Thıs mornıng (day 14 and the end of both June and week 2) after a bıt of a lıe ın followed by a slıghtly cheaper breakfast at the same place as yesturday, we went to see the mausoleums of some of the early Sultans. The tıles and calıgraphy and scale of the rooms are truly ımpressıve, but the sarcophagı (often a dozen or more wıth wıves and chıldren) are completely plaın. I dıdn't stay for long, as the day was already too hot for me, and left Julı to carry on wanderıng around on her own wıth a plan to see some more of another part of the cıty. If she gets back to the hostel soon, where I've been wrıtıng thıs post all day, I'll add an account of her dıscoverıes.
Doubtless we'll go out for some dınner later (I skıpped lunch today and am feelıng a bıt peckısh now) and then come back to the hostel after an evenıng ın the park or square. Though ıt won't be as late as last nıght, as we have to be up brıght and early tomorrow mornıng to contıune our journey ınto Asıa and beyond.
Next stop: Anzac Bay... I thınk.
TTFN - N
At the end of the last post, we'd just arrıved ın Istanbul. Wıll parked the truck ın a secure compound then lead us on foot to our hostel and home for the next three nıghts. Fırst order of busıness was to fınd somewhere to change money so we could get some dınner. [When not on the truck, we have to fınd (and fund) all our own meals.] Quıte by chance we found a money changer just as he was about to close up for the nıght, but keen enough to do one last deal. Turkısh Lıres ın pocket, we set off ın search of a reasonable prıced meal. We've set ourselves a budget of £100 each per week, whıch has been fıne up tıl now, but £14 a day doesn't go far when you have to buy all your meals ın restaurants set up to cater for more affluent cıty dwellers and tourısts plus have somethıng left over for entrance tıckets, etc. Any way we found a small Kebab shop, chose the cheapest thıng on the menu and went back to the hostel for a glass of tea on the roof then turned ın for the nıght.
I've never lıked hostels and thıs one has done nothıng to alter my vıew. We're all ın together: cheek by jowl ın a 30 bed dorm, sharıng not only wıth our fellow passengers, but wıth another dozen or so other randoms, nervously clutchıng our bags and valluables tıght to us lıke securıty blankets. It's not that the facılıtıes are bad - they're not - but the aırless and slıghtly funky atmosphere together wıth a nıghtly chorus of snorıng and moanıng wıth people comıng and goıng at all hours wıth varyıng degrees of ındıference to theır fellow travellers ıs challengıng. If we could have upgraded, we would have sold a kıdney each to do so.
***
Any way, glossıng over all of that, the next mornıng (day 13) we set off agaın ın search of breakfast. We had a bıt more luck thıs tıme and found a cafe ın a square not far from two of the bıg draws of the cıty, the Blue Mosque and the Haghıa Sofıa. We chose a Turkısh breakfast plate of meat (not sure whıch) cheeses, tomato, cucumber, olıves, fresh bread, cherry jam plus butter wıth honey and another glass of Turkısh tea. We thought we'd done well but later worked out we'd spent almost half our daıly budget on breakfast, so set off to fınd free thıngs to do. Fırst on the lıst was the prevıously mentıoned Blue Mosque. I stayed ın the cool courtyard whıle Julı went ınsıde to take photos. I'm not a keen sıghtseer and was glad to rest both from the heat and havıng to carry our bags around, not wantıng to leave them ın the horrıd hostel. After the Blue Mosque, we walked across the square to the other bıg attractıon ın that part of town, the Haghıa Sofıa, orıgıanlly a mosque, then a church, then a mosque agaın and now a museum. Thıs one has queues for tıckets (unless you buy a guıde book, a guıde to go wıth ıt and a tıcket, all for a much hıgher prıce, or are wıth an organısed group) but nowhere does ıt tell you the prıce untıll you get to the tıcket offıce. I dıdn't want to queue ın the sun, but Julı was quıte keen to see ınsıde, so lıned up wıth everyone else and put up her orange umbrella for some shade. Several mınutes later she came back wıthout a tıcketş beause one would have cost us another thırd of our combıned daıly budget. It was the same story at the underground Roman cısterns too, so ınstead we sought out the shade of the Grand Bazaar, whıch ıs a network of covered streets full to the brım wıth merchants sellıng all manor of thıngs ıncludıng jewellery, carpets, brass lanterns, sılks and pashmınas, clothes, food and anythıng else you can thınk of to keep the tourısts (and locals) happy. It's also free to wander round. After all that wındow shoppıng, we were gettıng hungry, so went back to the square between the two mosques, where we'd seen some stalls sellıng cheap toasted sandwıches.
By now I was as good as done wıth Istanbul and wanted to go back to our hostel for a shower and a lıe down, whıle Julı dıd some e-maılıng. before I knew ıt, she was back and ıt was tıme to go out huntıng for food agaın, thıs tıme wıth next to nothıng ın our pockets. Fırst though, we decıded to go for a walk along the Bosphorus ın the hope that ıt would be a bıt cooler by the water, whıch ıt was. As the rush hour traffıc crawlled past us, we strolled along watchıng men fıshıng wıth rods and lınes for tıny shıny fısh, some of whıch they gave to a lucky few of the ferral cats that you see everywhere ın thıs cıty. Further along we saw men swımmıng from the shore, a precarıous actıvıty gıven the strong currents ın the straıght, as wıtnessed by the dıffıculty some of the smaller boats were havıng makıng ıt across ın a straıght lıne. There are dozens of boats on the Bospherus: large ferrıes, smaller day-trıp cruısers and enourmous contaıner shıps all jockeyıng for posıtıon. We also saw one huge cruıse shıp berthed a lıttle further along. Back on the land, we also saw men pushıng carts of varıous snacks ın and around the streams of cars. Theır passengers would eıther call a seller over or just get out, wander across, make theır purchase and catch up wıth theır drıver, ın most cases not much further along than when they got out.
Movıng back ınland, away from the traffıc, we found a lovely, cool and shady park outsıde the Topkapı Palace walls. We sat on a bench and bought tea from a passıng chaı seller and just lıstened to the many bırds, watched the many cats and allowed the stress of the day to leave us. Feelıng able to brave once more the square between the two mosques, we walked back and wandered along a small market street, where we found another small restaurant wıth just two tables and four chaırs. They seemed quıte pleased to see us and, crucıally, theır prıces were very reasonable. I ordered Menemen, a tradıtıonal dısh of loose scrambled eggs wıth tomatoes, onıons and peppers, and Julı had a chıcken kebab dısh wıth lots of salad. Whıle we were eatıng, a number of chıldren came wıth theır parents to buy ıcecream and the guy servıng would put on a bıt of show, whıch mostly ınvolved apparently gıvıng the chıld her or hıs ıcecream then snatchıng ıt away at the last mınute, but ınstead of the antıcıpated tears, the chıldren would laugh lıke draıns, whıch, ın turn made all the adults laugh, ıncludıng us. Afterwards, we went back to the horrıd hostel, but ıt was horrıd so we head back to the square agaın and sat and watched all the local and tourısts wander round ın the cool of the evenıng. We found a bench just ın front of the Blue Mosque, whıch was lıt up and lookıng lovely wıth the moon behınd ıt. In front, was a guy sellıng lıght up whırly thıngs on a catapult. You pull the elastıc back then launch ıt ınto the nıght sky. When ıt gets to the top of ıts arc, the thıng gently falls back to earth, spınnıng lıke an ıllumınated sycamore seed ready for ıts next flıght: a bıt lıke an everlastıng fırework. In contrast to the day, we had a lovely evenıng, but after a few hours of just sıttıng, takıng ıt all ın and another chaı, ıt got to be nearly mıdnıght and so we decıded that we had to go back to the horrıd hostel and face the dorm.
 |
| My attempt at photographing Juli attempting to photograph the moon behind the Blue Mosque |
At about four o'clock ın the mornıng, Julı awoke wıth a start to fınd she was now sharıng her bunk wıth a cat who wasn't havıng any suggestıon that ıt shouldn't be there. Perhaps fortunately, shortly afterwards, some of our fellow passengers came ın from a bıt of a late nıght out, and the cat decıded they were more ınterestıng and left.
***
Thıs mornıng (day 14 and the end of both June and week 2) after a bıt of a lıe ın followed by a slıghtly cheaper breakfast at the same place as yesturday, we went to see the mausoleums of some of the early Sultans. The tıles and calıgraphy and scale of the rooms are truly ımpressıve, but the sarcophagı (often a dozen or more wıth wıves and chıldren) are completely plaın. I dıdn't stay for long, as the day was already too hot for me, and left Julı to carry on wanderıng around on her own wıth a plan to see some more of another part of the cıty. If she gets back to the hostel soon, where I've been wrıtıng thıs post all day, I'll add an account of her dıscoverıes.
Doubtless we'll go out for some dınner later (I skıpped lunch today and am feelıng a bıt peckısh now) and then come back to the hostel after an evenıng ın the park or square. Though ıt won't be as late as last nıght, as we have to be up brıght and early tomorrow mornıng to contıune our journey ınto Asıa and beyond.
Next stop: Anzac Bay... I thınk.
TTFN - N
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Days 10 (drive day), 11 (sightseeing) and 12 (more driving)
This post includes three countries, two nights and one campsite as we leave Romania, travel through Bulgaria and enter Turkey. After this, the pace should start to settle down a bit when we enter our first new continent (Asia) but that's for another post. For now, though...
You have to get up super early when it's your turn to make breakfast on a drive day, so I may still have been half asleep when Karen suggested leftover chilli from a couple of nights ago on toast for breakfast. It certainly woke me up, and I can highly recommend it if you ever cook too much for dinner. I may keep some back specially in future.
Romanian driver's attitudes to such niceties as queuing, lane displine and giving way tend, on the whole, to be fairly relaxed. Never more so than at traffic jams either side of poorly planned and controlled roadworks at morning peak drivetime. If they were to be somehow teleported to the UK, Romanian drivers would, I'm sure, be totally bewildered by such concepts as Single Alternate Lines of Traffic and, in particular, Merge in Turn.
As we escape the outskirts of Bucharest and head for Bulgaria, the landscape becomes flatter again and has more large-scale agriculture, particularly wheat, maize and great fields of sunflowers lifting their heads to the rising sun. Or at least they would be if it could be seen through the misty grey haze. Never the best weather to experience a new country, but even allowing for that, and understanding that border towns are not necessarily the best examples civic planning, first impressions of Bulgaria are not entirely positive. That said, what we found, as we crossed the border, changed money and bought our morning coffee, was a further example of a country of contrasts: in this case between grey ex-soviet decay and smartly uniformed, well turned out and helpful staff and officials. Once further into the country, we quickly got back to the large fields of various crops as before plus barley, set in a mostly flat, pleasant landscape with hills in the distance.
At about lunchtime, we entered Veliko Turnovo, good sized town that has managed its evolution much better than Ruse, the border town we saw first. We had plenty of time to wander round and appreciate the mix of old (some of it very old) Soviet brutalism and more recent additions, all co-existing quite hapily. We had lunch with Will and Karen, who took us to a restaurant with a balcony terrace overlooking a bend in the steep sided river valley on which the town sits. We enjoyed the views of ancient castles and churches as well as a more recent art museum come gallery next to a really tall soviet monument, as much as we enjoyed our leisurly lunch. So leisurly in fact that we ran out of time to explore all the interesting sites we'd just been admiring. That would have to wait until the next day, for it was soon time to return to the truck and continue on to our Bulgarian campsite.
Nick and Nicky, an English couple who began building their excellent camping facilities in 2005, welcomed us to their site, which seems to be a central meeting point for several ex-pat couples in the area. The loo, shower and laundry block in particular deserves a special mention as beeing better equiped and finished than some people's home facilities. However, the highlight is the swimming pool; just the thing after a hot and sticky day's travelling. Even I was unable to resist.
The next morning, Nicky helped arrange a local taxi to pick us and a fellow traveller, Karina, up and take us, via a post office, to a monestry at (or possibly called) Preobojentsie. (Approximate English translation from Cyrillic.) A twisting turning road took us up to a small site set into a cliff above a wide river valley. On the outside, the place looked almost abandoned, but inside we discovered a treasure trove of centuries old paintings, alter pieces and the most marvelous frescos of saints and stories from the old and new testiments. Afterwards we returned to Veliko Turnovo for lunch at the same spot as the previous day, followed by more wandering before gettting another taxi back to the campsite to upload our photos and enjoy a bar-b-q supper.
This morning, after a final shower - gonna miss that campsite - we waved Nick and Nicky goodbye and set off on our final drive day (on some shocking roads, through familiar landscape) out of Bulgaria and the European Union to the Turkish border and the last little bit of the continent of Europe.
We'd been warned that the the border crossing into Turkey could take anything between two hours and, as happened on the last trip, all night: it just depends on who you get, who's supervising them, how much they like paperwork, and, most critically, what sort of mood they're in. Will had been tipped off about a smaller crossing point off their usual route that can be a lot quicker to get through, so he headed for there. When we arrived, Will headed for the Buses lane, but the man in the hat was having none of that and told Will to back up and use one of the Truck and Lorry lanes, so Will did as he was told. Then the man in the hat took a closer look and changed his mind, so Will had to back up again and go back to the Buses lane. Not an auspicious start. However to cut a long story of futher to-ing and through-ing short, in the end everyone was very friendly and we made it through in a new record time, a few seconds short of Angie, our one Australian passenger's optimistic guess of one hour ten and only £10 each lighter. Result! Moments later, we were back on a proper motorway, shortly after that, we saw our first minarettes, then ate delicious, freshly cook food in a service station for under a fiver, and we weren't in Kansas anymore.
Rural Turkey has a completely different feel to farmlands we've passed through previously. Well kept, mainly mechanised and, surprisingly, already harvested. However, as we got closer and closer to Istanbul, the biggest surprise was number of new buildings going up. Not started then abandoned, but active new build projects and in vast numbers. Every town and village we went through had some construction in progress. Closer still to the city and countryside began to gave way to suburbs. Then more and bigger suburbs, and more building work. Not a block flats here or a new shopping mall there, but great clusters of multiple huge blocks of new housing again and again. Istanbul is vast and getting bigger.
One disadvantage of our speedy transit through the border was getting into the centre of the city (eventually) much earlier than expected. Just about the peak of rush hour, in fact. Quite an asault on the senses. Still, it gave us the chance to chat with locals (Well, more shout 'hello' and 'thank you' a lot, really) and hear the call to prayer echoing out from the very many minarets of the city. Our route took us passed the marina, the fish market and along the outside of the old city walls by the Bospherus until one of the two enormous, six lane, transcontinental suspension bridges that join Europe to Asia came into view. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we have three nights and two whole days to see something of this amazing city from our base on the Europe side near the Hagia Sofia and Blue mosques.
More when we've had a chance to explore.
TTFN - N
You have to get up super early when it's your turn to make breakfast on a drive day, so I may still have been half asleep when Karen suggested leftover chilli from a couple of nights ago on toast for breakfast. It certainly woke me up, and I can highly recommend it if you ever cook too much for dinner. I may keep some back specially in future.
Romanian driver's attitudes to such niceties as queuing, lane displine and giving way tend, on the whole, to be fairly relaxed. Never more so than at traffic jams either side of poorly planned and controlled roadworks at morning peak drivetime. If they were to be somehow teleported to the UK, Romanian drivers would, I'm sure, be totally bewildered by such concepts as Single Alternate Lines of Traffic and, in particular, Merge in Turn.
As we escape the outskirts of Bucharest and head for Bulgaria, the landscape becomes flatter again and has more large-scale agriculture, particularly wheat, maize and great fields of sunflowers lifting their heads to the rising sun. Or at least they would be if it could be seen through the misty grey haze. Never the best weather to experience a new country, but even allowing for that, and understanding that border towns are not necessarily the best examples civic planning, first impressions of Bulgaria are not entirely positive. That said, what we found, as we crossed the border, changed money and bought our morning coffee, was a further example of a country of contrasts: in this case between grey ex-soviet decay and smartly uniformed, well turned out and helpful staff and officials. Once further into the country, we quickly got back to the large fields of various crops as before plus barley, set in a mostly flat, pleasant landscape with hills in the distance.
At about lunchtime, we entered Veliko Turnovo, good sized town that has managed its evolution much better than Ruse, the border town we saw first. We had plenty of time to wander round and appreciate the mix of old (some of it very old) Soviet brutalism and more recent additions, all co-existing quite hapily. We had lunch with Will and Karen, who took us to a restaurant with a balcony terrace overlooking a bend in the steep sided river valley on which the town sits. We enjoyed the views of ancient castles and churches as well as a more recent art museum come gallery next to a really tall soviet monument, as much as we enjoyed our leisurly lunch. So leisurly in fact that we ran out of time to explore all the interesting sites we'd just been admiring. That would have to wait until the next day, for it was soon time to return to the truck and continue on to our Bulgarian campsite.
Nick and Nicky, an English couple who began building their excellent camping facilities in 2005, welcomed us to their site, which seems to be a central meeting point for several ex-pat couples in the area. The loo, shower and laundry block in particular deserves a special mention as beeing better equiped and finished than some people's home facilities. However, the highlight is the swimming pool; just the thing after a hot and sticky day's travelling. Even I was unable to resist.
The next morning, Nicky helped arrange a local taxi to pick us and a fellow traveller, Karina, up and take us, via a post office, to a monestry at (or possibly called) Preobojentsie. (Approximate English translation from Cyrillic.) A twisting turning road took us up to a small site set into a cliff above a wide river valley. On the outside, the place looked almost abandoned, but inside we discovered a treasure trove of centuries old paintings, alter pieces and the most marvelous frescos of saints and stories from the old and new testiments. Afterwards we returned to Veliko Turnovo for lunch at the same spot as the previous day, followed by more wandering before gettting another taxi back to the campsite to upload our photos and enjoy a bar-b-q supper.
 |
| Sunrise at our Bulgarian campsite |
This morning, after a final shower - gonna miss that campsite - we waved Nick and Nicky goodbye and set off on our final drive day (on some shocking roads, through familiar landscape) out of Bulgaria and the European Union to the Turkish border and the last little bit of the continent of Europe.
We'd been warned that the the border crossing into Turkey could take anything between two hours and, as happened on the last trip, all night: it just depends on who you get, who's supervising them, how much they like paperwork, and, most critically, what sort of mood they're in. Will had been tipped off about a smaller crossing point off their usual route that can be a lot quicker to get through, so he headed for there. When we arrived, Will headed for the Buses lane, but the man in the hat was having none of that and told Will to back up and use one of the Truck and Lorry lanes, so Will did as he was told. Then the man in the hat took a closer look and changed his mind, so Will had to back up again and go back to the Buses lane. Not an auspicious start. However to cut a long story of futher to-ing and through-ing short, in the end everyone was very friendly and we made it through in a new record time, a few seconds short of Angie, our one Australian passenger's optimistic guess of one hour ten and only £10 each lighter. Result! Moments later, we were back on a proper motorway, shortly after that, we saw our first minarettes, then ate delicious, freshly cook food in a service station for under a fiver, and we weren't in Kansas anymore.
Rural Turkey has a completely different feel to farmlands we've passed through previously. Well kept, mainly mechanised and, surprisingly, already harvested. However, as we got closer and closer to Istanbul, the biggest surprise was number of new buildings going up. Not started then abandoned, but active new build projects and in vast numbers. Every town and village we went through had some construction in progress. Closer still to the city and countryside began to gave way to suburbs. Then more and bigger suburbs, and more building work. Not a block flats here or a new shopping mall there, but great clusters of multiple huge blocks of new housing again and again. Istanbul is vast and getting bigger.
One disadvantage of our speedy transit through the border was getting into the centre of the city (eventually) much earlier than expected. Just about the peak of rush hour, in fact. Quite an asault on the senses. Still, it gave us the chance to chat with locals (Well, more shout 'hello' and 'thank you' a lot, really) and hear the call to prayer echoing out from the very many minarets of the city. Our route took us passed the marina, the fish market and along the outside of the old city walls by the Bospherus until one of the two enormous, six lane, transcontinental suspension bridges that join Europe to Asia came into view. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we have three nights and two whole days to see something of this amazing city from our base on the Europe side near the Hagia Sofia and Blue mosques.
More when we've had a chance to explore.
TTFN - N
Tuesday, 26 June 2012
Francis takes to the air in Bulgaria
Okay, so they're not brilliant, but here are the images from our sty in the sky: PigCam!
Monday, 25 June 2012
Days 7 (drive day), 8 (Sighisoara & Dracula's castle) and 9 (Bucharest)
[This is a re-write (with additions) of a post I began (and nearly finished) last night before my tablet unexpectededly switched itself off. An hour of writing lost because I didn't save as I went. Apologies if this version comes across a little tetchy.]
After a brief stop at yet another Tesco to buy lunch things and spend the last of our Hungarian Florints (HUFs) we continued our journey towards the Romanian capital, Bucharest. The flattening landscape became more large-scale agricultural in nature with huge fields of wheat, barley and sunflowers. (We thought of Debbie from The Archers.)
In addition to a different currency (our fourth) and putting our watches forward another hour (GMT+3), on crossing the border into Romania (country number seven) other differences began to emerge. There's quite a pronounced mix of old and new here: shortley after the border, we drove past what appeared to be a brand new Chinese electronics factory, but shortly afterwards, passed some men using scythes to mow a hay meadow while others stacked the cut hay into old style rounded hay ricks using pitch forks. We drove through small communities with electricity to and satellite television dishes on every house, most of which also had water wells and wooden out-houses.
At the end of a long, slow day (no motorways here, leastwise not like we've been used to) Will found a place just off the main road for us to bush camp - our last for a while. We're getting quicker at setting up our tents and getting everything ready for dinner now, and putting up the truck's awning when the rain - another summer thunder storm that evening - comes. Something new for that night, a call and response chorus by the local (and some not so local) dogs well into the night and long after most of us had gone to bed.
***
The next morning - after putting away our previously dry, now wet again tents - we carried on towards Bucharest. En route, passing the Hotel Transylvania (cue The Eagles) and fields of hops. We stopped at the charming and not too tourist-y town of Sighisoara, which has some lovely buildings, little lanes, small squares and fantastic old tiled roofs that make for an interesting, multi-angled sky line.
Next stop: Castle Bran, also known as 'Dracula's castle'. [Why is there never a clap of thunder when you actually want one?] Castle Bran (Dracula's castle) is super tourist-y, but actually a lovely place with a pretty courtyard and delightful covered walkways: not in the least bit cold or foreboding. Cutting through the whole Nosferatu/vampire thing for a moment, if I have this right, the Dracula connection comes from the fact that Vlad Drakul's son, Vlad 'Tepes' (the impaler) was once held captive here on charges of treason against the Ottoman empire, which ruled the region at the time. More interstingly, the castle was also home to the first king of independent Romania and his queen, Mary, who was one of the many grandchildren of our own Queen Victoria and born in Kent, my home county.
After lunch we set off again on the final big push to our campsite for the next two nights just outside Bucharest. First though, we had to get to the other side of a range of steep-sided and very high hills via a seemingly endless series of switchbacks and hair pin bends, which meant a long, tortuous drive for Will and terrific views of fantastic scenery for us. I say us, but truth be told, the combination of a hot day, lunch and being rhythmicaly rocked from side to side meant I slept through the whole thing. When we arrived at the campsite, we were delighted to discover that they had very reasonably priced cabins with showers to which, gratefully, we upgraded. Not least to escape the many Transylvanian mosquitoes. (Like normal moquitoes, but with fangs!)
***
The next mornining (this morning: day 9) after nearly missing breakfast for trying to re-type this post, Juli went to reception to find out about bus tickets into town - You can't buy them on the bus, but must have them or face a fine - to be told they didn't have any, but that we could get them in town.
Juli: "So, how do we get to town to get the bus tickets without a ticket?"
Man at reception: "Is problem."
Actually, to be fair, he then helped Juli organise three taxis to take 12 of us at a highly reasonable fixed price of about one pound each. Our taxi driver was very nice too, pointing out various land marks as we went, so that all worked out very well.
First stop was what is now the parliament building, but was originally built as the presidential palace for Nicholi Chauchescu. It's enormous (actually the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon) and screams: 'We're here and we're not going anywhere'. Mind you, we also saw the square where he and his wife served their 'suspended sentences', so that just goes to show how looks can be deceiving.
Like many capital cities around the world, Bucharest is in Romania, but not of Romania. It has very many fine, very large, stone buildings in a 1930s neo-classical style along side some more modern, steel and glass, head-quarters style office blocks either side of very wide, tree-lined boulevards. However, it also has an old quarter with many structures from a much earlier time, including some from the Roman period. (The Romanian language is a romance language and has many similarities with French and, particularly, Italian.) We spent a happy few hours wandering around there before stopping for lunch at a lovely spot with a shady courtyard. Afterwards, we caught another taxi back to camp - which gave Juli an early opportunty to practice her haggling / Jedi mind trick skills - for another much needed shower and a spot of light blogging.
Tomorrow, we move on to country number eight, and our last in Europe: Bulgaria, but this evening and tomorrow morning (if we're not eaten alive tonight) we have cook duty. By chance, Juli's Speciality: Chicken Fahitas.
TTFN - N
After a brief stop at yet another Tesco to buy lunch things and spend the last of our Hungarian Florints (HUFs) we continued our journey towards the Romanian capital, Bucharest. The flattening landscape became more large-scale agricultural in nature with huge fields of wheat, barley and sunflowers. (We thought of Debbie from The Archers.)
In addition to a different currency (our fourth) and putting our watches forward another hour (GMT+3), on crossing the border into Romania (country number seven) other differences began to emerge. There's quite a pronounced mix of old and new here: shortley after the border, we drove past what appeared to be a brand new Chinese electronics factory, but shortly afterwards, passed some men using scythes to mow a hay meadow while others stacked the cut hay into old style rounded hay ricks using pitch forks. We drove through small communities with electricity to and satellite television dishes on every house, most of which also had water wells and wooden out-houses.
At the end of a long, slow day (no motorways here, leastwise not like we've been used to) Will found a place just off the main road for us to bush camp - our last for a while. We're getting quicker at setting up our tents and getting everything ready for dinner now, and putting up the truck's awning when the rain - another summer thunder storm that evening - comes. Something new for that night, a call and response chorus by the local (and some not so local) dogs well into the night and long after most of us had gone to bed.
***
The next morning - after putting away our previously dry, now wet again tents - we carried on towards Bucharest. En route, passing the Hotel Transylvania (cue The Eagles) and fields of hops. We stopped at the charming and not too tourist-y town of Sighisoara, which has some lovely buildings, little lanes, small squares and fantastic old tiled roofs that make for an interesting, multi-angled sky line.
Next stop: Castle Bran, also known as 'Dracula's castle'. [Why is there never a clap of thunder when you actually want one?] Castle Bran (Dracula's castle) is super tourist-y, but actually a lovely place with a pretty courtyard and delightful covered walkways: not in the least bit cold or foreboding. Cutting through the whole Nosferatu/vampire thing for a moment, if I have this right, the Dracula connection comes from the fact that Vlad Drakul's son, Vlad 'Tepes' (the impaler) was once held captive here on charges of treason against the Ottoman empire, which ruled the region at the time. More interstingly, the castle was also home to the first king of independent Romania and his queen, Mary, who was one of the many grandchildren of our own Queen Victoria and born in Kent, my home county.
 |
| The Courtyard of Bran Castle |
After lunch we set off again on the final big push to our campsite for the next two nights just outside Bucharest. First though, we had to get to the other side of a range of steep-sided and very high hills via a seemingly endless series of switchbacks and hair pin bends, which meant a long, tortuous drive for Will and terrific views of fantastic scenery for us. I say us, but truth be told, the combination of a hot day, lunch and being rhythmicaly rocked from side to side meant I slept through the whole thing. When we arrived at the campsite, we were delighted to discover that they had very reasonably priced cabins with showers to which, gratefully, we upgraded. Not least to escape the many Transylvanian mosquitoes. (Like normal moquitoes, but with fangs!)
***
The next mornining (this morning: day 9) after nearly missing breakfast for trying to re-type this post, Juli went to reception to find out about bus tickets into town - You can't buy them on the bus, but must have them or face a fine - to be told they didn't have any, but that we could get them in town.
Juli: "So, how do we get to town to get the bus tickets without a ticket?"
Man at reception: "Is problem."
Actually, to be fair, he then helped Juli organise three taxis to take 12 of us at a highly reasonable fixed price of about one pound each. Our taxi driver was very nice too, pointing out various land marks as we went, so that all worked out very well.
 |
| The Parliament Building in Bucharest |
Like many capital cities around the world, Bucharest is in Romania, but not of Romania. It has very many fine, very large, stone buildings in a 1930s neo-classical style along side some more modern, steel and glass, head-quarters style office blocks either side of very wide, tree-lined boulevards. However, it also has an old quarter with many structures from a much earlier time, including some from the Roman period. (The Romanian language is a romance language and has many similarities with French and, particularly, Italian.) We spent a happy few hours wandering around there before stopping for lunch at a lovely spot with a shady courtyard. Afterwards, we caught another taxi back to camp - which gave Juli an early opportunty to practice her haggling / Jedi mind trick skills - for another much needed shower and a spot of light blogging.
Tomorrow, we move on to country number eight, and our last in Europe: Bulgaria, but this evening and tomorrow morning (if we're not eaten alive tonight) we have cook duty. By chance, Juli's Speciality: Chicken Fahitas.
TTFN - N
Thursday, 21 June 2012
First Photos on Flickr
Just to let you know, Juli has put a few of her photos of the trip so far up on her Flickr page. To see them click on the slideshow under 'Juli's Photos' then click on the 'Fill up your eyes' link to see all her photo sets.
Day 4 continued (Saltzburg), day 5 and day 6 (Budapest)
Travelled it into town on a bendy bus / tram and began by having a bit of a wander round this lovely little city on the river Salzach. (This information courtesy of Corinne, a fellow passenger who has a degree in geography, though actually she Googled it.) The majority of the town is set either side of the river, but towering above it, at the top of a high, vertical cliff, is a 10th century castle. If you're fit and uneffected by the 30 something degree heat Juli and I are struggling with, you can walk up. Alternatively, you can stump up the eleven Euros and take the fenicular up and down. Guess which we did.
After lunch (Grillwurst - basically a hot dog, but much nicer) a further mooch around and a spot of internetting, we took the bus back to the campsite, whilst keeping a weather eye on the darkening skies. We just had time to help put up the truck's huge canvas awning - requires all available hands to rig it - over the busy cook group before the heavens opened. It heaved down to the extent that we seriously considered looking around for a male and female of each kind of animal. Dinner was eaten standing up in a tight group under the tarpaulin to the sounds of water cascading over the sides. Mercifully all our tents came through the storm largely intact and largely unbreached. Eventually, the waters receeded and a dash to the bar for hot chocolate was accomplished.
The following morning, after an early breakfast, we set off on the long drive to the Austria/Hungary border, a quick stop at Tesco to change money (yes, you read that correctly, 'Tesco') and onwards to our campsite - an old tram station - just outside Budapest with wi-fi.
That night, after we'd turned in, there was yet another humungous summer storm with lightning so bright it hurt your eyes, even through the fabric of the tent. Yet again our tent (as yet un-named) proved its worth. Special mention in dispatches for Juli who I woke up when I heard the first rumbles of thunder and forced outside to rescue our drying laundry before the rain came. Well, she had more clothes on than me.
This morning - day 6 - we took the short ride into Budapest. The bus took us across the Danube (didn't have to look that one up) to the 'Pest' side, but we got off and walked straight back over to the Buda side and got some great pictures of the amazing Hungarian Parliament building, which looks more like a palace. After wandering along the river a way, we turned up a side road, up some steps and into what we thought was a church, but turned out to be a passage and more steps, which lead up to... 'Wow!' We'd stumbled upon the cathedral church of St. Stephen, which stands above the city and looks like it's just been finished, the stone is so clean, and has an amazing and colourful tiled roof. Near the cathedral, was a small bar with great views across the city, where we listened to a violin, string base and dulcimer trio playing jazz versions of Hungarian folk tunes.
Wandering further, we passed the president's residence, where they were changing the guard, and which stand convieniently just next to the fenicular (another city, another fenicular). This time, we chose to walk down, past drifts of mud, brought down by the torrential rain the night before. That brought us out at the famous Chain Bridge, which we crossed back to the 'Pest' side, and walk back along the river in front of the parliament building. By the time we got passed it, we were hot and hungry, so bought things for a picnic lunch from a small supermarket, where the kind woman that served us helpfully sliced enough sausage to fill a roll and washed some tomatoes for us. After our picnic lunch in a shady park next to the parliament building, watching dogs play, we strolled back to the end of the first bridge and caught the bus back to camp.
Tomorrow, we have another long drive-day that ends at our next bush camp somewhere in Romania; the day after that, we arrive at another proper camp site near Bukarest via Dracula's castle! Hope I remembered to pack a cross and some holy water.
TTFN - N
After lunch (Grillwurst - basically a hot dog, but much nicer) a further mooch around and a spot of internetting, we took the bus back to the campsite, whilst keeping a weather eye on the darkening skies. We just had time to help put up the truck's huge canvas awning - requires all available hands to rig it - over the busy cook group before the heavens opened. It heaved down to the extent that we seriously considered looking around for a male and female of each kind of animal. Dinner was eaten standing up in a tight group under the tarpaulin to the sounds of water cascading over the sides. Mercifully all our tents came through the storm largely intact and largely unbreached. Eventually, the waters receeded and a dash to the bar for hot chocolate was accomplished.
The following morning, after an early breakfast, we set off on the long drive to the Austria/Hungary border, a quick stop at Tesco to change money (yes, you read that correctly, 'Tesco') and onwards to our campsite - an old tram station - just outside Budapest with wi-fi.
That night, after we'd turned in, there was yet another humungous summer storm with lightning so bright it hurt your eyes, even through the fabric of the tent. Yet again our tent (as yet un-named) proved its worth. Special mention in dispatches for Juli who I woke up when I heard the first rumbles of thunder and forced outside to rescue our drying laundry before the rain came. Well, she had more clothes on than me.
This morning - day 6 - we took the short ride into Budapest. The bus took us across the Danube (didn't have to look that one up) to the 'Pest' side, but we got off and walked straight back over to the Buda side and got some great pictures of the amazing Hungarian Parliament building, which looks more like a palace. After wandering along the river a way, we turned up a side road, up some steps and into what we thought was a church, but turned out to be a passage and more steps, which lead up to... 'Wow!' We'd stumbled upon the cathedral church of St. Stephen, which stands above the city and looks like it's just been finished, the stone is so clean, and has an amazing and colourful tiled roof. Near the cathedral, was a small bar with great views across the city, where we listened to a violin, string base and dulcimer trio playing jazz versions of Hungarian folk tunes.
Wandering further, we passed the president's residence, where they were changing the guard, and which stand convieniently just next to the fenicular (another city, another fenicular). This time, we chose to walk down, past drifts of mud, brought down by the torrential rain the night before. That brought us out at the famous Chain Bridge, which we crossed back to the 'Pest' side, and walk back along the river in front of the parliament building. By the time we got passed it, we were hot and hungry, so bought things for a picnic lunch from a small supermarket, where the kind woman that served us helpfully sliced enough sausage to fill a roll and washed some tomatoes for us. After our picnic lunch in a shady park next to the parliament building, watching dogs play, we strolled back to the end of the first bridge and caught the bus back to camp.
Tomorrow, we have another long drive-day that ends at our next bush camp somewhere in Romania; the day after that, we arrive at another proper camp site near Bukarest via Dracula's castle! Hope I remembered to pack a cross and some holy water.
TTFN - N
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Day 2 (continued), 3 (Dachau) and into day 4
After crossing into Germany, our passports still un-needed (not even at Dover/Calais) Will and Karen searched for a suitable place to camp, eventually finding a spot in the woods near some old gravel pits just outside Munich, which was more scenic and surprisingly less midgy than it sounds. Juli and I where on cook duty, so, after quickly putting up our tent, set to with dinner. First task: put the kettle on... Plenty of spagetti bolognese later, we cleared up and turned in. (No angry farmers tonight.)
The next day, after an early start to make breakfast for every one, we continued towards Dachau concentration camp.
We arrived early, before the crowds of school parties (compulsory for Germany children as part of their history classes) and other tourists, as the grounds keepers were putting their finishing touches to the immaculately kept site, on a beautiful, warm, clear, blue-skies day: entirely inapropriate for this awful place. I'll not dwell on the details nor history nor even the incomprehensible statistics we read, but I will just mention how surprised we were to find that the camp was not, as we had thought, in the middle of nowhere, but almost in the middle of town, as it was in 1933 when it was built.
***
Continuing on towards Austria and our first proper campsite (just outside Saltzburg) the scenery became more and more alpine in nature. As we crossed the border - our fifth - we even caught a glimps of the Alps.
Last night, we enjoyed our first showers since Hammersmith, and this morning - day 4 - we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. Shortly, I'll stop writing and we'll make our way into Saltzburg to hunt down an internet cafe, some coffee and cake and generally to see what we can see.
TTFN - N
The next day, after an early start to make breakfast for every one, we continued towards Dachau concentration camp.
We arrived early, before the crowds of school parties (compulsory for Germany children as part of their history classes) and other tourists, as the grounds keepers were putting their finishing touches to the immaculately kept site, on a beautiful, warm, clear, blue-skies day: entirely inapropriate for this awful place. I'll not dwell on the details nor history nor even the incomprehensible statistics we read, but I will just mention how surprised we were to find that the camp was not, as we had thought, in the middle of nowhere, but almost in the middle of town, as it was in 1933 when it was built.
***
Continuing on towards Austria and our first proper campsite (just outside Saltzburg) the scenery became more and more alpine in nature. As we crossed the border - our fifth - we even caught a glimps of the Alps.
Last night, we enjoyed our first showers since Hammersmith, and this morning - day 4 - we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. Shortly, I'll stop writing and we'll make our way into Saltzburg to hunt down an internet cafe, some coffee and cake and generally to see what we can see.
TTFN - N
Day 1 (into day 2)
Stupid-o'clock start to meet the truck and crew - Will (owner/driver) and Karen (administrator/head chef) - get the paperwork done, have a last full English breakfast, meet most of our truck mates and be ready to go by 08:00, which we did.
I've never been so high above the ground, in a vehicle that was still standing on it. From our nearly four metres high vantage point, we can see the roofs of most other vehicles, peer down into the cabs of lorries and tower abover regular coach passengers, most of whom stop and stare, many of whom point, open-mouthed or take photos. Behold our big orange beohmoth, oh lowly tourists: we are 'Overlanders'!
At Dover, we were selected 'at random' for additional security screening, Juli's big orange day bag drawing special attention. We think they just took a fancy to the truck and wanted a closer look; apparently police all over the world find it hard to resist welcoming us to their country in their own special way.
Smooth crossing to Calais (and our first clock change) then quickly through France to Belgium. On the way through this mostly flat, wide-open landscape, we saw many fields flushed with poppies. Juli was reminded of her moving trip to Ypres with some of the boys from Haliford School last November.
After a couple of food and comfort stops, Will decided it was time to turn off the motorway and find a suitable spot to make camp for the evening. After asking permission from a farmer and checking the ground was firm enougb to take the weight of the truck, he pulled off the farm track onto a likely looking field margin a few hundred yards from the main road. Here we set to pitching our tent with everyone else while Will and Karen plus the first cook group setup the camp kitchen and got on with preparing supper.
It was at this point that one of our group realised that she'd left her camera back at the last service station. Fortunately, Karen had a receipt that included their 'phone number, so Juli - one of only two French-speakers - was able to call and ask if it was still there. They said they would check and Juli was to call back a few minutes later to see if the camera could be found, which, as luck and Belgian detective work would have it, it was.
After a dinner of cold meats and salad with hot new potatoes, Juli - several brownie points richer - and I went for a walk a bit further down the track to take in the lovely warm, clear evening with just a few low whispy clouds: the perfect ingredients for a perfect first-night, complete with perfect sunset. Perfect... until...
We'd just said 'bon nuit' to one and all and were in the process of getting into our tent for the night when a car and two occupants - a man and a woman - arrived. The man was first to get out, and, although I couldn't understand what he was saying, it was quickly apparent from the tone of his huge, almost giantesque voice that he was seriously unhappy about something or other. Turns out he was the actual farmer and she was the landowner. It seems Will had asked the wrong man and these two had come across to vent their combined spleens and, quite possibly, chance their arms. Long story short, Juli "Kissenger" Sims and her language skills steps upto the plate once more and saves the day. Nominations have been filed with the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.
***
The next morning - this morning: day two - we awoke to another fine day and a perfect sunrise. After breakfast (not full English) we put our tent away and struck camp just in time (well, almost in time) to avoid a Summer storm. Well, nothing's perfect.
As I write, we've just entered Luxembourg, passing through on our way to southern Germany and our second bush camp. Let's hope Juli's German - good but not up to diplomatic corp standard - will not be needed.
TTFN - N
I've never been so high above the ground, in a vehicle that was still standing on it. From our nearly four metres high vantage point, we can see the roofs of most other vehicles, peer down into the cabs of lorries and tower abover regular coach passengers, most of whom stop and stare, many of whom point, open-mouthed or take photos. Behold our big orange beohmoth, oh lowly tourists: we are 'Overlanders'!
At Dover, we were selected 'at random' for additional security screening, Juli's big orange day bag drawing special attention. We think they just took a fancy to the truck and wanted a closer look; apparently police all over the world find it hard to resist welcoming us to their country in their own special way.
Smooth crossing to Calais (and our first clock change) then quickly through France to Belgium. On the way through this mostly flat, wide-open landscape, we saw many fields flushed with poppies. Juli was reminded of her moving trip to Ypres with some of the boys from Haliford School last November.
After a couple of food and comfort stops, Will decided it was time to turn off the motorway and find a suitable spot to make camp for the evening. After asking permission from a farmer and checking the ground was firm enougb to take the weight of the truck, he pulled off the farm track onto a likely looking field margin a few hundred yards from the main road. Here we set to pitching our tent with everyone else while Will and Karen plus the first cook group setup the camp kitchen and got on with preparing supper.
It was at this point that one of our group realised that she'd left her camera back at the last service station. Fortunately, Karen had a receipt that included their 'phone number, so Juli - one of only two French-speakers - was able to call and ask if it was still there. They said they would check and Juli was to call back a few minutes later to see if the camera could be found, which, as luck and Belgian detective work would have it, it was.
After a dinner of cold meats and salad with hot new potatoes, Juli - several brownie points richer - and I went for a walk a bit further down the track to take in the lovely warm, clear evening with just a few low whispy clouds: the perfect ingredients for a perfect first-night, complete with perfect sunset. Perfect... until...
We'd just said 'bon nuit' to one and all and were in the process of getting into our tent for the night when a car and two occupants - a man and a woman - arrived. The man was first to get out, and, although I couldn't understand what he was saying, it was quickly apparent from the tone of his huge, almost giantesque voice that he was seriously unhappy about something or other. Turns out he was the actual farmer and she was the landowner. It seems Will had asked the wrong man and these two had come across to vent their combined spleens and, quite possibly, chance their arms. Long story short, Juli "Kissenger" Sims and her language skills steps upto the plate once more and saves the day. Nominations have been filed with the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.
***
The next morning - this morning: day two - we awoke to another fine day and a perfect sunrise. After breakfast (not full English) we put our tent away and struck camp just in time (well, almost in time) to avoid a Summer storm. Well, nothing's perfect.
As I write, we've just entered Luxembourg, passing through on our way to southern Germany and our second bush camp. Let's hope Juli's German - good but not up to diplomatic corp standard - will not be needed.
TTFN - N
Friday, 15 June 2012
Last Evening
We have just dropped off the car and we won't be driving now for a year. This prompted a conversation about other things we won't be doing for a year and Nick was pleased to find that he will be able to have a pasty in less than a year when we arrive at Falmouth on 10th June.
Then, after a long day of packing and repacking to make sure we can lift our bags and that they contain exactly what we need, we had a lovely final supper with Mum, starting with a bottle of champagne. This led to us listening to the following which we thought you might enjoy as well. (I suggest that you listen with a glass in your hand and dance around the room.)
For those of you who are fans of 'Family Guy' here is Seth MacFarlane singing the same song. What a voice!
Then, after a long day of packing and repacking to make sure we can lift our bags and that they contain exactly what we need, we had a lovely final supper with Mum, starting with a bottle of champagne. This led to us listening to the following which we thought you might enjoy as well. (I suggest that you listen with a glass in your hand and dance around the room.)
For those of you who are fans of 'Family Guy' here is Seth MacFarlane singing the same song. What a voice!
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Cheerio Tea Party
Unfortunately no pics to accompany this post, but wanted to say how lovely it was to see everyone at the Tea party at Mum's on Sunday. Everyone was really interested in the plans and wanted to know exactly where we were going. I did so much talking that I was unable to get to the table with all the cakes on it, so I missed out on everything! Nick managed to try out a piece of each of the different cakes and he did a sterling job making pot after pot of tea for the rest of us. Thanks to Mum for hosting and for making half the cakes. It was a lovely afternoon.
Friday, 8 June 2012
Map and Plan to download
Just a quick post to mention a new addition to our blog. Several people have asked if they can have a copy of our itinerary with dates so they can know when we’ll be where, if you see what I mean, so I’ve made a PDF of our route on a map of the World plus a day by day schedule of where we expect to be. (E&OE) You can find a link to it under the big Google map at the top of every page.
While I’m writing, Juli wanted me to remind all our loyal blog followers (both of you) that you can see more of her pictures than come up in the little slideshow at the top of the right hand column by clicking on the slideshow itself. That will open her Flickr page in a new tab, from where you can find, admire and comment on all her photos.
On the subject of clicking on things, don’t forget you can click on the map pins to find out more about where we’re going, or, if the pins have changed from white to a colour, where we’ve been.
TTFN - N
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
The beginning of the beginning
Not yet 'The Off', but we're on our way to it...
...And what a send off I (I've given up writing in the third person) I got from College. Thanks very much to 'The Girls' in the Learning Centre and to everyone who took the time to turn up and eat cake (and crisps and sausages and smoked salmon blinis - thanks, Helen). I was really chuffed by all the lovely, thoughtful gifts, messages and good wishes. I don't know if I'll be back, but I'll never forget my few years at BAC.
First stop on our progression South was cousin (and God mum) Elsa in Great Ayton, North Yorkshire. We had a brilliant time and laughed lots, especially at Elsa and friend Jennifer with various noxious chemicals and bits of rubber on their heads, having their hair done in Elsa's kitchen.
Among the highlights were better than expected weather, playing with toy trains and a stroll up Rosebury Topping, something Juli has wanted to do since getting her strength back after finishing her initial treatments, so another mental milestone passed.
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From there to Colchester, Essex and Brother Adam's for a family get-together. Adam and Madeleine did us proud with a brilliant bar-b-q and buffet, and it was good to catch-up with my siblings, their spouses, their children and their children's children too. Not forgetting Harry the dog plus new arrivals Rita, Joyce, Ruth and Valerie the chickens.
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Last stop before London: Rob & Helen plus Abi, Emily and Ben in Ipswich, Suffolk. A lovely lunch and our first look round that town.
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So here we are in Staines, Middlesex (as was). We still have a few last minute arrangements to make and bills to pay plus one more vaccination to get before we leave on the 17th, but mostly, I'm expecting to spend the next ten days packing and re-packing our bags and making sure we've got everything we need but nothing more.
Countdown is progressing. (Uno, dos. Uno, dos, tres, quatro.)
...And what a send off I (I've given up writing in the third person) I got from College. Thanks very much to 'The Girls' in the Learning Centre and to everyone who took the time to turn up and eat cake (and crisps and sausages and smoked salmon blinis - thanks, Helen). I was really chuffed by all the lovely, thoughtful gifts, messages and good wishes. I don't know if I'll be back, but I'll never forget my few years at BAC.
First stop on our progression South was cousin (and God mum) Elsa in Great Ayton, North Yorkshire. We had a brilliant time and laughed lots, especially at Elsa and friend Jennifer with various noxious chemicals and bits of rubber on their heads, having their hair done in Elsa's kitchen.
Among the highlights were better than expected weather, playing with toy trains and a stroll up Rosebury Topping, something Juli has wanted to do since getting her strength back after finishing her initial treatments, so another mental milestone passed.
.JPG)
From there to Colchester, Essex and Brother Adam's for a family get-together. Adam and Madeleine did us proud with a brilliant bar-b-q and buffet, and it was good to catch-up with my siblings, their spouses, their children and their children's children too. Not forgetting Harry the dog plus new arrivals Rita, Joyce, Ruth and Valerie the chickens.
.JPG)
Last stop before London: Rob & Helen plus Abi, Emily and Ben in Ipswich, Suffolk. A lovely lunch and our first look round that town.
.JPG)
.JPG)
So here we are in Staines, Middlesex (as was). We still have a few last minute arrangements to make and bills to pay plus one more vaccination to get before we leave on the 17th, but mostly, I'm expecting to spend the next ten days packing and re-packing our bags and making sure we've got everything we need but nothing more.
Countdown is progressing. (Uno, dos. Uno, dos, tres, quatro.)
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