India (1997)

Kashmir, Agra, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Uidaipur,  Delhi

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Photos, post cards and letters from my 3 ¾ weeks backpacking in India with Ally from 7 November - 3 December 1997.


Places visited

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What we experienced

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From Post Cards

Srinagar 

• Hi there – greetings from India! Ally and I flew into the hurly burly, chaotic, noisy, smelly world of Delhi – and grabbed the first opportunity to get the hell out and took a persuasive travel agent’s package to Kashmir, in the North of India. The region used to be India’s premier tourist destination due to its breathtaking scenery – before it was struck by political instability. Now that things have quietened down, tourists are starting to trickle back again. We stayed on houseboats in the town of Srinagar, known as the Venice of the North because of its vast network of beautiful rivers and lakes – set against a soaring high, snow capped mountain backdrop. The temperature was predictably chilly, especially at night, but we had hot water bottles and wood heaters to keep us snug.
• We spent a wonderful day exploring the lakes and rivers in a local “gondola”. The majority of the town folk live and set up shop on the rivers in boats – so the river forms an intricate system of roads and cul de sacs with fascinating sights at every turn. Kashmir is famous for its crafts – including hand knotted carpets (the silk ones were exquisite), wood carvings, hand made furniture and beautifully painted paper mache objects – so there was lots of perusing to be done in the shops and factories (although we did not buy because of the “backpackers handicap”!). Kashmir is also well known for its delicious honey – fresh from the hive – so we got to do some tasting of the vast selection of flavours available – including lily, lotus, saffron and opium (what a kick!) For the rest of the journey we laid back in luxury while our personal oarsman took us through the lakes – listening to the splash of the oars and gawking at the scenery.

Hazratbal Mosque

• One of the stops on our river trips was the White Mosque – the grandest and most spiritually important mosque in Kashmir. Because of the tensions between the local Muslims and the Indian government, the mosque is heavily guarded by soldiers and you are only permitted in after an intensive body search. If they discover suspicious articles (or the fact that you are female – men only permitted) then you get very short shift. At first my bird binoculars caused a bit of consternation but then the playful and curious spirit took over and soon everyone was having a “look through” and chuckling with glee and the magnified images.

Zaina Kadal Bridge

• Here’s a picture of the “old city” sections of Srinagar. Quaint old buildings and rickety bridges. It is tragic how seven years of instability in the region has devastated the previously booming tourist industry. Over a hundred “hotel boats” lie dilapidated and vacant along the river and many of the craft shops are boarded up, waiting for summer days. Tourists are beginning to return again but it will be years before the floodgates open again. For us though, the lack of tourists was great – it was quiet and tranquil and we enjoyed intimate glimpses into the traditional lives of the local people.

Chandanwari – Pahalgan – Kashmir

• A wonderland of green Christmas trees, torrential rivers, glaciers, soaring eagles and towering peaks covered in snow. This is the world that awaited us in the mountains of Kashmir. We walked for miles along the valleys – at times trampling through snow – and always careful not to slip on the icy paths. This was the first time Ally and I had experienced real, thick snow close up and we had a ball, to the wide eyed amazement of our guide who has grown up with snow and thinks of it as a mundane nuisance. First we made “snow angels” by lying back in the snow to leave our body imprints and flapping our arms to make wings. Then we created a snowman with an enormous hunk of a nose. All this was completed with a delicious snow fight that left our hands tingling with cold.

Agra

• From Srinagar we made our way south to Agra – an epic bus and train journey of over 35 hours. The night train ride was hell – there were no sleeper tickets available so we had to sleep on the smelly, crowded floor while the locals slept in luxury on the padded bunk beds. We got trampled every time someone needed the loo – the smell of which became pervasively more revolting as the night progressed. The 14 hour train journey cost us the princely sum of 2 English Pounds! We arrived in Agra and collapsed in our hotel beds after a warm meal and shower –brimming with anticipation about seeing Agra’s jewel – the Taj Mahal – the following day.
• The Taj Mahal is famous across the world as the most beautiful building the world – visited by royalty, painted by artists, extolled by poets, gushed over by millions of tourists. Knowing this, we were full of expectation but nothing could prepare us for the exquisite beauty of this monument. We visited at dawn, when the grounds were quiet and tranquil and watched the marble of the Taj change shade a hundred times from a subtle pink to shimmering white as the sun rose across the sky. The gardens of the Taj are the best kept in India – the perfect setting for the “poem in marble”. A cherry on the top was that the gardens were home to wild rose ringed parakeets – a bird I had never seen before.
• I’m really glad we arrived early. As the morning progressed, the grounds had started to fill with locals and tourists until it was almost difficult to move.
• The Taj Mahal is a monument to love. The story behind it is as follows: Emperor Shah Jahan was absolutely devastated when his beloved wife (he had many but she was his favourite!) died during childbirth. In his grief, he set his mind to creating a fitting monument in her memory – and lay her tomb at the centre. No expense was spared – only the very best of India’s artists, architects, tradesmen and materials were employed. And so the Taj Mahal was built. Soon after, the emperor’s son seized the throne and imprisoned his father in the Agra Fort. The emperor spent the last years of his life staring wistfully from his window bars at the Taj Mahal in the distance. After his death, he was buried next to his beloved wife. The beautiful marble in the photo gives an idea of the beautiful decorations inside the Taj.
• Next we explored the Agra Fort – also one of India’s most magnificent monuments. From the top we enjoyed wonderful views of the Taj Mahal in its setting on the backs of a wide river. We befriended an Indian honeymoon couple, also sightseeing, and we all took lots of photos of each other. When you’re travelling as a couple, you’re forever asking other tourists to take a picture of you together! All in all, the Agra Fort was impressive but I was surprised and sad to see how run down it was in places. I would have expected the Indians to take better care of this proud heritage of theirs.
• Agra Fort is a huge complex of palaces and rooms, each done in an individual style. There were separate quarters for men and women. The ladies quarters were built in marble with pretty flourishes and colourful inlays. The men, in good old masculine style, had grand and imposing red sandstone structures. Think I would have opted for the ladies quarters – most aesthetic and definitely more interesting in the days of the harem!
• We stayed by the park for two days in a friendly little guesthouse called “The Falcon”. Each morning we’d wake up at sparrow fart, grab the hotel’s identification book and head off into the mosquito infested wilds (protected by Tabbard and malaria tablets!) for an orgy of bird stalking. It was at this time that I discovered the rue depths of Ally’s love! We saw storks, bee-eaters, ducks, owls, mynahs, coucals, eagles and kingfishers, to name a few. In all, I saw over 50 new species of birds. My life goal is to see 2,000 bird species in the wild – and I’m slowly getting there. Latest count = 600.

Keoladeo Ghana National Park

• From Agra we travelled to the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, India’s most famous bird sanctuary, and many experts say the best Bird Park in all of Asia. A lush world of water, reeds and woodland, Keoladeo serves as a pit stop for hundreds of thousands of birds on their migratory journeys south. November is the best time of year to be there (bull’s eye!) Needless to say, as a passionate “twitcher”, I was in heaven!
• I spent a wonderful afternoon with a guide being taken round all the less accessible parts of the park. He had worked at the park for 25 years and knew every inch of the land and every bird. The other guides called him “Master” out of respect for him – their teacher. He charged R10 an hour for his service, 2/3 more than the others, but by god it was worth it! Not only was he brilliant but he had a great sense of humour and I kept having to try not to laugh and chase the birds away.

Jaipur

• Next stop was Jaipur, famous for its Pink City – painted in bright pink shades. The architecture is stunning – simple yet elegant – and the city’s jewel, the Pink Palace, set right in the centre, is exquisite. The photo shows one of the courtyards in the Palace. Jaipur still has a living Maharaja who resides in the Palace. Apparently he is a wonderfully friendly chap and loves guests (even smelly backpackers!), although, of course, a reservation is required. However, our travel clothes are starting to get a bit threadbare and I did not bring my tux, so we opted to give the royal family a miss.
• This pot (made of pure silver) is famous. Situated in the Palace, it stars in the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest single piece of silver in the world. It weighs 845kgs and holds 9,000 litres of water. A Maharaja used the pot to transport holy water from the Ganges to London by ship. Why the Londoners would want this, I do not know, it would be enough to give the entire city the runs for a month!
• Here is a photo of the most beautiful door (or so we thought!) in the whole place – known rather aptly as the “Peacock Door”. Peacocks are indigenous to India. It’s amazing to see them in the wild after always seeing them in the zoo before.
• The 18th century Maharaja was a keen astronomer and had his own personal observatory built – a very interesting place. Using huge concrete instruments, they could measure the distance between the earth and the moon and other complicated things. They had a sundial too that was only 10 minutes slow. What’s ten minutes between a sundial and Greenwich Meridian time?
• A colourful street scene in Jaipur. All the streets bustle with frenetic activity as hawkers ply their trades and traffic whizzes to and fro. The traffic system in all of India is more chaotic than you could ever imagine. Everyone drives with their horns, and not their brakes. Stop signs and traffic lights are unheard of. To add spice to the situation, cows and monkeys roam the streets. Cows are holy here – if you hit a cow you get jailed longer than for manslaughter – so the cows know they are safe and sometimes even lie down in the middle of the road with traffic on either side – mooing in contempt at the honking horns.
• Our next stop was the beautiful desert town of Jaisalmer. We found a budget hotel high up in the walls of an ancient fort with spectacular views across the desert. The fort was choc a block full of Hindu temples, sacred cows, cute houses, delicious restaurants and a beautiful palace – so there was plenty to explore.
• Another view of the fort from the Markets below. Unfortunately, I came down with a nasty fever, the cause of which was never really determined, so I lay low for a couple of days. Ally spent lots of time shopping. Jaisalmer is a budget shopping paradise for clothing – I got some great cotton pants for less than R10!

Vastupala Temple

• The Hindu Temples in India are beautiful, with ornate rock carvings everywhere and watched over by little idols sitting in the lotus position. The Hindu religion is very different to anything I’ve come across before and very complicated to understand. The Hindus worship a whole range of different Gods, all with long tongue twisting names and each with its own personality and background. I’m very glad I didn’t have to go to Hindu Sunday School! It must have been hard work.
• Here is a photo of the Royal Palace of the former Maharaja of Jaisalmer. It was enormous inside with beautifully decorated rooms and hanging balconies. The Maharajas certainly knew how to live in style.
• From Jaisalmer we did a three day camel safari through the desert. I soon learned that I had muscles I didn’t know existed and that camels are not as placid and good-natured as they look! But we had a great time watching the scenery go by, eating food cooked on the fire and sleeping under the stars.
• One of the camels, poor wretched soul, was branded on the hind leg with a hot poker in front of our shocked eyes. When we asked why, we were told it was to cure a scorpi8on bite on his front foot. Superstitious crap – and really sad for the tortured animal. They are such beautiful animals with huge eyes (fringed by long lashes) that show it all – stoic acceptance of their heavy lot in life. Poor Ally got very sick on the final day from food poisoning (not surprising really) and her camel had to do continuous press ups to let her get off to throw up. We hiked to the nearest village and were picked up early. By the next day Ally was fine again.
• While in the desert on our camels we passed through several tiny villages. Because we were well off the beaten tourist track, we got to see the locals leading traditional lives. They were very friendly and invited us into their homes. A highlight was listening to an old man playing a traditional musical instrument that he had hand crafted himself.

Udaipur

• Udaipur was, without doubt, my favourite city in India. Situated around a beautiful network of blue lakes, it is a tranquil and romantic place where time seems to stand still. We hired bicycles and rode around the lakes, enjoying the scenery (and the abundant bird life) and getting some much needed exercise. The food in the area is particularly delicious – traditional home cooked dishes wherever you go.
• One of the jewels of Udaipur is its palace – yet another testament to the past glory of the Maharajas. We spent several hours exploring its labyrinth of rooms and courtyards. The walls in the men’s section are lined with hundreds of paintings depicting hunting scenes. In each, the Maharaja (with a saintly halo on his head) is seen dispatching yet another tiger with his faithful gun. Not surprising the beautiful tiger has become so endangered!
• One of the most beautiful artworks in the palace is this exquisite peacock crafted from over three thousand individual pieces of glass.
• The lake was dotted with several island temples – most of them built so that they appear to rise “ghost like” out of the water. They really add to the atmosphere of the beautiful place.
• We negotiated with a rickshaw driver to take us up an amazingly steep road into the mountains to a dilapidated but still beautiful Mousoon Palace. The palace is famous as one of the settings of an old James Bond movie – Octopussy. We paid a little bit of bribe money (baksheesh) and were let into the palace grounds. From its balcony we enjoyed the most spectacular sunset of our lives – it was a very special and romantic experience.
• Another of the settings of the James Bond movie is the Lake Palace – famous as one of the most prestigious hotels in the world. With its romantic setting in the middle of the lake, how can it lose? This is where James Bond enjoyed a shaken martini and seduced the heroine. The Lake Palace does a buffet lunch for 10 pounds a head, so Ally and I decided to splurge – and we’re so glad we did! The food was unbelievable, the setting stunning and we were pampered from start to finish.
• Here is the courtyard where we sipped our coffee after our meal. Isn’t it exquisite? We had to laugh though, the hotel hires a chap who walks around the courtyard all day with a long piece of rope. It’s his full time job to scare the pigeons away if they land on anything. Dad should have hired such a person at Melkbos!
• The women in India are beautiful. They were vibrantly coloured saris and are always full of happy smiles. It is such a refreshing change after the rather oppressive world of the Middle East where so many women have to cover themselves from head to foot in black robes – lest they distract the men from their pure and godly thoughts.
• I’ve changed my image, my hairstyle and clothes, inspired by an Indian chap like the one in the photo (only kidding!). India is full of weird and wonderful types – ascetics who give up all their worldly possessions to follow their spiritual path. India, I have heard more than once, is where the American hippie movement originated.
• India abounds in miniature art. Much of it is saucily erotic. Paintings of the Kama Sutra can be found wherever you go. Miniature art is sold in many of the shops – often at ridiculously cheap prices. For example, the peacock I have included takes 4 hours to paint, yet costs less than R3. Ally was very excited. She reckons that if she can buy wholesale bulk at ½ price, there could be great potential here for her cards.

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My Travel Notes


Delhi

• Sat 8: Arrive at Delhi airport. Catch bus to railway station. Best meditation ever on bus. I feel more at peace than ever, despite frenetic chaos of city. Exhilaration on rickshaw ride.
  We didn't read "Lets Go" so rickshaw driver persuaded us that tickets must be bought elsewhere. Rickshaw takes us to travel agent but we realise. So he takes us to another. I let my intuition be squashed and we are persuaded that the trains in Rajasthan are full because of festival - we would be better of in Kasmir - the most dangerous part of India. Lambs to the slaughter! So now I am as tense as hell. Didn't trust our instincts, did not make rational decision because were tired and rushed. Spend night in Delhi. Go for walk about in mad city to find food. Meet Dutch couple. They take us to buffet supper.
• Impressions: People everywhere, living on streets, in pipes etc. Traffic beserk, hooting, carts, cars, rickshaws. Filthy, mud, dust, smog. Public toilets are makeshift with sewage flowing out, people wash their clothes and selves in street. Beggars everywhere, some terribly disabled with twisted limbs. Markets everywhere. Packed subways under streets. Indians have long nail for picking nose and toilet. Barbers click your neck when you least expect it.

Kashmir

• Sun 9: Fly to Srinagar with Air India. Soldiers everywhere - one for each Kashmir local. Drive to houseboat - the wrong one first. Teeming with rain. Our two German companions are nice. We meet the smarmy owner and he wants 400 dollars for taking us round. Suckers. We already pay close to 1000 rupees for room and food - three times what it should be. We get him down to $200. Germans paid double what we did.
• Impressions: Handmade furniture, Kashmir tea, hot wood heaters, hot water bottles, cold! Personal servants to bring us tea and supper and put us to bed. Food is tasty vegetarian dishes.
• Mon 10: Go on boat trip round the waterways with our personal paddler. Venice of the North. Shops and houses on boats and stilted houses. Sit back on cushions in relaxed luxury. Revolting packed lunch of rotten banana and egg. See arts and crafts and honey shop. Watery backstreets and wide open lakes, with spectacular snow capped mountain backdrop.
• Visit white Mosque - most important mosque in Kashmir - we are searched to go into the grounds - binoculars cause much attention. Ally not allowed in mosque. Walk through streets of village but aren't bave enough to buy and eat anything. Beautiful birds - kites, green kingfishers, common kingfishers, crows.
• Paddler offers us tea. Hear splashes - look behind to see him with cups in river. Where is tea water coming from? Pees at back.
• Over a hundred hotel boats vacant along the rivers - the violence has destroyed tourism. It must have been thriving before. War! Why! Muslims clamped down on city, but do not know if want Independence, India or Pakistan. One Indian soldier for each local. We feel relatively safe but all guidebooks warn against coming here. Major advantage - we just about have the place to ourselves. Beautiful place - just a pity about being ripped off. Positive: Great experience and lesson all at once.
• Tues 11: A 2.5 hour taxi journey to the mountain summits. Too much snow to see the glacier, so we walk along the road. Fresh snow everywhere, lacing the beautiful trees and valleys - and road! Ice is slippery. Warm when we emerge into the sun. Sunny, blue skies. Our "personal helper" comes along - and we all hold hands on the way back to keep steady. Villages being vacated for the winter. Our first real experience of high, snow mountains (besides Switzerland).
• Rickshaw driving - like mosquito. Buses don't stop at depots, so men have to jump on. Rickshaws want commission like hungry flies.
• Wed 12: Sleep late. Paddle ourselves along the lake in a boat.
• Go to carpet shop - very interesting. Over a million knots in a carpet. Beautiful silk samples.
• I am reading "Power and Glory" by John Kehoe. I am amazed how much I have subcontiously remembered and internalised. Now I am getting brilliant new insights. I am determined to make my spiritual life my central core .

The Epic Journey

• Thurs 13: Catch battered minibus to Jammu. German girl (with deadlocks and nose ring) and Ally have been double booked - lots of tears and fireworks from her when she ends up on decrepit seat. But rude, so we do not offer to share. Beautiful scenery as we drive through Kashmere Valley - the narrow road allows one traffic flow because of damage, traffic to and from on alternative days. Bus journey takes 12 hours. Risky cheesy supper from side of road. Arrive Jammu in dark. Only available train is Delhi - sitting! Manage to smuggle ourselves into sleeper coach and take illegal occupation of bunks.
• Fri 14: Middle of night, rude awakening - thrown off by family, so we sleep and so we tourists slum it on floor while Indians sleep in luxury. Family of women (5 generations) sing songs.
• Chat to fiendly locals. Turns out of German dreadlocks paid for 4 weeks of meditation in Kashmir with flight - arrived to find nothing. Locked in her room. She did not bring book - relying on her stream of consciousness to help her. Olivier, the hilarious Frenchman and Dutch couple - we were all ripped of in Kashmir.
• Arrive in Delhi and organise to extend our tickets to Agra. Try to nourish ourselves with peanut brittle and local soft drinks. In Agra, we catch taxi to Sheela Hotel - luxury, quiet with hot water. Ahhhh! Go to Kwality restaurant for an orgasmic meal of hot - very hot - curry. Hunger is the best sauce! Do some shopping - cheap bookshop.

The Taj Mahal

• Sat 15: Awake at dawn to see Taj Mahal. Most beautiful building I've ever seen. Changing colour as the sun rises. Perfect symetry and shapes. The background: Emperor was devastated when his favourite wife died in childbirth. He decided to build a fitting monument to his beloved - best of everything. Best artists and materials brought to action - the Taj being the result. His son later seized power -- and king was imprisoned in Palace for the last years of his life - he could wistfully look upon the Taj from his barred window. When he died his tomb was built next to his beloved.
• Back to hotel for leisurely breakfast. Visit Agra Fort - beautiful views from top of Taj and river. Then the epic search for malaria tablets - lots of bumpy rickshaw riding. Visit countless chemists along Hospital road - end up getting our pills for over R1 per pill. So much for cheaper in India! Finally, catch rickety government bus to Bharatpur. Hard seats. Solicited at station by friendly little kid - go on his "dad's" rickshaw.

Birding Paradise

• We stay at Falcon hotel - friendly hosts and great, cheap food in quiet surroundings.
  Sun 16: Hire bikes and take early cycle round Keoladeo Ghana National Park. Birding heaven - some say best bird park in all of Asia. 450 bird count - especially rich in winter when migrants use the wetlands as a stepping stone on the north to south migration. Use hotel book to identify several new species of birds - storks, kingfishers, mynas, ducks, owls (show to us by guides - very impressive till discover they stay on same perch everyday! I am in my element - the joys of birding rediscovered!
• In the afternoon, I return (lock Ally in to her room by misake!) and explore with an expert guide (20 years experience) who charges R10 and hour. I see over 30 new species, including Siberian stalk (re-intoduced one) and Tawny eagle. Elation.
• Mon 17: Early trip to park. Misty and beautiful. Walk through woods - gawking at woodpeckers, sparrowhawks and mynas. Delicious lunch of Kofta (potatoes and veggies in a ball). Then back to the bus station for Jaiper.

Jaipur

• A 4 hour journey on a bone hard seat in a government bus (supposedly safer than private).
• An Indian keeps prodding Ally in the backside with his smelly feet - pushed in by his comatose friend. Thankfully, some other locals berate him for his rude behaviour. In Jaipur, we book a bus to  - for 10 pm the following night. Then to Jaipur Inn. Opt for a dingy, cheap room in the "cellar".
• Tues 18: Lunch at the larniest restaurant in town (Niros). Luxurious and tranquil respite from the bustling, honking roads. Then visit the Pink City and its Pink Palace. 
• Ally gets very excited about Indian miniature art on silk - export potential for her cards. Buy many postcards. Back to Niros for supper, collect bags and off we go on our deluxe bus like a bat out of hell through the night.
• Ally says that I am making her feel protected and cherished in India - that makes me feel great.

The Jaisalmer Fort

• Wed 19: By the time we arrive, I am feeling horrible - trots and fever. Find a hotel in the fort and I crash in bed. Ally very supportive. I go to supper - and have to rush back to make it to the loo in time.
• Thurs 20: I feel much better. Up early for a walk round the fort - views of the city from the fort walls. Cows everywhere in the allys. Beautiful red sandstone houses and temples. We go for breakfast at 8 July - sit on patio with view of the square. Run by an Indian who lived in America for many years as dishwasher - takes every opportunity to cook, returns to Jaisalmer where he opens a restaurant and becomes king pin. Full of energy with a quip for everything, he takes no shit from his customers. Drink coffee lassey and write postcards to my family.
• We also eat at vegetable restaurant - in tiny balcony with view of city. Feel fresh breeze. Restful day. I buy light cotton trousers.
• Meditating on the Fort Wall in the evening, a man with bottle of water says "Latrine". I sit confused while he squats. Loud, noisy movement. Groans of exertion and pleasure. "Oh my god." Then up and away.

The Camel Safari

• Fri 21: Lynn, a ruppee pinching American joins us and our two camel drivers. She lives in Austria, having given up the stressful and materialistic life of her home country. Lives in a tiny one room apartment on her waitressing salary - saves 95%. She spent 100 $ on her month trip!
• Desert suspicious - spitting flem with influenza, wash plates with sand, then breathed on by kids.
• Camels made trip worthwhile. Extra-ordinary creatures, take continual abuse with only grunts of displeasure. Continual bad mood. Their eyes (fringed by beautiful eye lashes) show it all - stoic acceptance of their heavy lot in life. Down on knees, get loaded up, carry, back on knees. Rope attached to rod through nose to ensure their obedience. Tug on rope very painful. Haughty looks as eyes peruse the desert scene. Keep knocking head against flanks and stamping legs to rid flies. Flick tail between legs.
• Motley "Galoo" most full of character and tragedy. Stood up as soon as Lynn sat on, racing ahead, veering off in wrong decision. Three men held him down and branded his wound on his back thigh - to cure his scorpion bite on his front foot? Branded every ten days or so till foot is better. (incentive to heal!) Poured a bottle of pure oil down his throat. More like outskirts of Karoo with shrubs and succulents. Off the tourist track, in the middle of nowhere. Food cooked on open fire. Very, very spicy. Hygiene rather suspect!
  Visit villages. Sit in hut and listen to traditional music. Don't drink the tea. Children all stare at us. Ask us to take photo and send it to them.
• Mon 24: On final day, Ally is sick. Her camel does constant bench presses to let her off to vomit. I walked most of the day. (Sick Ally on the back of a sick camel, throwing up from the camel's back. Ally is concerned she might get branded on the rump - home remedy. Phone the jeep to come early.

Impressions

• Flies everywhere, especially on the camels. Sleeping under the stars; birs everywhere on clothes, my cheap "bushwacker" hat, watching the sun set with Ally from the top of a dune, feeling pissed off at being "bossed around" by camel chaps because of their lack of English, rubbing my bum raw on the camel seet, undulating feeling on the camel, bip bop music on the jeep trip back.
• Staring children watching Ally and I embrace (like porno movie to them!), waking on sandy dunes, taking photos of our footprints, marriage proposal of camel driver to Lynn - "You could take me to America. But what would you do. Cook. On an open fire with stones!"
• My down jacket gets "nicked" and I have to wait to get it back, Lynn with her commentary for everything and her incessant chatting about her experiences in Africa.
  I have an awesome spiritual experience under the stars on the dunes.

Farewell Jaisalmer

• Tues 25: We stay at the Himalayan guesthouse. More 8 July food and sitting. Meet some friendly Cape Townians. Visit the Palace - lots of rooms to explore and unbelievable views from the overhanging balconies and roof.
• Also visit a Hindu Temple. Weird and wonderful. Figures in lotus position round circumference. Priests using the religion for baksheesh - prostitution. Painting the idols with orange mootie. Beautiful sculptures. Elephants and monsters and women doing the squats.
• Catch 3 pm bus to Uidapur. I am beseiged by fever again. Awful feeling, to be so vulnerable and weak. Sit at back of bus, very bumpy. Stop in Jodpur - where Ally and I rickshaw off for a snack, served with impecable service by very smart waiters.
  The next bus stage is an almighty fuck up. They allow Indians on first (and we stand back with our meek breeding and manners), then get on the bus to find double booking. 3 people for seat 19! Luckily Ally and I get seats, albeit cramped as hell. Elderly Indian gent has immature fight with German tourist about putting his chair back. Ally steps in human sewerage, like me previously.

The city of the royal lakes

• Wed 26: We arrive in Udaipur at 5:30 am and collapse into bed in nice and cheap hotel "Nukkad". Friendly owners. I feel grotty all day, weak with fever. Went for lunch at Hotel Natural on rooftop - delicious springroll. Ally has revolting macaroni. Eat as the Indians! Watched Octopussy - I had forgotten how much I love James Bond and Roger Moore. An institution. A highlight of my childhood! There are several scenes of Udaipur in the movie - including a rickshaw chase (hilarious!), the Palace Hotel (Bond fitted right in), and the

Monsoon and Lake Palaces

• Thurs 27: Meet Jimmy, a solid and friendly rickshaw driver. Cash money at bank (beaurocratic!) and get tickets (2 hours of queues). Visit the City Palace (exquisite courtyard of glass guineafowls + courtyard with pool and trees). Great view of lake. Walk past luxury hotel ($200 a night) and eat at larny terrace restaurant overlooking the lake and the gorgeous Lake Palace. Had my best chicken burger ever.
• Drive with Rickshaw Jimmy to Monsoon Palace on top of hill - a steep ride where all rickshaws have to stop half way to cool their engines. Pay baksheesh to enter palace - a fantasy place of phenomenal views and balconies and rooms. Watch sun set, in awe of GM - with swifts and cooing pigeons, and then walk round the front. Feel the Now!
• Impressions: Holy cows lie in the streets, not at all concerned about traffic on either side - moo in contempt knowing drivers are too scared to hit them. Petting cows, especially calves, is fun. They have long tongues.
• I find peace again on top of a little hill overlooking the Lakes of Udaipur.
• Fri 28: Feeling feverish again - I am sure its because of my infected flem. I must get my post nasal drip seen to in SA. I excitedly categorise my dairy system so I can see different things at a glance.
• We go to excellent restaurant with impeccable manners. Eat delicious spicy dish with young goat meat. Fireworks over the lake.
• Just before, we met Ravi. Ally orders a book of homemade paper for her Thailand journal. Meet Ravi, a shop keeper with a high pitched voice who seems to love his job.
• Sat 29: Write postcards on Nukkad's relaxing rooftop. Pancakes with ice cream. Visit craft village. Saw dancing. Walked along lake - stunning with island gardens. Watched birds and saw a turtle. Stopped off on a hill to admire the view where I feel the stillness. Go back to sunset terrace for another chicken burger. Watch Pulp Fiction - great movie!
• Sun 30: Decide to go to Lake Palace. But fully booked - and we had already drawn money! My brainwave - lunch the next day! Yes! Go to buy shoes. I masterfully negotiate 250 rupee price down to 150. Ally very impressed. We rent bikes and cycle round the lakes. Beautiful.
• Then go back to Monsoon Palace for a spiritual sunset with the swifts. Amazing flaming clouds.
• Finally, go to Hotel Natural for great supper of Chinese and Mexican.
• Mon 1: Ally tries to make reservation for lunch but fully booked. I phone back and turn it around - very relaxed and polite. Ally impressed and so was I!
• I have a great shave experience. Visit the local temple. Religions, I have realised, evolve around symbols with meaning - rather like my own growing symbols. Powerful.
  We had ordered a tiny elephant painting for our printers tray (to be) and the end result was fantastic. Ally delighted.
• Catch boat to Lake Palace. Luxury and tranquility. A glorious experience of delectable food (buffet), relaxing in the lush courtyard with fountain and pond, and exploring the pool and terrace. Romantic and special with Ally.
• So glad we decided to come - thanks to my realisation you must have an abundance mentality when it comes to exploring something special. Also part of cherishing.
  One man's full time job was shooing pigeons away with his long rope.
• After lunch, enjoy painless night train trip back to Delhi.

Delhi

• Tues 2: Delhi as hectic as ever . We eat at Nirulas - fantastic ice cream. Very short on cash. Walk around the streets. Two shagging dogs get stuck.
• Wed 3: Taxi to airport. Coffee three different prices within 30 metres. Bags X rayed in center of airport. Person to check passport, another to allocate seat, another to tear slip off ticket. Off and away to SE Asia!

More stories

• Little boy taking a dump. He holds out his hand: "chocolate!"
• Bicycle riskshaw takes us with packs. See his straining muscles and feel terrible. Pay 3x more than ask to allay guilt.
• Make snow angels and snow fight in Kashmir mountains. Our guide looks at us like we are crazy. Snow so new to us.
• Indian sympathises with our crime situation. You need a good administrator.
• Man with feet under Ally's bottom with comatose friend. Indian chews him up.
• Public toilets open along walls. Makeshift fence.
• Conjunctivitis on train - pee on slums of India.
• I step in sewage, then find a barrel to clean off. It turns out to be the "bum washing" barrel.
• Are you married. (Yes to avoid hassle) Any children - no - look at you with tremendous pity in their eyes. 

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Letter home (20 November 97) 

Greetings from the exotic land of India! We’re having an absolutely fantastic time. I have fallen in love with the chaotic, beautiful, noisy, tranquil, at times infuriating, delightful mix of a country. Paradoxes and constraints at each and every turn.

After 10 days of recuperation in London, we flew to Delhi. Shock attack! Take Khayelitcha squatter camp, double the number of beggars (many of whom were grotesquely deformed), triple the traffic, quadruple the cows and goats wondering the pavements and you will get a feel for Delhi’s main road (on a quiet day!).

We jumped at the first opportunity to get the hell out – a 5 day grip to Kashmir in Northern India. One of the most scenically spectacular regions in India, Kashmir is once again becoming a popular tourist destination as its political instabilities die down. We lived on a boathouse in a gorgeous town called Srinagar, known as the “Venice of the North” because of its vast network of rivers and lakes – set against a snow capped mountain backdrop. We spent our days paddling the waterways and trampling through the snow in the mountain valleys. All in all, a great experience, except we were ripped off a bit price wise.

Then we embarked on an epic journey (36 hours by bus and train) to Agra. The train journey through the night was a hell ride – there were no “bed tickets” available so we ended up sleeping on the floor in the aisles (getting regularly kicked as peop0le went to the toilet) while the Indians slept in luxury on the bunks!

The highlight of the Agra was the Taj Mahal – celebrated by many as the most beautiful building in the world. A veritable poem in marble. We visited at dawn and watched it change colour as the sun rose. Spiritual stuff.

Our next stop was Bharatpur where we explored the richest bird sanctuary in all of Asia – a wetland used by hundreds of thousands of migratory birds as a resting resort on their flight south for the winter. Our three days here rekindled my passion for bird watching with a vengeance – I saw over 50 new species of birds and got fit in the process. Lots of bicycle riding!

Then on to Jaipur famous for its pink city – gorgeous architecture adorned in pink shades. The palace was particularly impressive – a testimony to the opulent wealth of the Indian Maharajas of old, although it is now becoming bit run down.

Then a 15 hour bus journey and we arrived in Jaisalmer, a quaint town in the middle of the desert. Unfortunately, I fell prey to the “Indian runs” and felt very poorly indeed for a day with a high fever, but today I’m feeling like a new person.

The day after next, we venture off into the desert on a camel safari, should be great fun sleeping under the stars. So, that’s a quick overview of our Indian adventure so far. I’ve bought tons of postcards and have added lots of commentary – but will only send them from a major city from where they are more likely to arrive. I hope you guys are all well. I miss you all terribly – it’s not too much longer before I will see you all again. Mum, it was great to hear your voice the other day and talk to Trish. Ciao for now everyone, I’ll talk to you again soon.

All my love
Graeme

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Photos from our trip 

Lake Palace, Udaipur

Jaisalmer Fort and desert camel trip

Keoladeo Ghana National Park

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New birds seen      72 new species

• Jungle babbler
• Green bee-eater
• Whitecheeked Bulbul
• Great Cormorant
• Greater Coucal
• Sarus crane
• Siberian crane
• Little brown dove
• Comb duck
• Cotton teal
• Lesser whistling teal
• Greater spotted eagle
• Greyheaded flycatcher
• Whitebrowed fantail flycatcher
• Barheaded goose
• Bronze winged jacana
• Common Kingfisher
• Lesser pied kingfisher
• Whitebreasted kingfisher
• Indian Tree Pie
• Indian purple moorhen
• Brahming myna
• Common myna
• Longtailed nightjar
• Collared scops owl
• Spotted owlet
• Roseringed parakeet
• Indian Peafowl
• Long-tailed shrike
• Spotbill
• Black-necked stork
• Greylag goose
• Painted Stork
• Purple sunbird
• Indian river tern
• Whitebreasted waterhen
• Black-rumped Flameback
• Yellow fronted pied woodpecker

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Next Stop

• Thailand

Memorable moments: The Rajasthani quicksand

In 1997, I was on a grueling overnight bus journey through the desert of Rajasthan. In the middle of the night, the bus groaned to a halt for a toilet break. Being rural India, there were no facilities; the passengers simply vanished into the darkness to find their own "private" spots.

I decided to walk about fifty metres away from the road to ensure total solitude. I found a promising-looking patch of ground, stepped off the verge, and promptly sank thigh-deep into a thick, sucking sludge.

As I struggled to extricate my leg, an unimaginably foul stench hit me. I realized with a jolt of pure horror that this wasn't mud—this was the desert, after all. I had just stepped into a communal, open-air cesspit. I was thigh-deep in human excrement.

Desperate and gagging, I spotted a large open barrel of water nearby. I spent ten frantic minutes scrubbing the filth off my skin, only to be joined by a local gentleman who walked up and calmly began washing his backside in the same water. It was then I realized I was performing my emergency surgery in the local "bottom-washing" station.

With my pride in tatters and my trousers and shoes beyond saving, I threw them into the desert night. My own luggage was buried at the back of the bus, but Ally’s bag was within reach.

I spent the remainder of that long, dusty journey barefoot, smelling faintly of the "communal barrel," and wearing a pair of Ally’s very skimpy, very tight shorts. The bus driver didn't ask any questions about my new wardrobe, presumably because the smell was enough of an explanation.

Memorable moments: The Jaisalmer spit-shine

In 1997, Ally and I were backpacking through Rajasthan, India. We found ourselves in Jaisalmer, the "Golden City," and signed up for what we imagined would be a majestic three-day camel trek through the Thar Desert.

The reality was a bit more abrasive. Our camels were incredibly bad-tempered, and the seating was a masterclass in discomfort. However, the desert scenery was spectacular, and as the sun began to set on our first night, the vast, shifting dunes almost made the saddle-soreness worth it.

Our expedition leader, a local man of practical habits, began preparing dinner over the campfire. As he was plating up, he noticed one of the metal dishes wasn't quite up to his standards. With a loud, guttural clear of his throat, he delivered a hefty spray of spit directly onto the plate, then gave it a vigorous buffing with his filthy shirt sleeve.

We watched in paralyzed horror as he piled our food onto the "cleaned" surface. But, being young, exhausted, and absolutely starving, we ate every last bite.

The consequences arrived with the morning sun. As we set off the next day, Ally’s stomach decided to stage a full-scale revolt. She signaled that she had to get off, and the camel performed its awkward, jarring "press-up" maneuver to kneel in the sand. Ally dismounted, threw up, and climbed back on. A few hundred yards later, the process repeated. Press-up, dismount, vomit, remount.

Eventually, the sheer physical labor of the camel’s gymnastics became too much to bear. Ally simply said, "Fuck it," and began projectile vomiting directly from the height of the camel’s hump. I have never seen her so sick. We eventually limped back to the Jaisalmer Fort, where she spent the next several days in a darkened room, recovering from the most scenic—and hygienic—disaster of our lives.

Memorable moments: The gauntlet of relaxation

Some of the most painful experiences of my life have been grooming and massages. It began in 1997, when I decided to visit a traditional Turkish Bath. After prepping in a steam-filled room, a massive, muscle-bound attendant began the Kese—a traditional scrub using a coarse handmade mitt. There was no soap, just water and pure, aggressive friction. He used long, firm strokes with such ferocity that I saw "rolls" of dark material shedding off my skin. It was a visceral process of shedding years of environmental pollutants, but the intensity was so high I honestly thought my skin might peel off right then and there.

I was relieved when it was over, assuming the peak of physical intensity was behind me. I was wrong.

In India, I went for a haircut and shave. The barber gave me a scalp massage that was, briefly, heavenly. But then, without warning, he took my head firmly in his hands and gave my neck a massive, bone-jarring "crick." It was totally unexpected and not altogether welcome.

In Thailand, I sought out a massage to help with my tight muscles. The masseuse took my lack of flexibility as a personal affront. She pulled me into all sorts of contorted, impossible positions and seemed to view my cries of pain as a sign that she was finally "winning."

The finale took place in Singapore, while I was on my way to the Arctic. I decided on a foot massage, which turned out to be the most painful experience of my life. She pushed so deeply into the soles of my feet that I felt the pressure in my very marrow. I came close to yelling, "Okay, okay, I confess!"—certain she was looking for state secrets rather than tension.

Looking back on my travels, there is a strange irony in seeking out peace and ending up in a state of physical combat. From the scrub of a muscle-bound Turk to the sudden, neck-snapping "crick" in India, I have been scrubbed, contorted, and pressured into a version of relaxation I’m not sure I ever actually agreed to. It’s a vivid reminder that the body has its own story to tell, and sometimes, the only way to "find yourself" is to have a stranger in Singapore try to push your soul out through the bottom of your feet.

Memorable moments: The Pigeon Displacer of Udaipur

I have always been deeply fascinated by the sheer variety of ways people make a living in this world. There is an endless landscape of human professions, but the most unusual and captivating job I have ever come across belonged to an elderly gentleman in Udaipur, India.

Ally and I had traveled out to the Lake Palace for lunch—a breathtakingly beautiful, historic hotel that sits like a white marble ship isolated on an island in the middle of Lake Pichola. The restaurant is located in a magnificent inner courtyard, surrounded by the intricate arches and walls of the exquisite palace.

As Ally and I sat back and began tucking into a delicious meal, a lone pigeon flew into the courtyard and alighted on one of the pristine white palace walls.

Immediately, an elderly Indian gentleman stepped into action. He walked briskly toward the bird, holding a long piece of rope. With practiced ease, he began swirling the rope over his head like a lasso, creating an unmistakable presence that promptly shooed the pigeon away.

Exactly forty seconds later, another bold pigeon landed on a wall on the completely opposite side of the courtyard. Without missing a beat, the gentleman marched over, spun his rope into the air again, and sent that bird packing too.

And so it went. For the entire three hours we spent relaxing at the palace, this man engaged in a non-stop, tactical battle against the local bird population.

I’m not entirely sure what his official job title was—"Pigeon Displacer" seems appropriate—but he treated his duties with the utmost gravity. He never once lost his concentration or allowed his gaze to wander from the palace perimeter. And his vigilance paid off remarkably: there was not a single trace of bird droppings on any of the architecture. Every wall gleamed perfectly pristine in the bright Indian sunshine. He was a complete legend, proving that no matter what your job is, there is an art to doing it flawlessly.

Birding at the Keoladeo Ghana National Park (India)

From Agra we travelled to the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, India’s most famous bird sanctuary, and many experts say the best Bird Park in all of Asia. A lush world of water, reeds and woodland, Keoladeo serves as a pit stop for hundreds of thousands of birds on their migratory journeys south. November is the best time of year to be there (bull’s eye!) Needless to say, as a passionate “twitcher”, I was in heaven!

I spent a wonderful afternoon with a guide being taken round all the less accessible parts of the park. He had worked at the park for 25 years and knew every inch of the land and every bird. The other guides called him “Master” out of respect for him – their teacher. He charged R10 an hour for his service, 2/3 more than the others, but by god it was worth it! Not only was he brilliant but he had a great sense of humour and I kept having to try not to laugh and chase the birds away.

Diary entry

We stayed by the park for two days in a friendly little guesthouse called “The Falcon”. Each morning we’d wake up at sparrow fart, grab the hotel’s identification book and head off into the mosquito infested wilds (protected by Tabbard and malaria tablets!) for an orgy of bird stalking. It was at this time that I discovered the true depths of Ally’s love! We saw storks, bee-eaters, ducks, owls, mynahs, coucals, eagles and kingfishers, to name a few. In all, I saw over 50 new species of birds. My life goal is to see 2,000 bird species in the wild – and I’m slowly getting there. Latest count = 600.

Sun 16: Hire bikes and take early cycle round Keoladeo Ghana National Park. Birding heaven - some say best bird park in all of Asia. 450 bird count - especially rich in winter when migrants use the wetlands as a stepping stone on the north to south migration. Use hotel book to identify several new species of birds - storks, kingfishers, mynas, ducks, owls (show to us by guides - very impressive till discover they stay on same perch everyday! I am in my element - the joys of birding rediscovered!

In the afternoon, I return (lock Ally in to her room by misake!) and explore with an expert guide (20 years experience) who charges R10 and hour. I see over 30 new species, including Siberian stalk (re-intoduced one) and Tawny eagle. Elation.

Mon 17: Early trip to park. Misty and beautiful. Walk through woods - gawking at woodpeckers, sparrowhawks and mynas. Delicious lunch of Kofta (potatos and veggies in a ball). Then back to the bus station for Jaiper.

New birds seen   (72 new species)

• Jungle babbler
• Green bee-eater
• Whitecheeked Bulbul
• Great Cormorant
• Greater Coucal
• Sarus crane
• Siberian crane
• Little brown dove
• Comb duck
• Cotton teal
• Lesser whistling teal
• Greater spotted eagle
• Greyheaded flycatcher
• Whitebrowed fantail flycatcher
• Barheaded goose
• Bronze winged jacana
• Common Kingfisher
• Lesser pied kingfisher
• Whitebreasted kingfisher
• Indian Tree Pie
• Indian purple moorhen
• Brahming myna
• Common myna
• Longtailed nightjar
• Collared scops owl
• Spotted owlet
• Roseringed parakeet
• Indian Peafowl
• Long-tailed shrike
• Spotbill
• Black-necked stork
• Greylag goose
• Painted Stork
• Purple sunbird
• Indian river tern
• Whitebreasted waterhen
• Black-rumped Flameback
• Yellow fronted pied woodpecker

Turkey (1997)

Gallipoli, Istanbul, Cappadocia, Nemrut Mountain, Sanliurfa, Kizkalisi, Anamur, Olympus Tree Houses, Oludeniz, Butterfly Valley, Fetiye, Yacht Cruise

Post cards, letters and photos from my 6 weeks backpacking in Turkey with Ally from 16 September – 27 October 1997.

Places visited

What we experienced

Edit

Photos from the trip

.

From Post Cards

Gallipoli

• After a mammoth 17 hour wait at Thesalonika bus station, we caught a bus across the border to Cannakale – in Turkey at last! We used this town as a base to explore Gallipoli where 1,000’s of English, New Zealanders, Australian and Turks died in the 1st World War. This battlefield was made famous by the movie “Gallipoli” with Mel Gibson. Spent hours perusing the graveyards and original trenches. A sad, moving experience. I was the only “foreigner” amongst dozens of Australian and New Zealand “pilgrims”. Gallipoli is very special to them – this somehow made it all the more special.

Istanbul

• Istanbul is a tale of two continents – spanning both Europe and Asia. The bottom left photo partly shows the famous bridge connecting the two. A wonderfully vibrant and exotic city. We walked for days along its streets – exploring bazaars, mosques, palaces and restaurants. The food in Turkey is irresistible – no wonder Turkish food is called the French cuisine of the East. Sizzling kebabs, mouth watering eggplant delicacies, fresh, hot bread – not to mention Turkish delight and sinful pastries. I’m very fast putting on any weight I lost in Egypt!

Topkaki Palace

• Topkapi Palace:  Wow – what a Palace – especially the treasury where all the treasures of the Sultans of old are kept. Never seen such obscene wealth concentrated in one room in all my life. Jewel encrusted daggers, fish sized emeralds, sparkling diamonds, tea sets, and 2 metre high solid gold candlesticks – to name but some of the items. Rather macabre was the “Relic Room” where little bits of the prophet Mohammed are kept in gold chests – like his beard hairs, some toe nail clippings and a single tooth.

Blue Mosque

• Istanbul’s most beautiful mosque – the Blue Mosque – it is a very impressive sight indeed. Its towers reach for the sky and its enormous dome is hand painted with exquisite blue mosaics. Last night I met Ally at the airport – it’s wonderful to see her again. She has been instantly accepted into our travelling family (Kate, Russell and me). The Blue Mosque is the first Mosque Ally has explored inside – a very special experience for her.

Cappadocia

• From Instanbul we made an epic night journey east to Cappadocia – one of Turkey’s most extraordinary tourist attractions. A Volcano spewed soft “tufa” over the land millions of years ago and the wind and rain have been sculpturing the landscape into wondrous shapes every since. Then +/- 1800 years ago, early Christians arrived here to escape persecution and carved countless caves, houses and churches in the soft rock of the valleys. The result is a wonderland of sights to explore.

Cappadocia (cont.)

• Needless to say, nature can be a very naughty artist when she wants to be. The valley that contains these amazing “fairy chimneys” is euphorically known as “Love Valley”. Many of the valleys in Cappadocia are blissfully secluded so when you hike, you feel as though you have the whole place to yourself.
• Some more weird and wonderful landscaping. The valleys were all dotted with orchards – so whenever we felt hungry on our hikes, we stopped to pick apples, grapes, walnuts (yummy!), beans, pears, tomatoes and peppers. A veritable Garden of Eden. Some of the climbing in the man made caves was challenging – staircases often consisted of a very narrow, vertical tunnel with holes in the wall to use as footholds. Ally handled herself like a pro. We also explored parts of the vast underground cities, deep below the ground that the Christians dug to provide escape hatches when threatened.

Goreme

• Goreme is the town where we stayed in Cappadocia. As you can see, many of the houses are built right into the rock. The hotel where we stayed provided us with caves to sleep in and even the pubs in town were dug into the cliffs. Certainly an unforgettable place. Tomorrow Ally and I say goodbye to Kate and Russell as they have less time in Turkey than us. Sad – after two weeks, we’ve become really close. From now on I’ll always have a place to stay in Auckland and Hollywood – Kate’s father is a famous creative movie director!

Malatya

• From Cappadocia we headed east to a town called Malatya. East Turkey is off the beaten track – we’ve hardly seen any tourists while we’ve been here – bliss! You wouldn’t believe how cheap it is here compared to the west – a delicious restaurant meal for R10 and T-shirt for R5 at the bazaars. We are using Malatya as a base to explore the Nemrut Mountain – over 2,000m high with an ancient temple on its summit.

Nemrut Dagi

• After a long and bumpy ride winding along pot-holed roads, we emerged at the summit of Nemrut. Unfortunately, thick mist obscured the view of the world below but the temple (consisting of dilapidated statues and a 50 metre high man made hill) was awesome. The mist really added to the eerie atmosphere created by massive heads lying on the ground. The statues were toppled by an earthquake many years ago. We spent the night at the summit in a tiny hotel where we experienced a thunderous storm that shook the hotel’s foundations.

Sanliurfa

• Sanliurfa is another “hard core” Eastern town. No tourists, just locals leading their lives as they always have. It’s religiously conservative so we had to cover up. Even then, Ally got loads of interested stares but the locals are wonderfully friendly and hospitable. The highlight of the town is a beautiful, lush garden with stunning mosques and lakes filled to teeming point with “sacred carp” that are revered by the locals. Definitely not the place for a fishing rod! When carp dies (usually of old age) it is buried with its own funeral service – no flushing down the loo for these fishy deities!

Harran

• We spent a fascinating morning wandering around Harran – one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. The people here live in traditional beehive huts and spend their days moulding cow dung into blocks that can be used as fuel during the winter. We felt like we had slipped back 1000 years in time – until we saw a medium Coke sign hanging over the doors of one of the stone huts. Harran also provided an impressive fortress to explore – as well as the ruins of an ancient Muslim university.

Kizkalesi

• Kizkalesi is a beautiful town situated on the warm, blue Mediterranean Ocean. A serene, calm place. The best part of our stay here was swimming +/- 400m from the beach to an island castle 0- shown on this photo. After a slow, relaxing swim, we explored the castle at our leisure. We had the whole place to ourselves. The steps in the old tower were still in place, so we were able to climb to the top of the walls and walk along the castle ramparts. The view was spectacular.
• Here is an aerial view of our very own private castle hide-away. Few tourists seem to know about Kizkalesi because it is a bit off the beaten track. That, to me, is the greatest joy of backpacking. Discovering the slices of paradise far away from “package” bus tours.

Anamur

• Anamur is another quiet and scenic town on the Mediterranean. We hiked 6km along the beach and snuck over the sand dunes into this fantastic castle for free. I watched the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen from its turret. The doorman was oblivious to the fact that we were 50m above him. ON the following day we explored the ruins of an ancient Roman City that was abandoned +/- 1500 years ago when attacked by the Persians. It was rather eerie walking through the old homes and temple – all covered in creepers and vines. Felt a bit like Indiana Jones. Ally, unfortunately, has come down with a bad case of the “runs” – so she is rather poorly although feeling a bit better today.
• Ally is much better! We passed through Antalya on our way to Olympus. Ally, who hasn’t eaten anything but flat coke and bread for over two days, attacked a mighty portion of mutton like a ravenous carnivore. After changing money (Olympus has no such facilities as it is right out in the sticks) we were on our way again.

Olympus

• Oh, what bliss it is to stay in Olympus and live in a tree house! Ally and I stayed in a penthouse like the one in the photo (top left). It was called “Honeymoon Suite”. We decided to give the “Bunny Hutch” a miss – no point in tempting fate! We spent 6 lazy days hiking in the mountains, exploring the local ruins, lying on the beach soaking up the rays and making friends with fellow backpackers. The Tree House Camp is wonderfully rustic – the perfect place to stay in this natural paradise.

Oludeniz

• Another slice of paradise on Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast. This is a favourite destination for British package tourists – they fly them in by the busload – so the prices are considerably higher and there’s lots of white flesh about. However, the exquisite blue lagoon soon lets you forget about all that. We befriended the cutest puppy at our hotel named “moaning Minnie” because she whimpered every time she didn’t get any attention. Being backpackers, we were able to find a hotel for F2 per person. We’re becoming pros at finding the best value in town.

Oludeniz (cont.)

• We ended up spending two nights in Oludeniz – because our boat to Butterfly Valley kept on being cancelled dur to rough seas. We bought a big jar of honey (Turkish honey is to die for) and have been gorging ourselves on yoghurt and honey ever since – staple diet! We’ve come across some extraordinary spelling in Turkey. This was printed on a big board outside a restaurant: “Gordon Blue – Chisken Stek – Mashroom with Ches – Deassarts”. Their spelling may be suspect but the food was fantastic!

Butterfly Valley

• We arrived here in the middle of a “hippie” festival. Dreadlocks and loincloths everywhere you look. When the full moon came out they built a huge fire and danced round buck-naked. At breakfast, we tripped over people doing yoga. Weird – but they are friendly and we had a great time. The food was awful, cooked in a massive potjie by the hippies and served burned at 11pm at night – we began to starve so we hiked and climbed up the valley to a gorgeous and peaceful “family hostel” with great views and brilliant food. We could have stayed forever, but running out of time, we left after two nights for Fethiye.

Fethiye

• Fethiye is a great place to charter a yacht cruise at unbelievably cheap prices. We met a friendly captain at the harbour who said we could live on his boat for free until he’d found enough people for the cruise. We spent two idyllic days moored, visiting all the local sights. We discovered an amazing filter coffee and cake café close by (my first cup of filter in three months!) – and visited it so many times that the staff soon knew us by name.

Saklikent Gorge

• The Sakilkent Gorge was an exciting day trip. You arrive at the entrance to the canyon where you hand in your shoes and rent plastic ones from the ranger. Then you wade across a mini rapid and walk for miles through the gorge, wading through thick gooey mud and river pooh and climbing up little waterfalls – all the while gawking in wonderment at the beauty of the rock formations. Ally handled herself like a pro – she’s becoming every bit the hardy, rugged backpacker!
• Another scene from Saklikent Gorge. The restaurant in the park is a unique experience. You eat your meal on a platform perched over a roaring rapid – so noisy you can hardly hear yourself eat or speak – definitely the place for a shy couple on their first date!

Yacht cruise

• Our three day yacht cruise begins. There are 22 of us on the boat – 18 of whom are females. The guys simply cannot believe their luck – especially when they discover I’m taken. We visit a myriad of islands, bays, and coves. The coastline is gorgeous – but the weather is cloudy and wet (except on the final day). No one lets it get them down – there is lots of drunken debauchery. One of the girls is caught in a very compromising position with the Turkish captain – and is teased mercilessly for the rest of the trip.

Gocek

• This is one of the harbours we stopped at for a while on our cruise. A highlight for Ally and I was being pulled behind a racing motor boat as we sat in doughnut shaped lilos. The sadistic driver kept spinning in circles and opening his throttle as far as it would go – breathtaking stuff. I fell off once, Ally managed to stay on the whole time! The sun came out today, so we had some wonderful swims. We spent the night in Fethiye harbour again tonight – on the yacht. Tomorrow we catch the 5:30am bus (ugh!) to Ephesus.

Ephesus

• This is one of the best preserved Roman ruins left standing in the world today. It is enormous – the population here in Roman times was 250,000 – although 80% of the city is still to be excavated. It could take centuries to uncover completely. Massive theatres, beautiful temples, shops, brothels, public toilets, bath houses, libraries, sports stadiums are all amazingly well preserved. You get an excellent feel for what life must have been like 1500 years ago. The wealthy Romans certainly knew how to live in style. Later tonight we catch a bus back to Istanbul. I cannot believe our Turkey escapade is nearly at an end.
• Here we have the public toilets in Ephesus. As you can see, your “daily movement” was an intimately social affair – this was a great place to meet your friends and talk business and politics. When Ally and I sat on two adjacent holes, we found ourselves so close that our hips touched. Things weren’t too hygienic either – after doing your business, you’d scoop a handful of water from the gutter in front of you to do any necessary cleaning. Toilet paper hadn’t been discovered yet! A common practice amongst the wealthy was to send in your slave before you to warm up the seat! All part of their toilet etiquette. My lasting impression: this is definitely the most appropriate way for all politicians to meet, discuss and make their decisions because, let’s face it, they’re all full of shit!

Turkish Baths

• Mmmm! I get shivers all over just remembering this experience – the traditional Haman in Instanbul. First you relax on a warm slab in the beautiful marble room steam room. Then it’s time for a heavenly massage – the Turkish masseurs (males unfortunately) pour soapy water onto you with a giant sponge. Then you get scrubbed with a rough towel that takes off layers of dirt you never knew you had. The massage is good too – but you have to stop them cracking your back and neck! All in all a wonderful, relaxing experience. You come out feeling clean and more relaxed than you’ve ever been in your life.

Carpets

• Carpets, carpets everywhere. There are carpet shops in every tourist town, no matter how small and on all street corners you meet Turkish chaps with imploring puppy dog eyes saying “do you want to see my carpet shop my friend? For you, special price!” I must say, the carpets are beautiful – all hand woven on enormous looms by the local women. Some take weeks, even months to make. The good ones go for +/- B250 each. I might be tempted to buy one – one day – but certainly not now. The idea of carrying a carpet around in my backpack does not turn me on!

Patriotism

• Here is the Turkish flag. The turns are wonderfully patriotic and we soon learned you could use this to your advantage. Wear a Turkish flag t-shirt for example and you’re much more likely to get picked up quickly when hitch hiking. We didn’t hitch hike much because the buses in Turkey are really good but we did get one very exciting trip in an old dilapidated fire engine. Not only did they take us ½ an hour out of their way, but they also insisted on buying us tea. Bless them – the Turks are amongst the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. Buses are really comfortable (some even have on board hosts who serve coffee and biscuits) and dirt-cheap. The only hiccup is that many of the drivers drive like bats from hell along the windy mountain roads but we made it in one piece!

Ataturk

• Ataturk, the hero of Turkey. He may have died nearly sixty years ago but his picture still stands in pride of place in every restaurant, shop, hotel and home. His statue presides over every town square. This is the man who “single handedly” whipped the British and Australians at Gallipoli in World War One. After that he drove off the marauding Syrians before becoming one of the most astute politicians in the world’s history – to carve out and preserve the state of Turkey as we know it. No Ataturk then – no Turkey today. A pretty amazing man – no wonder he is a legend today.

Summary

• Our route around turkey. I fly back to London tomorrow. I’ll be very sorry to leave Turkey – it has made an extremely favourable impression on me, especially the friendly people, delicious food and gorgeous scenery. Here are some words that sum up Turkey for me:
• Sweet baklava pastries, Turkish delight, stuffed aubergine, Iskender kebabs, yoghurt and honey, carpet shops, ischekar ederim (thank you very much in Turkish), friendly smiles, moustaches being shaved with a cut throat razor (took lots of trust!), splashes of lemon juice as a freshener, manic bus drivers, apple tea, soaring mountains, winding roads, clear blue sea, monopoly money, changeable menu prices (inflation is 85% p.a), male only cafes, Ataturk, raki (traditional alcoholic drink), bustling bazaars, galloping chickens, Hamams (Turkish baths), colourful scarves and dresses, Turkish music, mosques, the call to prayer, Ally (it was wonderful to travel with her again!).
• We’ll be in London for 10 days, and then we fly into Delhi in India for our next adventure.

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My Travel Notes


Gallipoli

• Tues 16 - Arrive in Cannakale - managed to get across border for free - smellier than ever been in my life. Traveling for 36 hours. Book into hotel, do our washing, shower, eat kebab. Glorious. Watch documentary on Gallipoli and bit of movie.
• Wed 17, go on a tour of Gallipoli with tons of Australians and New Zealanders. Windy, overcast day matches mood of place.
• Impresions: Both Turks and Anzaks throwing themselves over the trench to certain death by machine gun. Value systems so entrenched in loyalty to country. Turk and Anzak trenches only 7 m apart. Turkish hero ignored orders and rushed for the high ground with his men - saving the war. British officers order men to die - think they are an inexhaustible source. 

Istanbul

• Thurs 18, day of bussing to Istanbul - after a mighty breakast of kebab, soup, pizza etc on me.
• Friday 19, lazy walk around Istanbul - great restaurant for traditional Turkish pankakes - women cook in middle, Turkish music and dancing. Turkish food is Fantastic - egg plant is national dish with all sorts of combinations. Spicy chilles, cracked wheat, lamb, chicken, rice pudding etc. We are eating like pigs.
• Pick up Ally from airport.
• Saturday 20, starts off very tense for me but as day progresses, I calm down. Ally and I soon fall into a comfortable, loving, precious union.
• We visit the Blue Mosque and St Sophia museum (christian church converted to a mosque). Mosaic picture of empress daughter and husband (who forced to marry later in life due to pressure) - she very unhappy so has string of boyfriends so mosaic artist kept in constant employ.
• Sun 22, visit Topkapi Palace with wonderdful Israeli guy (Shaggar) - vast network of royal rooms and treasures beyond wildest belief. 48 kg solid gold candlesticks, gold daggers with emerald handles and diamond encrusted, swords, thrones, Tea sets etc. Priceless sumptuousness. Catch night bus to Cappadocia (Goreme).

Cappadocia

• Mon 23, arrive early - exhausted - collapse at Paradise Hostel in bedroom for 4, wake late afternoon for meal and minibus to watch sunset. Amazing rock formation (fairy chimneys, sculptured valleys) with houses and churches built into them. Russel and I climb to top of hill overlooking valley for spiritual experience and sunset - then hurtling descent that impresses all. Look for nightlife in cave bars.
• Tues, hike with our group and Ryan (hippie American) and Tino (Dutch tour guide) through valleys exploring open air museum (churches with frescoes - eyes cratched out because bue and green denote evil eye) and other more inaccessible spots. We discover the Garden of Eden - orchards of apples, pears, tomatoes, beans, peppers and grapes in valley. Share lunch with a friendly local and he shows us a cave house (Chatteau) with chimney stairs to upper stories. Fantastic tunnels and rooms to explore.
• Wed 24, go on tour. Pidgeon valley. Underground cities built by Christians to escape persecution. Clambered through chimneys and ladders. Secret alley ways and escape hatches - all underground cities were connected - furtive creatures these early Christians. Ally does potting - and creates a huge penis beyond her control.
• Then to Ihalara valley for hiking through riverine canyon and lunch. Tour leaves us behind to camp for night. Sleep - then to local hot spring. After hiccup (have to wait for it to heat up), we have glorious time stewing in the hot waters.
• Thurs 25, late wake. Explore some old church caves in the muntains. Tour bus picks us up. To Soleme - where Star Wars was filmed - fantastic warren of tunnels and caves. We climb steep staircase up and up to a view at top of mountain. Then to pottery exhibition (Ally gets to try - clay becomes enormous penis). Finally, stop for sunset at Fairy Chimney Valley. That night, we visit Oriental restaurant for wonderful food.
• Fri 26, fairwell breakfast to Russel and Kate. Russel not happy to be alone with Kate and Kate very sensitive. Not happy chappies. Ally, Shaggar and I head off for Eastern Turkey.

Malatya ( Nemrut Mountain)

• Arrive in Malatya after 8 hour journey. On bus, I spend hours poring through dictionery and play word games with Ally. Eat spicy dried sausage. We stay at urine smelling hostel (Asya). Eat at fantastic, dirt cheap restaurant (Istender Kebab with yoghurt). Food in Turkey is a highlight - always tasty and fresh. We have been eating like pigs. Malatya is wonderfully untouristy - relaxed town with sweetshops everywhere.
• Sat 27, more Istender Kebab, then buy nice tracksuit top and toiletries. Epic mini bus journey to summit of Nemrut - splendid rugged scenery. Thick fog at top obscures view but adds to atmosphere of temple - heads of statues on ground and 50 m high man made hill - created by order of egomanical king nearly 2000 years ago.
• Being taught how to eat pancake by enthusiastic restaurant owner.
• I exclaim my praise to the Great Mystery from a windy promenade. We spend night at hotel near summit where experience thunderous storm.
• Sun 28, we plan to hike to summit and find lift to Khata but Shagger and hotel have flaming row over prices and Ally and I decide to rather go back to Malatya. Good decision because clouds remain and Ally is sick. Shaggar has huge fight with hotel owners.
• We find a nice hotel (Park Otel). Spend relaxed day making love, exploring Bazaar (cheap and very little hassle) and eating at great restaurant (Buyuk Kent). Speciality is Doner Kebab. Ally finds a bug in her mutton which dampens our euphoria a little. Waiter treats as "What can I do about it?" Speak to Jo on phone.

Sanliurfa

• Mon 29, My birthday! Arduous bus journey to Sanliurfa. I memorise my Mission and associate it with different parts of my body. Great potential.
• Stay in Dogu Hotel. We read naked in bed - peeper looks over door window (needed a chair to do it).
• We meet Shagger again - with a young Turkish chap (Yusuf).
• Spend evening walking streets (old church, lush garden with pools with sacred carp.) Little kids with their coined English phrases "Where you from.", "What is your name", "How are you." Ally' throat still sore afer week. I may be getting throat infection and feeling run down (headaches and fever)
• Tues 30, we vivist Harran. Bee Hive houses and an impressive old fort. Big fight with Yusuf - he suddenly wanted more money. Shaggar and he fight - threatened with PKK.
• Ally and I relax at tea house in garden, then climb steep tunnel to summit of hill-top fort for wonderful views (I like to do this because it always gives me great perspective).
• We meet friendly young Turkish guy learning English (Muhammet) "Would you like to be my guest for the evening." Meet his uncle and friends. Shagger decides to change his plans and come with us to Kizkalesi. Stuff ourselves at new retaurant for 2 for R15. NB Try new things - don't stick with the satisfactory!!

Kizkalisi

• Wed 1, bus to Kizkalisi. Nice sea side town with two castles (one on an island 300 m offshore). Great view from hotel (Alper) though not worthy of their card with false photo of huge swimming pool. Relaxing afternoon and early night.
• Thurs 2, Ally has the runs from supper. We swim to castle - exciting exploring city walls. Ally caught short. Lie on beach afterwards. Play pool till late.

Anamur

• Fri 3, to Anamur. Ally straight to bed while Shagger and I visit local castle - a 6 km walk. Skulk in over sand dunes for free, huge place with high ramparts. Cheekily watch doorman from tower. Best sunset of my life. The sky is on fire and the wonder and glory of the GM unfolds. Hitch and walk back.
• Sat 4, Ally still sick with bad stomach. Shagger and I visit ghost city of Anamorium. Abandoned by Romans after plunder of Persians - very intact with great beach setting. We go for walk along beach for sunset. Ally feeling slightly better but Im feeling like shit - fighting something. Feel low.

Olympus Tree Houses

• Sun 4, long road to Anatalya. Bus over cliff with body on stretcher - accidents galore. Change money - refuse to accept small portion at restaurant. Catch bus - then catch hitch on a firetruck to Olympus. Friendly firemen smoke at petrol station. Friendly - thank with beers. Tree houses great - real backpacker place. We meet up with Kate again who has left Russel. He gave her his bible!!
• Hitch hike - picked up by olf fire engine. Windy arrow road. Petrol station - smoke. Pay for our drinks.
• Mon 6, Ally feeling emotionally low - she lost her pillow and is still in pain that our future is not assured. We really chat - have been very open with each other and are having some great converations. Still unsure about my future and what I want.
• Bowels are main topic of conversation wherever you are - not taken for granted.
  I have learned to juggle with three balls (stones) thanks to Shagger. Ally writes her journal everyday - she loves it. I still collect and write postcards for family - but send them all in a big envelope.
• Tues 7 - Sun 12. Relaxing days of lazing in our tree house (Honeymoon Sweet - not Bunnyhatch) and beach, chatting to fellow backpackers. Yoghurt and honey. Mmmm! Volleyball. Table Tennis. Puppy dog and cats. Meet funny guy (John) - great stories. Feeling a bit bored.
• Great spiritual experience on hilltop ruin overlooking sea. Very powerful. Awesome view of ocean and coast. Throw huge rocks into sea. Jump off cliff into sea.
• Atmosphere of Tree House area almost comatized. Too much effort to leave. Kate has job working two hours washing dishes - she eats for free. Free supper - stuff myself. Juggling with stones on beach. Skimming them along river. Toilets don't flush properly - floaters! Ruins all clothed in vines and trees. Eat Pommegranite fruit - delicious.
• Go on cruise in fishing boat - clear, blue water to swim in. Beautiful, shale beaches.
  Owner of Kadir - rolly, polly character "Yum, yum, pig's bum. Romantiek Flame Tour / Fishing Trip." Chickens play American football with bread.

Oludeniz

• Sun 12, catch bus to Oludeniz. British package tourist place. In my grimy clothes and backpack, I feel very superior! We have fun with "moaning Minnie", a cute puppy at our hotel who whimpers when she doesn't get attention. Expensive supper with hideous glass of red wine - send it back.
• Mon 13 - Buy yoghurt and jar of honey from caffee. Our staple diet. Explore the Blue Lagoon. Lie with British tourists. Skim stones and swing on rope attached to tree. Write a poem about gravity. Lie on main beach and swim. Send postcards home. Phone Gramps. So wonderful to hear his voice. Supposed to catch boat to Butterfly Valley - but too rough so we spend another night with Moaning Minnie.
• Tues 14 - More yoghurt. Give magazine to 2nd hand book shop owner. He is so touched, he ofers me a book for free - Exodus. Boat is delayed so spend more time on beach. Meet Irish girls from Olympus and travel in tiny vessel to Valley.

Butterfly Valley

• The Valley has been taken over by hippies for the "Rainbow Gathering." Lots of dreadlocks, flowing clothes, and some loin cloths. 70 year old yoga master (gets himself into Pretzel like shapes) and his 20 year old girlfriend. We put up tent.
  Valley is beautiful - cliffs on three sides with good beach and clear water. Moon shining on cliffs is spiritual. Supper works by food circle - still waiting for it at 10:30 that night. Nothing but yoghurt all day. Finally form a circle, hum tunes and wait for plates to be filled (from mighty potjie pot) and passed one by one around circle. Torture - especially when taste burnt!! They had tried to disguise with cupfulls of cury powder. Curried charcoal. Pepper and salt to the rescue.
• Meet Australian band singer with tales of India, Lebanon and Syria. Great bar on cliff side.
• Huge bonfire - and buck naked hippie dancers disappearing into the "sweat tent" for divine inspiration. I wish I had joined in! What did you learn, I ask Irish girl. One chap was hung like a horse.
• Australian chap is > 40 and traveling for 3 years (spent 14 months just reading with 2 hour breakfast. Loves food - galeti + hargendas.) I realise you choose your own life.
• Wed 14 - Walk up the cliff to George's House with Irish girls. Very steep with ropes and great views. The house is a dream - set in a little farm at the top of the valley - overlooking the whole valley and sea beyond. Open living area wih friendly guy, Bevon, New Zealander who got sucked in.
• Best food in Turkey - bottomless bowls of heaven. Orgasmic yoghurt, fresh from the cow. Communal sitting in a circle, dolloping spoonfulls onto bread. Messy, but wicked. Meet Dion, long haired South African. Professional golf player, working in London as an ecstacy dealer and rave organizer. Also, a sexy Australian girl - Emma.
• Plunge in cool spring. After blissful day (lunch = R9!!), we return to beach. Build a fire on beach. Dance in circle with hippies "I open my eyes to you. I open my heart to you. I lift up my heart to the sun. Our loving hearts are one." "May God's blessing fall upon you. May his peace abide within you. May his presence illuminate your heart. Now and forever more."
• All the while, staring into strangers eyes. Stifled laughter at first - some real stoned stares - but really good.
• Self: Wonderful spiritual contemplation at top of gorge, overlooking valley from rock ledge. Feeling much more centered. I am trying to be non critical of people I meet - loving, see people as souls. Valley is truly spiritual place. Very self conscious with girls.
• Thu 16 - Return to George's house. On way, listen to person piping in the valley.
• Hauntingly beautiful. Creation inspired by God. Spend relaxing day reading, working on my compilation of lessons for life (amazing, but danger of becoming obsessive.)
• Meet Kate again with Scott. More wonderful food - bottomless bowls of traditional Turkish food that eat with thin bread. All falls out to make a mighty mess. Easy to tell who is a veteran and who is new from spillage on laps.
• We walk up road for sunset. Ally and I get seriously deep about life. Her big distractor: Being scared of being disliked by people. Bad experience when she was in Std 1 and moved to Cape Town. "No one wanted to be my friend."
• I have a nasty case of the runs so go on a 24 hour starvation bout to kill the bugs. Real hard wih all this delicious food on offer.
• Fri 17: Climb back down into valley to collect tent and bags. Farewell to Kate and Scott (a guy she met at Olympus). Kate writes an exquisite story about a crab that goes in search of the sky.

Fetiye

• We catch boat to Oludeniz where meet British couple. I ravenously gulp down a chicken roll and yoghurt. Catch Dolmus to Fetiye. Find a yacht that still needs 4 people to go. We get free accomodation in a cosy cabin. Explore the waterfront. Discover a waterfront cafee that serves filter coffee and delicious cake. Make great love in cabin. Go out for fishy meal. Toilet in our cabin is of limits so we have to walk 10 minutes to toilet in harbour. After a while, we pee in cup and throw out of window.
• Sat 18: Another day moored in Fetiye Harbour. Visit Saklikent Gorge - deep, skulptured canyon with shallow river to walk along and through. Rent plastic shoes. Ally does well at scrambling over rocks - good for her confidence. Muddy business! Restaurant seats perched over gushing rapids.
• Sun 19: Rainy weather. Quiet day, walking round markets. Supper with our friendly captain and three other guests ( New Zealand girls). Good fun dancing after supper. Coffee and cake with our new found friends - the waiters. I finish my book, an excellent "who-dunnit" called "Undue Influence."

Yacht Cruise

• Mon 20 - Wed 22.   Mostly girls on board (18 girls - 4 guys). All Australian and New Zealand. Friendly and relaxed. Food excellent. 100 foot yacht. Weather wet and cold except for last day. Loud music and dancing till 5 am every morning. Captain full of card and match tricks. Drum beating to Abba. Go on doughnuts behind boat. I go for swim to discover I cannot get back onto boat. Party goes on all night to disgust of other yachts and people trying to sleep. Guy divebombs woman.
• I read article on Vincent Van Gogh - new insights into opening out and really seeing things (16 different shades of yellow in wheat)
• Thurs 23: Our next stop is Ephesus. Taxi drivers try to rip us off - Ally loses her patience. Communal public toilets. (just the right place for politicians!) - used slaves to warm up the seats. Amazing Library - restored by the Austrians. Huge theatre.

Istanbul

• Fri 24: Arrive in Istanbul after a long night bus journey. Exhausted. Decide not to return to Athens - buy a ticket direct to London. We watch a movie (Speed 2) and visit a Turkish Bath . Steam room, then lathered, massaged and scraped by a masseur. Watch out for the clicks!
• Unbelievable meditation lying on the slab, looking up at the domed roof. Totally relaxed. Wonderful food at local restaurant.
• Sat 25: Ally goes shopping. I sulk that she spent money - grow up!! Ally leaves for Cape Town, I watch movie with Canadian chap - then go out for supper.
  Sun 26: I tell hilarious sex stories to American - really excel myself. I read lots of financial times and Economics. Hong Kong collapses - and soon its flu starts to effect other markets.
• Fly to London.

Impressions of Turkey

• Lemon freshener, squat toilets, aubergine, baskets (bins) of bread, yoghurt and honey, carpet shops, Turkish baths, Teshikur edirim - thank you very much, choc gazel - very good, Iskender kebap (lamb on deep fried bread with yoghurt), Turkish Delight, Beclava (sweet pastries), galloping chickens, moustaches, manic bus drivers and chocolate biscuits, winding mountain roads, rice puddings, road crashes, changeable menu prices, monopoly money, raw restaurant food on display, Apple tea, spraying water on sidewalk, male only cafees where play games, Attaturk, the Hero, Raki, Bazaars, misspelt names on menu (Gordon Blue, Chisken Stek, Deassarts, mashroom with ches.
• Bus frivers from hell, smoke with petrol tank on side, bumps smack ash off ciggie, windy mountain passes, slow down where accidents, then speed up again.

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Ally's Journal

Ally kept a journal of our time in Turkey which is available at the link below.

Ally's Turkey journal

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Next stop

• India