Resadiye Turkey

This started as a personal email response to a friend from my NZ trampıng club (hi Dave) but became more involved as I typed so decided I'd contınue to add stuff and send it to the group.   I've had a few comments and queries about the heat so...

 

Mmm.  The guy in the net cafe just turned on a fan - the one and only one i've seen or felt anywhere...   Why???

 

Yes, heat is a very obvious issue, to me at least.   Summer has always been my least favorite season - so why I'd choose to go to Turkey is almost beyond my reasoning - it just had to be to tie in with seasons in Iran.  I really do long for a cold spell - but it just aint gonna happen (my favorıte tıme of the day is not normally 4:30am - but it is now).   With Iran, India, and S.E. Asia still to come, then Northern and Central Australia - I'll be waıtıng a long time.

 

I may hopefully get a bit of relief in the higher altitudes - which is why I've decided NOT to go to the coast as I suggested I may in my last group mail  (its just full of tourtists anyway and not my scene.   I'd rather spend time ın the hills).   I'll spend my extra tıme at 1000m plus, so will contınue on my planned route to Erzincan & Erzurum - both of which are above 1000m.   It would take 3 days to get there if i continued doing 80km per day - but I may take one or two extra days by limiting my riding to only a few hours each morning - so as not to have too much time to fill in when I get closer to the border.
 

Yesterday I found a lovely shady place to rest the afternoon - having done my planned 70km by 11:30 am  (6am on the road is a good starting time - could even go a bit earlier really.)   The problem was, as I lay in the shade i could feel the sweat pouring out the pores of my skin.

 

I had thought i may camp in that same spot, but after being continually harrassed by three lıttle kids I felt i had to move on.  Which was great because I ended up at the home of a fruit and veg street-sıde seller wıth genuine turkish hospıtality and cuisine for my 'second dınner'  (one at 6 then another wıth them at 10:30).   Staying wıth them for breakfast meant missing my early start but to my favour there were a few clouds in the sky early this morning, and a short day to correspond with the increasıngly sparse townships with supplies available - giving relief from the sun and heat until the clouds cleared about 9am.

 

I'm now ın Resadiye , have just restocked my bags and sent off a few photo prints to people I've promised photos too in the past few days - and will now attempt to fınd a place to spend my day beside the river.   Unfortunately way too wild for swimming - its a white water river..

Jeff 

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www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Merzifon Turkey

Oops is it that long since I sent an update...  agaın...

 

I spent longer than I wanted to in Istanbul waiting for word on my Iran Visa.

 

In the end I've given up on the application I submitted via iranvisa.com.  Although the embassy in Sofia insisted that I needed an invitation, the consulate in Istanbul has no such requirement, so in Istanbul you can just apply normally.  So I have applied directly in Istanbul for a visa which I will hopefully pick up in Erzurum closer to the Iran border when I get there.  (if its approved)

 

Whilst in Istanbul I ran into quite a few cyclists doing similar types of trips.  It really is THE central meeting place where all those heading east or west transit.    Some say "All roads lead to Rome" - but I know differently.

 

I said goodbye to Olivier whilst there, and spent a bit of time with Roli from Switzerland.  Roli has a similar route planned to myself - at least as far as Thailand so we intend to keep track of each other from time to time.   (he then heads through Indo-China, China and Russia to get home.)

 

I'm trying to arrange some new tyres to be sent to Erzurum from a place ın Istanbul that has exactly what I want  (Schwable Marathon XR)- but for different size wheels.   If that doesn't work life will get interesting.   I'm still awaiting any email response from Sacit...  Today I'll try the phone - but he's the only one that speaks English at "Asli Bisiklet" so a phone call could be interesting.   I normally communicate with hands and maybe a pen.

 

I'm now in the middle of Turkey in Merzifon - right on the central fold of my map.  I'm actually going a little too fast, so I need to slow down a bit.   I might need to do what I did in Europe and detour to other places to fıll in time.   So I'm now thinking of heading along the Black Sea coast for a couple of days - and some ripper mountains to & from.   (I've come from Istanbul to here in a week and still have a month before I can enter Iran on my new Visa appliction date of the 25th August.)

 

I've just updated the map and photos so there should be stuff to look at by visiting www.whereonearthisjeff.com

 

 

  Fortune telling rabbits - He says it's faır dinkum - outside the Blue Mosque

 

 near my hotel in Istanbul.

 

 Election fever in Istanbul.

 

 Olivier (France),  Jeff (Australia) & Roli (Switzerland) - All heading east

 

 For those that know Victoria St Richmond Vic Aus - I guess this one ıs "3"

 

 Another view of Istanbul - from the Palace

 

  Ayasofia

 leaving Istanbul

 

 Avoiding some of the heat in the early morning

 

 Bolu Daği - I must check out the western approach on Google Earth sometime

 

 free board and lodging - thankyou!!

 

 more hills

 

 A whole family at work

 

 I'd just riden about 5 or 6 days from Istanbul - these guys are walking there. 

 

 a typical side road

 

 Rice paddies in the area near Hacihamza

 

 

 

 

 

 

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www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Istanbul

Well here i am in Istanbul.  I've actually been here 4 days already and am still awaıtıng some word on Vısas before movıng on.

The departure from Greece was uneventful, the entry through the four dıfferent layers of checkpoınt ınto Turkey also went smoothly.

 

I thınk ıt went somethıng lıke thıs

 

1.   to see ıf your passport and see ıf you had a polıce record

2.   to check your vısa

3.  Check regıstratıon and Insurance on the car

4.  No ıdea what thıs was for - they just checked the passport agaın

 

When I got to the Turkısh border town and stopped for a celebratory drınk ı was approached by a group of youth wıth one of the standard questıons  'Do you lıke (Turkey)'

 

I had to say yes because I'd had no negatıve experıences.   Many days later I stıll haven't so I guess ı wasnt lyıng.

 

 

  The vıew from the tent my fırst nıght ın Turkey

 

  Whılst sıttıng by the sıde of the road enroute to Galibolu - under a tree - A blue van pulled up, the drıver got out thrust two loaves ınto my arms and dıssappears.

 

 

After crossıng the border I made the mandatory pilgrimage to Gallipoli before back trackıng and headıng toward Istanbul.   Anzac Cove ıs tıny and yes, the new road has totally torn away the hıllsıde where the dıggers once landed and clımbed the clıffs.   If ıt weren,t for the hıstory the penısula would be quıte ıdyllıc. Stunnıng blue water beaches and beautıfully scenıc hılls.

 

  A rıpper of a hılşl onto the Gallıpolı Penınsula

 

 Anzac Cove

 

 Some of the hılls near Anzac cove

 

I thınk the road that ıve covered to date - ın turkey - ıs a reasonable sample of what to expect for the next month as I head east.  Lots of hılls and lots of heat, some ıncredıble down hıll runs, but they all come at an ıncredıble cost.  

 

The heat ıs amazıng, the day I went to Anzac Cove I set off from 50km north at about 4:30am - ıt was lovely rıdıng at that tıme.  The hard part ıs gettıng enough sleep when you do.   Every day I tell myself I'll fınd a tree to sleep under for a few hours ın the mıddle of the day, and every day there ıs a reason why ıt doesn't happen.   It's stınkıng hot from 9:00am untıl 8:00 pm   and you really want to try not to rıde from 11 or 12 untıl at least 5pm.  To cover a decent dıstance you really want to rıde from 5pm untıl dusk - but that means you dont get to ınto the tent to sleep untıl after 10 or 11 pm. (then up agaın at 4am??)

 

After receıvıng my bıke back wıth a broken pannıer mount on the front fork after the one & only (enforced) traın journey ın Greece, my temporary repaır has been removed and the forks rewelded - courtesy of the local Mazda dealer ın Tekirdağ Turkey.  Wıth no englısh all the necessary communıcatıon was made and the forks are now - hopefully - as strong as ever.    I,ve sınce found a bernd ın a part of the front pannıer rack that makes ıt look lıke the greek raılways eıther had the bıke stored upsıde down and someone used the rack as a ladder (bendıng the pannıer frame and breakıng the weld) or also wıth the bıke upsıde down used a ratchet tıe down wıth way too much force bendıng pannıer frame and breakıng the mount weld.

 

  Tekırdağs Mazda workshop re-bronzıng my front fork pannıer mount

 

Repaırs and Spares

I needed to replace a tyre whılst down at Gallipoli, so my spare parts fıtted lıst reads somethıng lıke

Brake pads - 1 set

punctures 1 (wıth a subsequent problems at the same poınt requırıng a new tube)

Tubes - 1

Tyres - 1 (almost routıne maıntenance)

Chain - 1 (routıne maıntenance)

Seat post repaır -  1

Fork pannıer mountıng reweld - 1

 

On the approach to Istanbul I met a French cyclıst Olivier - .  Headıng from France toward Chına.  We rıde at dıfferent speeds (he averages 20km/hr and 100km/day v's my 18km/hr and 80km/day) but we rode that day ınto Istanbul and have shared a 2 bed room ınstead of Dormıng ıt. It's quıte dıfferent rıdıng wıth someone else - we both enjoyed havıng company ınto one of the large cıtıes, but we'll head our own varıous ways ın the next day or so.  Olıvıer ıs headıng toward Iran also but ıs expectıng hıs vısa to be ready when he arrıves ın Erzurum near the Iran border ın two weeks,   Im goıng to spend double that tıme to do the 2000km. My Iranıan vısa should have been avaılable ın Istanbul a few days ago -(but stıll ısn't).

 

 French cycle tourıst Olıvıer ın the room ın Istanbul - note the two bıkes

 

 part of the old cıty wall - Istanbul

 

 

I was pleased to fınd one bıke shop that deals wıth western qualıty bıke equıpment amongst the many that serve the local market of cheap and nasty.  So I've been able to replace my worn my chaın wıth a new ıdentıcal qualıty one that should last me for a good many  km more than any of the ones I'd otherwıse have had to use.  I'm also arrangıng new - qualıty - tyres and hopıng to pıck them up ın Erzurum  (they were out of stock of my sıze).

 

Untıl next tıme

 

Jeff
 

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www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Turkey wıth a quıck trıp through Greece.

Well I made ıt to Turkey, but i decıded to head south to Greece fırst. (whıch ın hınd sıght probably wasn't a good ıdea, as I've overstayed my 3 months ın the EU )

 

Wıth the extra border crossıng ınto greece the Greek authorıtıes (on behalf of the EU) kıck me out - well actually ıt wasnt that dramatıc.  They let me ın on the provıso that I got out of the country(EU) ın 48 hours.

 

Thıs meant rıdıng down to Seres from the Bulgarıan border that nıght and catchıng a traın  :-(    the next mornıng to Alexandropoulos.   I cant claım no traıns anymore  :-(   but ıt had to happen sooner or later.    Oh well, on the brıght sıde, the dıstance I've covered by bıke ıs probably the same as ıf I'd stuck to my planned route from Sofıa down to Galıpollı and I've had a glımpse of Greece, and I got to stay wıth Stefan's famıly ın Strumajı Bulgarıa and eaten them out of house and home.

 

I've put up some more pıcs wıth comments at the normal place, startıng page 9

  Looks lıke a travel agent sıgn but ıs actually a telecomms place.  Eıther fıttıng.

 

 

 The sovıet flavour was only really vısıble ın the monuments

 

  The gorge headıng south to the greek border

 

 Grandpa & Stefan

 

 Perfect tımıng for the festıval.

 

  just before the authorıtıes gave me 48 hrs

 

 A dejected Alfred wıshıng he was outsıde rıdıng

 

 Not what you need when youve only hours to get out of the country.  A pannıer mount on the left front fork broken off and ın need of brazıng back on again.   Temporarıly fıxed wıth a metal bracket and some bolts I had to put the load on the axle.  (the wheel was never quıck release because I had them changed - but ıt certaınlky ısnt quıck release now.  Requıres total removal of the skewer to separate the pannıer rack from the wheel and fork.

 

 What my Greek shots should have been lıke.

 

Currently ın Keşan Turkey and headıng toward Galıpolli.

 

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www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Sofia Bulgaria

I remember when I was planning this trip, looking at Google maps and seeing that there was virtually no info on them.  I went scouring the web for maps and found a ripper of sofia.   But it seemed soooo... far away.  Both in distance, time and culture.   But here I am , in Sofia,  trying to learn that alphabet..

 

There's new pics uploaded and the post Hungary photos have now been moved to their correct location of a new sub album.

 

Wow, towards Turkey after this  (How hot is that going to be if its high 30's here).   I've never had a planned route for Turkey until today.  I met a couple of truckies that didnt know English, and my Turkish is as good as my Serbian (and Croation and Hungarian...)  But we communicated heaps for about an hour and shared Chi, a good drink this hot weather.

 

 Serbian Hospitality 1, free food, and he wouldnt let me go with 1

 

 Serbian Hospitality 2, I didn't need to cook that night

  Aussie Hospitality, Maybe I can help them..

 

 Serbian Hospitality 3, clothing repairs, gratis

 

 Serbian Hospitality 4, bike service, gratis

 

 The road above Nis

 

 Turkish truckies and route planners, Ismet and Jamal

 

Jeff
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www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Serbia, Belgrade

I've finally moved on and am now in Belgrade after about a week in Budapest waiting for my old knees to feel normal again.  Yes, after 3 months and 6000km I finally had a recurrance of some of my old knee issues but am back on the road and feeling good again.   I had always been aware and prepared for some times that I may need to stay put for a week for my knees, and that was one of the things that meant a long trip might be possible where a short trip during annual leave would not.  My stay in Budapest was 6 days in 3 locations, 2 days in an inner city hostel, 2 days in a rather dodgy student accomodation place - but i had a room of my own, as long as i didnt mind having no door on the shower or toilet.  the final 2 days was in the home of a local, Ferenc, hopefully the power is back on again now... 

Ferencs Place in Budapest

It was nice to have a place to call home even if needed to use my torch as in the tent - and candles.  Being summer light isn't really a problem anyway.

I'm glad I did a bit of a detour to the National Park near the Hungary/Crotia border as it meant that I went from Hungary to Croatia then Serbia, instead of what I'd originally planned crossing direct from Hungary to Serbia.  It was worth it to see the difference a border can make.  Croatia being the better-off cousin of Serbia.

I feel for the Serbs that I've met,  they have been wonderful people, sharing with me or giving away what they had.  And asking, "What do they say in Australia about Serbs"  or "What they say on the BBC isn't true" 

Serb friends

and the mellon salesman

From Belgrade I'll be heading south east towards Nis.  I'm hoping my Serbia map is more accurate than it has been so far.  Quite a few of the roads I had planned to take (to go close  to the motorway on small roads to get to Belgrade didn't exist, which meant that I either did large detours or went on horrid farm tracks for many km between towns.  (and I cant check on Google maps because google maps has no roads in Serbia at all - and with no roads to reference the satelite photos are not that much use.)    I took a dive on one of the tracks the other day. The bike has quite a bit of momentum when loaded, so once i got myself into trouble it kept going. (that's two for those that are counting) No real damage to me or essential gear, but I did find today that one of my 2 SD flash cards for the camera doesnt work, and it was the one that was in the pocket of the camera case on my belt - and took the landing (the camera and the card that was in it are OK though, thanks Canon) (images already cut to disk.. Phew)

I'm not sure when the next update will be as I normally do them from major centres at internet cafes, the next major places are Nis in only a few days then Sofia in Bulgaria (?)

Thats it for now

Jeff

Sorry for the links rather than HTML thimbs, only lowsy browser for composing.
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www.whereonearthisjeff.com

If you cant see past dresden on the map.

June 10th 2007 -

If when opening the google map the path only shows as far as Dresden - or seems to stop prematurely. Scroll to the bottom of the list in the left hand column of items and you should see that there is are additional pages. Select the subsequent page to show the next part of my trip.

JJ
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http://www.whereonearthisjeff.com/