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