21.03.2006

Well, and we have done it as decided: we started on the 14th of March. That day, Nicole and Sebastian came to us for breakfast at 7h30. From 8h30 on, all the other friendly people came to say “good by” – what a nice surprise! After checking again our apartment, we put all our staff into the transporter and started definitely at 9h45. All the way to Italy, the sun was shining but it was also freezing outside. Harry – our driver – was so kind to drive us down to Trento where we found a place to unload our motorbike and to load it up too. Loading it up, we had a little problem: there was no space for our 10 liter water canister any more. What a pity! Harry took it back to Germany. On 16h00 we finally started on our own 2 wheels. Overnight near Carpi, at a B&B.

15.03.06 – Drive from Carpi to Ancona from where we took the 17h00 ferry to Igoumenitza. The night we spent in Pullman seats, the room sharing with a lot of Turkish car dealers who were snoring like … There was no thinking of good sleep…

16.03.06 – We arrived at 9h30 in Igoumenitza (Greece). The weather was quite disappointing: cold and rainy. Custom and border were no problem: actually, there was nothing and nobody. We could drive on a very nice highway on to Ioannina where we had our first stop and spent the night. The next day, we continued our way direction Thessaloniki. It was still rainy and we also had to cross a 1.700 meter pass where it was even snowing. But Chri drove very carefully and I could take some pictures. After arriving in Thessaloniki, we allowed us a nice hotel and spent a good night over there. On the 18th of March we could drive without any incidents near the Turkish border, overnight in Alexandroupolis.

19.03.06 – Arrival in Turkey. It took us half an hour to cross the Turkish border. One stamp in each passport, and the bike was noted into Chri’s passport too. The following drive to Istanbul was quite rough – a lot of potholes. I (Rita) did not expect it yet and was really surprised. The last meters to Istanbul we therefore took the highway which was in a better condition. After 2 hours looking for an hotel – the traffic was totally chaotic – we felt in our beds and had a very good night.

20. + 21.03.06 – Istanbul, we are fine, we are doing sight seeing, drink a lot of Turkish tea and eat Turkish sweets :-)

22.03.06 – Continue by bike direction Konya …

27.03.06 - We are now in Konya, we arrived here yesterday. In the meantime, we changed our plans a bit. We did not go directly from Istanbul to Konya – first we made a trip via Kütahya to Pamukkale. Here we spent 2 nights, visiting the terraces of Pamukkale on the 24th of March on a very sunny day. It is a nice place even a lot of terraces are already destroyed. We also visited the ruins of Hierapolis and the red hot water terraces (these were more Disney Land like – not really impressive). In the evening, we met by chance 2 Germans with their own vehicle – the “purple cow” (www.pistenkuh.de).They came – amongst others – from Egypt, Jordan and Syria. So it was really interesting to talk and to change the latest news. On our way back to the hotel, it started raining and we got wet wet wet …

25. + 26.03.06 – The weather was better but it was still cold. Drive from Pamukkale via Beyşehir (spent one night there) to Konya. Arriving here, we were looking for a hotel with parking which we found quite quickly. We will stay here until the 30th of March because we would like to see the total eclipse of the sun on the 29.03.06. You will be informed.

29.03.06 - Today it was a great day. The weather was excellent to see the sun eclipse without any clouds. We went some km out of Konya, up to 1.400m. From there we had a brillant view over the town and the mountains. When the eclipse was total the mountains were shining in the "sunset" colours. It was so amazing that we decided to become "eclipse-travellers" :-) This is the last night in Konya, tomorrow we will continue to Göreme.

30.03.06 - Again a small change in our route. Instead of going directly to the syrian boarder, we are first going to Goreme. Chri was here already in 1999 and was enthusiastic. He was right. The landscape around Konya is plain but around Goreme it is going to be more hilly and colourful. And everyhere these funny cones out of stone. Most of them are hollowly. In the early days they were hiding-places for christians. Today the apartments and former chruches can be visited or are hotels. So we spent the afternoon form the 30st of march and the 31st of march at Goreme. Unfortunately the weather at the second day was not so good. It also rained a bit. But we are getting used to it. Our Motorbikegear is very good. But it was worth going to Goreme. At the next day I thought Chri is going to make a april fols joke with me. But he was not. We had our first flat tire. Demounting the tire and bringing it to the mechanic (we were not in the mood to repair it ourself) and in three minutes the tire was repaired again. After mounting the tire again we went of to Adana. No nice town. We found a (also not very nice) hotel - they german television. So we went down, got two beer and watched TV. :-)

02.04.06 - This morning we got up early, because we want to go to the syrian boarder. So we started, but the weather was not on our side. It was cloudy, often rainig an foggy too - no fun riding at such a bad weather. We went via Iksenderum and Antakya to the boarder. To the frontier town Bab al Hawa. The people at the syiran boarder took their time (when thy showed up). One guy wanted to help us (something like a facilitator) but he couldn't talk a word english except "passport". He tried to grab our papers. But we managed the boarder by ourselfs. And 45 minutes later we were at the Syria. So this were the last news from Turkey.

Conclusion Turkey

RITA: Well - we just rode about 1800 km at this big country so we have seen just a small part of it. However I want to write a small abstract about Turkey. The landscapes are great and and vary a lot. Unfortunately the roads are in a very bad condition. We could alomost hear how the rear tire abrode. I don't say anything about the driving-style of the Turks. That is Chri's part. The people can be very nice, but for me it sounded always a little bit that they always want to make a deal with you. First friendly but then when you don't buy anything they are always shirty even if you told them before that you wont buy anything. And thy are really annoying, because NO is not accepted. And thoughtfulness - no chance. I just say one night in a hotel with turkish people and you know what I mean. Closing doors very noisy, moving over furniture, jelling around and watching TV with the maximum volume. And this until deep night!! I don't want to talk about the affectations from the drivers - thats a very special chapter. But the country is worth a visit.

CHRI: I also write a short conclusion about Turkey. I still have the country in my mind from six years ago. Somehow nothing didn't change. The people are nice (except the carpet dealers - they are all the same all over the world), the fraffic is really nerve-wracking. You have to be very concnetrated that no accident happens. In addition to this there is the bad condition of the roads. Rita alread wrote it - we could already feel how the tire is getting worse. Now the profile is gone and the steel is coming through. FYI - I went to the German motorbike inspection (@ Cel - you luckies don't know this at Belgium ;-) )one week before we left germany - and did not reveal any faults. This time I was amazed about the range of food. As a vegetarian you have in a lot of countries (also in Germany) it it quite difficult to get some food. But it was no problem to explain the people that I don't eat meat and to get something vegetarian. A nice country which is one or more visits worth.

Pictures - go to the link at the mainpage

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