Italy and a slight change of plan....

After a final swim at Palataria we managed to exchange a couple of 907 cylinders in Igoumenitsa before lining up for the sailing to Brindisi where Mandy had to board separately after we had checked in for the boarding cards. We were loaded 90 minutes before departure and with only a daytime crossing hadn't bothered with a cabin so enjoyed exploring the ship which was one of Grimaldi's flagship vessels and very stylish. A meal in the a la carte restaurant was unfortunately nothing particularly special but the seas were calm and the sunset memorable. At Brindisi we were soon off and round to the Aire near the old port we had used before and with the hour's clock change enjoyed a walk down to the waterside and a welcome ice-cream as it was still very warm.

After a quiet night we moved on up the east coast to Torre Canne where a simple park up under large nets provided some much needed shade and access to a beach along with hook up and a reasonable price of €20 compared to €80/100 per night at the more sophisticated sites. Later we walked in to the village passing a large spa resort and were amazed at the number of people crowded on to the small beach. A small restaurant run by a very friendly lady squeezed us in for a memorably good pizza before a large pre booked group arrived and back at the van we slept soundly.

On Mandy's birthday we diverted inland slightly to enjoy the cool and cavernous depths of the Grotti di Castellana west of Bari which were extensive and beautifully decorated and accessed by a vast open roofed chamber.

A good restaurant at Castle del Monte also allowed overnight stays with hook up included and the terrace had a perfect view of the lofty castle high above us. It was an excellent meal washed down by a decent bottle of wine served by friendly staff and we dined outside on a warm evening with a perfect breeze. After a quiet night we walked up to the octagonal castle with two impressive doors, eight towers and numerous rooms with vaulted ceilings spread across two floors.

We then followed the coast round the 'spur' of Italy's boot known as the Gargano on a superb if twisty road high above the blue sea and pulled in at Parcheggio Mare Azzuro near Monte Sant Angelo. This simple site amongst olive trees provided shade and access to a small cove and beach via a steep track. The clear waters invited a session of snorkelling with the limestone rocks and deeper channels holding a good variety of fish species. Mandy mastered the kit and enjoyed a good look round before we returned to the van and called in at the house to buy 5l of their own olive oil and order bread for the following morning. This was duly delivered with four croissants and a huge tomato foccacia arriving still warm. Moving on round the coast however, as we had found in northern Italy on a similar road, the driving style of both Italian motorbikes and cars combined with lumbering motorhomes struggling with the many tight hairpins encouraged us to pull up early by following a dusty track down to a limestone headland near Peschichi. There was one other van parked up and a caravan used by the owner and no services available which weren't required anyway. However the location and view were amazing and ten minutes walk away we could reach a sandy beach and have another enjoyable dip before returning to watch the sun set behind one of this coastline's numerous defensive castellis. The sun rise the following morning was sublime and we slid open the sliding door whilst still in bed to get the best view. 

Further round at Peschichi itself we parked by the marina and walked up to the old part of the village that surrounds the cliff side castle. This contained a macabre museum of torture with all manner of grizzly devices designed to punish the possibly guilty or extract confessions from the possibly culpable. From an external balcony we had a good view over the small port and spotted a dolphin down below. More twisting roads, quieter now being a Monday, led us around the final stretches of the Gargano before we headed inland towards the Apennines and the small village of Biccari. Here the council provide a fully serviced aire for €10 on the edge of the village with access controlled by a barrier. We had to ring Angelo who turned up promptly and showed us how to access the key safe to get to the remote control for the barrier and gave us a card to use the recycling facilities. He didn't seem to mind that we had interrupted his siesta and gave us a few pointers for places to eat later on. We dealt with the water and waste, plugged in a few pitches down from a friendly Dutch couple in a corner with shade and later walked down to the village to visit a spectacular church. Unfortunately being a Monday Angelo's suggestions were closed so we picked up pork chops from the butchers, wine from a small shop and headed back to cook at the van.

En route to the old Roman fortified town of Saepinum we stopped at Riccia which had just held a folk festival before reaching the ruins where due to an extensive redevelopment project access to the site was free of charge. The amphitheatre, walls and gates were remarkable and work was underway to create museums and interpretative displays in the mediaeval buildings that later occupied the site.

However something had been occupying my mind for several weeks and a few thousand miles as I had detected an occasional clunk and groan in the area of the OS front suspension. As many of the roads over the last 20,000 miles, particularly in Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and rural Turkey have been challenging I suspect anti roll bar bushes or similar to be the issue. The van drives, steers and brakes smoothly but occasionally something gives a bit and I felt uncomfortable at the prospect of driving the final 2,000 miles through the Apennines and the mountains of France.

Thus we decided to cut out almost a thousand miles and stick to smooth straight roads by retracing the route I had followed earlier in the year. A ferry to Barcelona from Civitaveccia was booked and we headed north west to stop at a shady parking area alongside the old cathedral outside Venafro, half way between Naples and Rome. A walk down through the old town brought us to the more modern part where it proved surprisingly difficult to find a pizza restaurant. Eventually however we found a place that met our needs and after walking back up to the cathedral we had a comfortable night despite a few local kids hanging out nearby.

We used the toll roads to pass Rome without issue and with plenty of time to spare stopped an hour short of Civitaveccia on a stretch of sandy beach. At the port we found Terminal 1 and I queued for our boarding cards armed with both passports only to be told they needed to see the V5 as well, not needed by the same ferry company on the crossing from Greece to Italy.

Whilst waiting on the quay side there was some drama as an HGV tyre burst with an almighty bang - a fate that looked likely to affect a couple of heavily overloaded vans that we assumed were heading to Morocco via Barcelona, a journey we had done a couple of years ago. Our vessel, the Cruse Roma, had been extended by 30m in 2019, a YouTube video on the process is well worth seeking out but for tonight's sailing the vessel was less than half full and with a 20 hour overnight crossing we had booked a comfortable outside cabin. We dropped off our bags, had a cabin key card reprogrammed to work properly and then stood on the stern observation deck to watch as we cast off. Italy slid away from us and whilst I was happy that for reasons of safety and convenience we had made the right decision I was very much aware that this amazing ten month trip is drawing to a close. It has been a long and at times demanding trip with a dizzying number of countries, languages, currencies, cultures and experiences to address and the prospect of getting home with much of the responsibility lying with the captain and his crew was hugely welcome.

We'd taken fruit and a pasta salad on board but did indulge in ice creams on the sun deck during a calm and uneventful crossing. The huge ship docked neatly in a tight space at Barcelona and we were straight off and heading north in the late evening to a park up an hour away at El Papiol on the edge of the village. Here we found a small bar and enjoyed a couple of drinks whilst watching local life pass by. As is usual in Spain people generally eat out late and we were tempted by the simple menu before heading back.

Lleida was worth a couple of hours to break our journey from Barcelona to Bilbao as we have five days to cover less than 400 miles. Up at the Seu Vella (the old cathedral) we had a good meal at the Baluard restaurant overlooking the town before moving on to a new concept for me. This was an Aire run by the Camping Car Park organisation who are mainly spread across France, Italy and Spain and have largely taken over the running of the old 'camping municpal' sites that villages used to provide. At the barrier we followed the instructions, downloaded the app, topped up the newly created account and after some confusion with various SMS codes persuaded the barrier to lift. A dozen or so other vans were parked up on the gravel surface with a few small olive trees, a service point and hookup at every pitch. For €12 it seemed good value, as did the option for a five hour 'service stop' with access to power, water and waste facilities @ €6. An English couple recommended the wine tasting available at 7pm at the vine yard that accommodates the Aire so we duly presented ourselves outside a smart new building set alongside the huge storage tanks, bottling plant and associated store rooms. Another English and two French couples joined us as the friendly and enthusiastic Pierre took us through the whole process. As he used French I translated what I could to the others and we all tasted various wines at their different stages. A wide range is produced from Cava through Vermouth and Sangria to a table wine and we all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The vineyard is owned by a local who has a chain of boulangeries and patisseries that use the olive oil and almonds also produced on their land and the Aire is another avenue of diversification.

This morning we picked up 3 Cava, 2 Sangria and a decent red for under £40, thanked Pierre for his tour and said goodbye to the English couple who are now both retired and heading south on their first long trip in a nice Wildax van. As we were leaving a German couple in a huge van unloaded two enormous Indian motorbikes via two power assisted ramps from their cavernous garage, all very impressive but a lot of faffing around.

We have passed Zaragoza and are parked up looking across to the Bardenas Reales, an area of unusual geology we visited a couple of years go, having moved from another Aire ten miles away that had no shade and a plague of flies. A young German couple with a delightful ten month old are taking advantage of the German scheme to help young parents and hope to get down to Morocco for the winter.

Despite my looking forward to finally returning to the UK and an intention to undertake various trips to slightly more local destinations there is a feeling that we are heading the wrong way and no doubt by next September I will have new ambitions and plans. Meanwhile we have two more days to get up to Bilbao and with luck will be back in Sheffield next Thursday. Thus the next post will be from oop north....

Last extras Here

A FINAL WEEK IN GREECE

Tracking Mandy's flight was as always fascinating with the remarkable number of flights criss crossing Europe contrasting sharply with the empty skies over the swathes of Central Asia I have visited in recent months. A two hour delay meant we returned to the park up late but the gates were not locked and we were soon quietly in situ next to the friendly Bulgarian family I had been chatting to earlier.

Next morning after refreshments in the friendly bar we moved on to Vergina having stopped at a foreign exchange bureau in busy Thessaloniki to change the US dollars I had not used in the Stans in to Euros for the rest of this trip. We had also called at a camper accessory shop for two new and more comfortable chairs and a powerful USB powered fan that would combat the high temperatures. A hot parking place at Vergina was very convenient for the main sites but lacked shade so we walked in to the village for a good salad at Alexander's Place on the crossroads which had powerful fans adding to the gentle breeze. We walked up to the amphitheatre beyond which lay the Aigai Palace as the town had been the first capital of Macedon. In 336BC Phillip II had been assassinated in the theatre and his son Alexander the Great proclaimed King. 

The following morning we visited the combined museum and tombs with the former displaying vast amounts of the treasures retrieved from the three tombs whose portals are now firmly secured. Everything is underground as once the tumulus had been excavated a large roof structure was installed and covered over allowing the artefacts to be displayed in  the atmosphere of a necropolis. Just outside the village is a new surface level museum with more displays and as we visited there was a conference underway with dignitaries and officials watched over by a large police and security presence. We climbed in to the mountains stopping for lunch at Edessa located on a limestone escarpment where a number of water powered industries are still represented in a series of small museums. The guide at the sesame seed mill seemed pleased to have visitors and showed us the processes involved in obtaining sesame seed oil and similarly the security guy in the small former cathedral was proud to explain the various frescoes that adorned the building but the staff at the other couple of exhibits had locked up early. The impressive waterfall provided a cool breeze and also had a well decorated cave hidden behind it. 

At Agios Panteleimonas the municipality provides a free Aire located above a large reservoir with shaded flat pitches, power and a clean toilet and shower block. We took a swim in the warm water but the skies darkened before dusk and a slow moving thunderstorm rattled around but there was very little rain.

The Prespa Lakes straddle the borders of Greece, Albania and North Macedonia and at Mykrolimni we found a perfect park up by the Small Prespa Lake on a level gravel track yards from the water's edge. The reed fringed lake is an important wild life habitat but swimming was permitted away from the reeds and if you were comfortable sharing with snakes. Thus I enjoyed a solo dip before we walked in to the tiny hamlet where a small taverna occupied a stunning location on the shore just along from the small jetty.

Looking north to North Macedonia and west to Albania started feeding my travel plans with a visit looking likely in a year or so. The owner had relocated here from Athens with his family for a better quality of life and had put a lot of time and effort in to creating a memorable place that I will definitely return to as the food was exceptional.

More twisting mountain roads through deciduous woodlands largely empty of human life took us to the lakeside town of Kastoria where we walked through the old town, nosed around a small church and then dropped to the water's edge for lunch at a shaded cafe.

A boat is supposed to do trips around the headland but after locating the departure point and waiting a while we saw no sign of it so dropped in to a Lidl for groceries before heading west again and towards the Pindos Mountains. At another free camp site provided by the local Nature Society we stopped in good shade on a grassy field with  hook up and access to water. The small cafe bar is known for its local sausage which was as good as expected and made for a pleasant space to sink a couple of beers with any profits going to maintain the surrounding woodland reserve.

Up in the Pindos mountains we stopped at Konitsa where high above the village large columns of smoke indicated the location of a wild fire. A couple of helicopters were clattering around the skies dropping to the river to fill up and then heading up to the hotspots. Spotter planes were also flying around and apparently fire fighters had been lifted up to the nearest access points. A few kilometres further on we stopped at a small campground by the Voidomatis which lacked any meaningful shade but was handy for access to the rafting experience run on the river. Thassos gave us the contact details and we booked places on the 10.00 departure the following day. Thassos and his wife also run the small Cantine bar by the impressive arched bridge so we took a walk up to it and then cooled off in the grounds of the bar. The firefighters flew all day, apparently the fire had been started by a lightning strike and been burning for 5 days with a warning message about the smoke arriving on our phones.

Next morning we met the guides from the rafting company and climbed aboard their minibus which towed a trailer with three rafts on board. During the half hour drive we collected a few more participants and eventually dropped down to another bridge where a number of other companies were sending people off. Our young Greek/Albanian guide had very good English and explained the various procedures before we launched in to the surprisingly cold waters. There were just the three of us on board as the water levels were low so it was interesting to chat to Andreas and hear about his life and hopes for the future. With his skill at steering and our obedient responses to his instructions we made good progress down the river passing through small rapids and still pools. The water was crystal clear with craggy mountains towering overhead and the smell of smoke wafting down from the peaks occasionally. After a brief stop for a drink at a natural spring we carried on down to reach the bridge by the Cantine and drop down over two weirs with the low water requiring Andreas to hop out and manhandle us over. After a very enjoyable couple of hours we were back at base and then walked across to the campsite for showers.

As it was still very hot we strolled up to the Cantine again, took a walk up the gorge in the shade and then retired to the comfortable chairs where Thassos and his friendly wife plied us with ice-cream and alcohol.

With about 6 weeks to get home we decided that walking in the Vikos gorge would have to wait as it would be too hot so headed to Igoumenitsa and round the coast to Palataria where we had last stayed in a sunny but chilly February. Now of course it is a very different scene with all the beach bars open, the sea warm and the sun hot. We stayed on the same aire and went for a swim in pleasantly warm water with a number of yachts moored in the bay. Later whilst walking in to the village we chatted to the owners of 'Yorkshire Rose' who turned out to be the family behind the Duvalay foam mattresses popular with some van owners. Having received an investment on Dragon's Den the company has expanded considerably over the last 15 years and the owners where clearly enjoying the spoils. A sunset pizza rounded off a cracking week in Greece and we have spent today getting the laundry done and enjoying a swim and beach time. 

Our ferry to Brindisi takes 7 hours and leaves at 1pm tomorrow so my next post will be from over in Italy.

Extra pics Here

Back in to Europe....

Moving on from my sublime cliff top perch I stopped at the small port at Kocacesme where I had stayed last March in cold and windy conditions. There was still a now welcome wind but under clear skies it was scorching once more - day time temperatures have been above 33°C for weeks now and overnights rarely drop below 20 or so.

The following morning a British couple came over for a chat - the first UK van I've seen in months - and were keen to pick my brains as it was their first trip to Turkey. Unfortunately my map had finally fallen to pieces and been binned but they took a note of the blog which will provide them with a useful source of information thanks to the search function. I followed the coast westwards and found a park up on the cliffs above Daniskent.

There were good views but the rubbish was as bad as ever and when two lads on a moped came over to collect a couple of quid I mentioned it and they agreed it was unacceptable. They went over to a nearby tent and within minutes the occupants were bagging up the trash and making a huge improvement - I think they stay for free as occasional wardens. They were very friendly and later that evening came over with some cooked chicken for me and in the morning turned up with flat breads. Another park up further round the coast was right on the beach although as the places nearest the sand were packed I chose to park a bit further back with a good tree for shade. That night however I spent the whole night chasing mosquitoes even though I had given the van several sprays of insecticide. I think they are getting in through the fridge vents so will get some mesh and try to resolve the problem as all the other openings are protected.

The large flat delta that includes a bird reserve at Gala Golu is predominantly a rice growing area so there are lots of drainage ditches and powerful pumps with the crop stretching away in to the distance.

Ipsala was to be my final overnight in Turkey but as I pulled up in the parking by the sports hall on the edge of town there was clearly an event coming up. It was in fact a large grain and rice harvesting festival with huge numbers of agricultural machinery on display, numerous market and food stalls and a substantial music stage off to one side. I walked in to town to get a less than satisfactory haircut and once back at the van decided that moving in to town might make sense as numbers were swelling and roads being closed off. Fortunately my alternative spot was much quieter, despite being in the centre, and had shade from the morning sun. A Migros supermarket had a much improved selection of groceries and although tired from my lack of sleep the previous night I decided to return for a look round the show and was glad I did. The smoke and smells from the street food stalls were remarkable and the various acts on stage had the crowds swaying along and for the final time I once again fully appreciated the relaxed and friendly vibe that Turkey offers.

Friday morning saw me away to the border and a final tankfull of lower priced diesel which used up my final lire. A few miles short of the border however all traffic was being directed in to a number of parking lots with upwards of 500 cars lined up. I asked a car with German plates what was going on and he said there were delays of up to 6 hours.

I noticed how many of the vehicles were from other EU countries and deduced that this is the main weekend for the Turkish diaspora to start returning to northern Europe after visiting family over the summer. Coralling people actually made a lot of sense as had we all been in queues on the carriageway people would have struggled for loos, water and food, all of which were available in the adjacent service station. There was no shade but a good breeze and after 3 hours our batch were directed on to the road west. It still took an hour and a half to get to the Turkish customs and passport control but then after crossing the river on a bridge patrolled by soldiers the Greek formalities took less than ten minutes with no EES for me and no Customs inspection. In front of me two lads in a small SEAT car had tried to get to the Stans but lacking a Russian visa had hoped to ship across the Caspian Sea from Baku to Turkmenistan which showed a lack of research as private vehicles cannot enter Azerbaijan and RHD vehicles are not allowed to drive in Turkmenistan. Thus they'd left the car in Georgia, flown to Vietnam and toured the country by moped !!

I turned north up to Xanthe, got my laundry done and then went for a look round the old town and a late lunch in a shady restaurant before heading in to the hills again and finding a quirky but delightful set up by the Nestos river at Stavroupoli. A couple of old goods waggons had been repurposed as a small bar with tables and chairs down by the river and overnighting allowed. I tucked away under the tree and enjoyed a couple of cold beers before night fell. Whilst breakfasting the following morning I watched the trekking horses being tethered and then noticed one had dropped to the floor and seemed to be straining at the rope. Then I noticed what looked like a huge plastic sack at her back end so went to have a look and within minutes she had ejected a perfectly healthy foal. It was breathing and struggling to stand whilst mum was back on her feet but unable to reach it properly so I went off to find the owner who returned and was clearly gobsmacked. He led her off to cleaner cooler ground whilst the foal followed and soon all was well. 

The Greek ruins at Filippi were substantial and spread over a wide area with an amphitheatre located on a south facing hill tucked in against the city wall. St Paul had been imprisoned there and his cell looked fairly daunting whilst the two ruined churches stood proud above the acres of collapsed columns and porticos. The old Egnatia Highway crossed through the site of what had once been a major city with a 3.5km perimeter wall.

At a nearby church there were a number of baptisms of babies underway with stalls in the grounds selling flowers and cakes and the proud parents and families milling around.

At Alistrati a showcave provided a welcome respite from the heat with the hour long guided tour following a beautifully decorated passage for a kilometer or so and the commentary in Greek and English.

A looping mountain road took me to a cracking park up at Prosotsani under tall maple trees alongside a river with water, free hook up and somewhere to deal with the loo so I spent a useful couple of hours giving the van a good clean and sorting out cupboard space under the watchful eye of a friendly stray. The last few visitors left at dusk, a police car drove round once and thereafter I had the place to myself.

Today I have taken the motorway to Thessaloniki and parked up 15 minutes from the airport at another quirky spot. Christos offers overnight parking behind his restaurant with an unlocked gate which will enable me to collect Mandy later tonight - her flight due in just after 10pm is already delayed but with luck will make up time so having just enjoyed lunch and a beer it is time for a snooze.

We will head to Igoumenitsa over the next fortnight via the Pindos Mountains as they will be cooler and would be harder to explore as part of a winter trip something I am planning for over 27/28 as this winter and most of next year I intend to be closer to home or on itineraries where the van would be unsuitable - watch this space and Look Here

Western Turkey

With daytime temperatures continuously in the mid to high 30's and overnight 'lows' around 20°C the priority of shade and or breeze continued as I headed generally west. Dropping out of the cooler mountains further underlined the need for these basic requirements and a large park near Balikesir provided shade but only a gentle breeze. Families were out with barbecues and picnics and I managed to tuck under a huge tree just down from a line of rather scruffy caravans, mostly unoccupied.

A paid recreation area surrounding a lake provided another shaded night although in the early evening a guy came round on a moped with some sort of concern but I couldn't understand him and he went away saying it didn't matter. As I walked round the lake later I realised that there was a specific area for camping but as I was only staying one night decided not to bother moving. A lovely old guy picnicking with friends came over with some tea for me and once the day visitors had gone it was all very quiet. However the following morning another warden turned up and explained that if I was staying on I would have to move but as I was intending to move on soonish he seemed OK with that

The following day half an hour before Canakkale I turned off the new road and found a loop of the old one just above a reservoir with again a handy huge tree but yet again disappointing amounts of garbage. There is no shortage of bins but people just do not seem to be bothered about just leaving their detritus behind them. Later a shepherd and four large dogs moved through with some very healthy looking sheep but otherwise it was a quiet spot, he had sat for a while just in front of me as his flock nosed amongst the litter and the dogs flopped down in the shade.

In Canakkale I stayed on the same canal side spot I had used last Spring but it was very exposed to the sun and there was little wind. The lower tier of parking was taped off for the regular flea market but there was still plenty of room. In the town I walked along the seafront passing the replica Trojan horse and finding a decent restaurant overlooking the marina and ferry ramps for some fresh fish and a long overdue cold beer. Back at my park up the evening market had begun but it was really just a jumble of bric a brac and piles of cheap clothing and old footwear lying on the ground. It was humbling to see what people were trying to sell but I guess reduced what in our society would go to the tip and I found the whole experience fascinating.

A nearby disco blared loudly until midnight and in the heat I had a rather restless night so was aware of the market vendors arriving around 6am to unwrap their humble offerings.

I was away after breakfast for the ferry across to Eceabat which as it runs hourly you just turn up for and was soon onboard squeezed between two huge tipper trucks.

The half hour crossing of the busy shipping route which links the Med to the Black Sea is fascinating as the ferry has to negotiate the steady stream of merchant ships heading along the Dardanelles. It has to pass behind them so often negotiates a serpentine route to also avoid it's sister vessel heading the other way. Just on the edge of Eceabat P4N listed a park up that may or may not have been a proper caravan park. The dusty patch of land between the sea and road did offer superb views across the water and there were a couple of other vans and caravans parked up so I stopped right on the edge with no shade but a strong breeze. Some of the caravans were unoccupied whilst others seemed more or less permanently lived in and there was a tap and bodged together sink so I set to to do my laundry including the bedding and throws before leaving it all to dry as I walked in to town. It was a lively little place as the ferry brings groups over for tours of the Peninsula that saw bloody conflicts between the Ottoman and Allied Forces that left 60,000 dead on both sides and 300,000 injured. I had toured the famous beaches and memorials last year  so was content to walk through the town, enjoy an icecream and return to the van where everything was bone dry. A couple of other vans pulled in and I enjoyed a few hours with my Marine Traffic App and a pair of binoculars as the steady line of ships slid by. After bedtime at around 11pm there was a gentle knock on the side of the van which I ignored as it seemed a bit late for anyone to be coming around for payment. Friday morning came with the usual blue skies but there was a perfect wind coming in off the sea to keep things comfortable. I walked in to town again and picked up a new gas bottle and dropped that back at the van where two rather showy Polish 4x4s with rooftents had turned up. They had gone to town on accessories and bling but with the strong wind the tents were moving around a fair bit. They were a friendly bunch though and were on a month long tour of Turkey.

In town I found a good place for lunch and then decided to cross back to Canakkale as at 60p for a passenger it was a great experience passing close to the enormous tankers. Later back at the site two young Turkish lads had put up a tent next to me - they were riding Chinese Harley Davidson replicas and were on a tour from Istanbul to Anatalia hoping to generate funds by selling Polaroid photos. They were lovely lads and wanted pictures of me and the van which they thought was very cool! Later that night there was another knock on the door and I noticed red and blue strobe lighting which again I ignored - the two lads explained the following morning that it was the local police telling people that it wasn't an official place to stay but nobody seemed to take any notice so I too stayed put.

A rare bright idea dawned on Sunday morning as ten miles down the coast is the huge fortress of Kilitbahir, also served by a ferry from Canakkale, so I caught one across from Eceabat and then returned to the much smaller village where the huge fort stood guarding the narrowest part of the Strait. Under a scorching sun it was a relief to enter the vast underground artillery store where amongst numerous exhibits I spotted relics from the Allied Forces in the form of a Sainsbury's potted meat jar and a Preserved Cream jar from a dairy in Stranraer - hugely thought provoking.

The main castle had been in situ well before these confrontations and comprised a clover leaf design surrounding a multi storeyed keep with a newer Yellow Tower built outside the main structure. It was possible to climb the walls for far reaching views and within the keep was a fascinating history of this strategic location.

A small cafe provided deep fried sardines with chips, salad and bread before the ferry back to Canakkale and a final one across to Eceabat. On the way back I stopped to watch a lively group trying to haul a fishing boat out of the water on a heavy iron 'dry dock' frame. The JCB was hooked up to a tractor and after a few false starts and much shouting and yelling the vessel was eventually dragged on to the wharf. I walked back to the 'site' where quite a few other families had arrived to put up some very basic tents on the dusty ground. It all looked very uncomfortable and as always I was hugely grateful for the comforts and convenience of the van. I had found a black waste set up near the entrance gate so had dealt with that the night before and had the genny on so I still had residual hot water and as luck would have it my gas bottle ran out as well so I am all primed up for a final week in Turkey. The families were mostly away fairly early so I drove in to town for some shopping before returning to fill up with water and as I was doing so a young couple in a van asked if they could use the genny to give their dead leisure battery a boost which of course I was happy to do. After filling up and getting them sorted I walked off for half an hour and returned to find them much happier and offering money for the fuel - no chance but bless them. I stopped near the Canakkale suspension bridge with its world beating 2km central span only to notice I had forgotten to replace the lockable water filler cap which would now have fallen off the bike rack somewhere along the way. Fortunately I have a spare but was cross with myself for being distracted and not checking.

A side road at Bolayir took me on to the north side of the peninsula passing a large bay crowded with vans and tents that held little appeal. However 2km further on by the small unmanned lighthouse I could park above a stunning bay with limestone ledges under the water and a couple of beaches accessed by crumbling stairs. There was a good cooling breeze and I was soon off for some snorkelling in the very comfortable and crystal clear waters. There were a few people on the beaches and the odd pleasure boat passed round the headland but I thoroughly enjoyed two separate sessions and saw a surprising number and variety of fish who seemed untroubled by my presence.

By dusk the few other visitors had left giving me a memorable night with a steady and cooling breeze, a couple of people had dropped by to say hello and as ever I was very touched by the friendliness of the Turkish people and by how intrigued they were by my travels. Across the bay a large ship is moored up permanently - it receives highly refrigerated LNG from other vessels and then acts as the regassing plant before pushing it in to the main Turkish pipelines to Istanbul and beyond.

I've only moved on thirty miles today to park at the place that was my first stop in Turkey last year, Kocacesme, which back then was a bit cold and bleak but now meets my needs with a strong cooling breeze and warm shallow waters under a blue sky. I will cross in to Greece on Friday and hope to exchange my unused dollars in to Euros as the Stans trip used less than half my budgeted amount and will then move on to Thessaloniki over the weekend.

Extras HERE

Staying High, Keeping Cool.

I filled up with water as I left the wooded camping area where most people had left the night before and returned to the main road heading generally west towards Eskisehir but turning south before the city in to the large area generally known as the Phyrgian Valley that covers some 2000 square kilometres. 

Dozens of sites relating to that time cover the area and just outside Cukurca I pulled up beneath a stunning temple and tomb carved in to the granite rockface which was just casting a late afternoon shadow that persuaded me to stay the night. The temple contained a number of carved tombs both in the walls and on the floor and adjacent rock faces had other rooms carved in to them. It was a quiet spot and a farmer rumbled past on a rickety tractor whilst later on one of the huge Kangal or Anatolian shepherd dogs came over in search of a snack. They sport a ferocious looking collar studded with spikes as a defence against the wolves they deter going for the throat but he was amiable enough and soon wandered away. After dark a mixed flock of sheep and goats ambled by with bells ringing and the two shepherds using their torches for a good look over the van which must have intrigued them.

After a quiet night with remarkable stars I move on less than ten miles to Yazili where somewhat remarkably the local council provide a park up for camper vans with hook up and all at no charge. Tall cypress trees provided shade as did a couple of open sided picnic shelters so I settled myself in and waited for the afternoon to cool off a bit before walking to the nearby Midas City with a number of superb attractions. A huge rocky outcrop had been carved out both by man and the weather to create a multi level structure of interconnected rooms that would have been the main residence of King Midas. Adjacent was a carved temple facade some 20 x 17m high and beyond that were more carved out rooms and tombs overlooking the village below. Walking on past these structures brought me to a huge underground cistern reached by a long steep flight of carved steps and another carved temple facade - The Unfinished One - which was almost glowing in the evening sun.  Further on again were another three similarly sized cisterns, all carved out by hand, with the same steep staircase access and channels in the surface rock carved out to direct as much of the rainfall as possible in to the storage systems. A steep path led up to the upper plateau where there was a fairly usable 4G connection as well as panoramic views. In the fields below the baled straw was being loaded on to lorries as the cereal harvest was well under way - even the smallest patches had been planted and the combines were of a size suited to these modest fields.

A small cafe on my way back was run by a very friendly woman so I stopped for tea and an ice-cream before returning to the the van and later a long and wonderfully hot shower in an attempt to ease my shoulders which have had a chronic ache and discomfort for months now - no doubt residual issues from my two heavy falls last autumn.

I spent a second day revisiting the rocks and structures and whilst a few Turkish visitors arrived there were no international tourists and I've not seen a foreign camper van in weeks. The large city of Kutahaya is known historically for the production of ceramics and whilst the large modern factories are located on the outskirts there is still a vibrant small scale artisanal scene especially in the old streets around the main mosque. Mixed in with this is a large fruit and vegetable market and the numerous, often dilapidated, wooden houses of the Ottoman Empire which all adds to a timeless scene. Overlooking the city is a substantial fortress which I decided was too much of a climb and after a doze in a shady park I returned to the van parked up on a large and shaded gravel area. The main Izmir road ran south west with a side turning taking me in to sleepy Cavdarhisar which had clearly once been a centre of great significance through many cultures and over many centuries. Two of the four Roman bridges remain and I parked up by one adjacent to a circular stone structure regarded as the oldest Stock Exchange in the world with carved panels listing the standard price for a range of goods and services. Further away across the bridge stands the best preserved temple to Zeus in Turkey which was hugely impressive and surrounded by fallen columns, stunning carvings and the like. Perhaps the most impressive feature was hidden away as beneath the temple floor and accessed by a steep staircase was a huge vault with a curved ceiling.

Back on the surface I walked past the remains of the bath houses where a statue of Hygiena, the goddess of health, had been discovered and then on to another remarkable structure. In fact it was two as this was the location for the only known feature of a combined Roman stadium and theatre but built as separate entities. Time and earthquakes have dislodged much of the tiered seating in both venues but as at other places it was possible to imagine the roar of the sports spectators and the cheers of the theatre goers.

Back at the van I decided to follow the suggestion in P4N and called at the small restaurant hidden away behind the Street of Columns which turned out to be a real gem. Shaded tables in a well kept garden were perfect after a hot couple of hours walking round and I was soon tucking in to an excellent pizza cooked in the simple wood fired oven. However the real attraction was the home made cheesecake which served with fresh blackberries and ice cream was sublime.

A turn off at Gediz saw me climbing steadily to 4,500' where another free campground spread out amongst the pine trees met my every need. Families with tents were scattered about and I parked up on a level patch looking down through the trees. Water points and an electric cabinet nearby confirmed my decision to stay a few nights and after sunset everyone retired to bed in what was a very special place. Most people were cooking on open fires and content to enjoy the peace and quiet, there was the odd camper and 4x4 roof tent set up but also a few small caravans parked up which seemed to be more or less permanently parked there. I walked up to the Terrace Cafe, passing a Youth Leisure Camp set up and enjoyed sublime lamb chops and a view across to distant hills as the sun set all for a very reasonable £7.

Later that evening after I had gone to bed there was some activity outside as a small caravan was manoeuvred alongside but the tow vehicle then drove off and no one seemed to be occupying it.

The elevation and shade kept me cool all day and I returned to the Terrace for another meal before back at the van a couple with two young children had arrived to stay in the newly delivered caravan - presumably they are rented out and he explained that they were to be joined later by friends. He asked if I could move over so they could all be alongside each other which of course I was happy to do and I later fell asleep as they all sat chatting quietly amongst themselves in to the evening.

So today I have moved on to another picnic and camping area north of Simav where a volcanic crater lake provides plenty of room for families to gather. I paid to enter and parked up under the trees but a guy came over later and seemed to want me to move - I didn't really understand and he eventually said via Google Translate that it didn't really matter and buzzed off on his moped. Later walking round the lake I realised that the proper camping area was on the far shore but decided as it was in full sun and had a concentration of tents and families I would stay put as it was just for the one night. The two mile circuit of the lake gave me some much needed exercise and back at the van I was content to watch various family groups enjoying themselves. At one point a group of five young women approached rather shyly to ask where I was from - all had good English and were studying pharmacology at university in Istanbul. They wanted to know where I'd been in Turkey and what I thought and were also interested to see on my Europe map where I am largely based. They had visited a number of countries in Europe last year as part of the Erasmus scheme connected with their studies but of course post Brexit the UK had not been part of the schedule. Anyway they were good company and left with a flurry of waves and smiles and now as most day visitors are heading off a thunderstorm seems to be brewing.

I have a fortnight to cover the remaining 600 miles to Thessaloniki and can enter Greece in ten days time so will head slowly towards Canakkale on the Dardanelles, cross over to the Gallipoli Peninsula and see if I can find a spot on the Aegean Coast for a swim and a sun bathe. This last few weeks across central Turkey has been just what I hoped for, a genuine insight in to the Turkish way of life, some memorable historical sights, stunning natural history and wonderful park ups. The freedom to more or less stop anywhere is refreshing and despite the language barrier I have enjoyed some great interactions with the people i have met who have without fail been polite, friendly, welcoming and where possible helpful. 

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Antics and Antiques in Anatolya

After my stay above the reservoir I dropped down towards Artvin following the flooded Berta Cayi river and then turned south west towards the town of Yusufeli which has been moved several kilometres up and out of the Coruh valley which is part of the huge hydroelectric and irrigation scheme being constructed throughout this region which will bring national benefits but at local costs. The new town high rises may well be more modern and better serviced but there was an air of sterility and the old traditions of small shops, markets and verandahs seem to have been left behind.

A number of impressive tunnels took me along the valley and I eventually parked up on a flat terrace overlooking the headwaters surrounded by impressive mountains. Later that evening I spotted car headlights slowly climbing a serpentine track towards a village up on a distant plateau which must have been inaccessible during the winter months. A huge insect in the grass the following morning turned out to be a Great Capricorn beetle, one of the largest in Europe, remarkable.

The vast yellow plains that produce mostly wheat stretched away in every direction under blue skies and a hot sun as I passed through small villages on minor roads stopping eventually above one of them in an old quarry for a quiet but warm night. 

Moving on the following day I decided that a slight rumbling I had detected needed looking at so whilst parked up in Tercan I jacked up each rear wheel and identified the offside as the culprit. A quick bit of research located a garage an hour or so away in Erzincan that claimed to be a VW independent and got better reviews than the main dealer.

The workshop was located on the outskirts in one of those areas where dozens of car, truck and tractor repairers were located with the streets jam packed with wrecks and repairables. I found Oto Ahmet and spoke to a guy who made a call and then told his very young mechanic to jump in and take me to their other workshop where another guy soon had first the near side and then the offside raised to locate the issue as I had got myself confused as to which one was faulty. Indeed it was the o/s which was annoying as that had been done only 18 months and 35,000 miles ago in Igoumenitsa and at a rather inflated price.

Anyway they said they could do it straight away and it would take two hours which seemed excellent. I waited until they had the wheel off so I could check the pads and as they were approaching the wear indicator I asked if they could fit my spare set: no problem!

After wandering round the industrial estate I grabbed an early lunch where the waiter kindly mixed all the ingredients together to add to the cooked meat to make delicious wraps and by 1 o'clock I was back at the van where all was in order for the bargain price of £70. The manager insisted I took tea with him and the biscuits I had picked up were appreciated by all.

I headed off generally west again and stopped for the night after a couple of hours in the middle of nowhere at a disused picnic area where I could tuck away under the trees. Later on a guy and his elderly mother stopped, I thought they had run out of fuel but in fact it turned out they had no money to buy petrol so I gave them a tenner which they seemed very grateful for. By torchlight I could see that the new pads and a bearing had been fitted but also on checking the wheel nut torques found that the n/s rears were too tight to undo. Fortunately next morning a truck tyre depot were happy to loosen them a little before I retorqued to the correct setting.

Divrigi has a mosque and ancient hospital with three superbly carved doorways being the main attraction so I had a good look round before carrying on as driving during the hottest parts of the day made a lot of sense with temperatures in the mid 30s.

There was no shade to be had at the park up in Sivas so I left all the windows and roof vents open, slid the fly screens across and went off to admire the main sights north of the castle which included mosques, medrasas and a caravanserai. A huge new mosque is almost complete and I enjoyed walking round the city streets as it was the largest centre of population since Tbilisi. Near the van was a very smart coffee and cake cafe with a series of shady terraces so I was soon sat with a hot chocolate and a dish of profiteroles surrounded by the young and beautiful echelonsl of local society.

Whilst aiming generally west I was also deviating to sites of interest so Tokat was next on my itinerary with a paid park up in the middle of town. The friendly woman put me in a shady corner and indicated it would be OK to stay overnight so I headed off to explore the old parts of the city with ancient Ottoman houses, a newly refurbished museum and an impressive hamman baths complex with conical roofs and glass skylights. It wasn't the quietest of nights with the calls to prayer, road sweepers and general traffic but as the museum opened at 08.30 I was happy to be up and about in the cooler dawn. The museum exhibits covered the long history of Tokat which was located at a major trading crossroads of Asia minor and had like the entire region seen a succession of different cultures and influences over thousands of years. The town is also famous for its hand printed scarves and glassware.

Ballica Cave an hour or so away was the perfect place to escape the heat and consisted of a number of huge well decorated chambers with unusual onion stalactites located in the furthest and deepest whilst columns, flowstones and gour pools occupied the others. The lighting wasn't brilliant with orange hued bulbs failing to show the formations at their best but it was a good excursion which I had almost to myself.

At Kazankaya I turned off the main road and entered a huge gorge where I could park up in shade and walk the couple of miles down the steep walled canyon and out along a raised walkway to a dramatic viewing platform. The lack of breeze and a hot afternoon sun made it hard work but it was worth the effort and I then had a quiet evening in blissful isolation.

Adjacent to Bogazkale is Hattusa the capital city of the Bronze Age (1500BC) Hittite civilization and of more immediate interest Park4Night listed a small camp site with a restaurant alongside. I pulled up at the simple swtup with the dining tables located amongst a clump of pine trees and the camping on a sloping field behind. The friendly staff indicated to park anywhere so I chose a spot near a line of trees but away from the main building. I decided I would stay two nights and after sorting myself out walked the half mile or so up to Yazilikaya. This was a holy site for the Hittites and comprises a couple of open roofed chambers that still have some superb rock carvings indicating kings, gods and other deities. At a small souvenir shop I was royally robbed for a small soapstone carving but the guy was obviously pretty desperate and it was a thing of beauty.

Back at the site an Italian couple in a 4x4 with a roof tent turned up - they were on an 18 day trip and had an ambitious schedule to get round Turkey in that time and back to northern Italy. As always I decided life in a roof tent would not be for me....

I walked down to the main Hattusa site the following morning and entered via a footpath alongside a stream where I spotted a very small tortoise inching its way along. The huge site was the former capital and lay across a couple of hills and shallow valleys with large gateways at intervals around the perimeter. The lower walls of housing, shops and a huge temple were clearly visible and each of the large gates had been embellished with carvings, some of which were still intact. A road linked all the main points of interest and on the approach to the highest point a Turkish family kindly gave me a lift, much appreciated under the scorching sun. One major gateway also incorporated a long tunnel through a defensive wall lined with enormous boulders and which was pleasantly cool.

On my way back down the petroglyphs chamber was a highlight after which I walked back up to the site and arranged to eat at 6. Their shower only seemed to run cold but in such heat this wasn't an issue and I later enjoyed a chicken dish with rice and bread washed down with lemonade - total bill including camping £9 or about one fifth of a souvenir........

Moving on again I ended up with a longer day than expected, some 200 miles, to pass south of Ankara as the few P4N options didn't appeal but as everywhere in Turkey there were plenty of options to fill up with water and by late afternoon I arrived at the  Gordion Museum near Yassihuyuk for another delve in to ancient history. The site was as expected just closing but the guard said it was fine to stay overnight and visit the following morning.

The place is named after Gordios, father of King Midas, who according to legend tied the eponymous knot later sliced in half by Alexander the Great (the knot that is). Midas was the great king of the Phyrgians who ruled much of Anatolia after the collapse of the Hittites and the nearby MM (Midas Mound) Tumulus contains the oldest standing wooden structure in the world (3,000 years) that formed the central part of Gordios' burial chamber reached by a long stone lined tunnel. It is the 3rd largest tumulus in the world and reminded me of Silbury Hill near Avebury in Wiltshire.

The museum was excellent with informative labelling in good English and a range of exhibits from the Bronze Age through to Roman times. A pair of hand shears would look almost exactly the same in a farm suppliers of today and the jewellery and ornaments showed a very high level of skill and craftsmanship as well as a knowledge of metallurgy. Not far away was the site of the actual capital city and a perimeter walk enables you to get a good overview of what was once a major centre and crossing point of the Sakarya River. After a disastrous fire in 800BC 5m of clay was used to cover the site in preparation for building the new city and this layer had preserved the relics of the early Phyrgians giving archaeologists a great insight in to earlier ways and traditions.

Sivrihisar had been my intended stopover but the park ups lacked much shade or privacy so I just enjoyed a look round the old centre with colourful Ottoman houses, a quirky clock tower and a large open air display of statues and monuments spreading up the lower slopes of the dramatic cliffs that overlook the town. After an underwhelming lunch and a look at the beautiful but empty Georgian church I moved on to a real find here at Karakaya just off the main road to Eskisehir. A dramatic outcrop of granite reminiscent of Dartmoor's tors sits above a free camping area that is popular with climbers. I pulled off in to the trees for shade with a few groups of youngsters in tents dotted about but plenty of room for everyone. I spent the rest of the afternoon reading and was pleased that as dusk fell it remained quiet and peaceful with a cooling breeze.

Today I took a walk amongst the rock formations and saw a rockface tomb entrance from which a large vulture emerged as it was clearly nesting in there. A couple of the climbers came over for a chat but now being a Sunday almost everyone has left and pleasingly very little rubbish has been left behind. A shepherd passed through with his goats and sheep accompanied by two of the huge Kangal or Anatolian Shepherd dogs that are fine with humans - both were sporting huge collars with vicious spikes to give them an advantage when repelling the wolves that are the main predators across this area.

Tomorrow I move on as my cupboards and fridge are bare. I need to sort out my new vehicle insurance policy that will allow me to return to Europe in a fortnight and will continue to follow the Phrygian history in this area as I head to Eskisehir. According to P4N there is a dedicated motorhome park up with electric available but we will see. I need to get two Turkish gas bottles to see me across Turkey and Greece before we can get 907 exchanges in Brindisi, Italy, in a month or so but otherwise all is well and the mostly  slower pace over the last few weeks has been much appreciated. This is my 8th month away and with 17,000 miles covered it has been a long old journey but as always has left me with a host of memories and experiences.

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