Well, it seems that eating kebaps and simits for a week in Istanbul has not done any favours for my legs. As others have pointed out, the hills on the Black Sea coast are murderous. Fantastic scenery, but very tough going on the hills. Got a ferry to Anadolu Kavagı, then went via Sile, Kaynarca, and now in Akcakoca.
Have been wild camping for the last few nights, today at a camping ground that is closed, but the owner was around, and is from Germany, so we chatted in German for a while, and I’m staying there. Not actually sure if I’ll have to pay anything or not. Starting to smell a bit though, so a shower would be nice…
The people are all great – was hauled into a tea shop today, and given some cay. Of course offers of payment were refused. Am getting into the fantastic fresh loaves of bread that are available everywhere, cheaply. The water supplies are great too, only a few kilometers between each tap. Makes camping easy.
Was sitting on the beach today, eating lunch, no-one else for miles, when I realised a pod of dolphins was playing around not 100m from the shore. Shutter lag made it pretty tough to try and get a shot of it, which is a shame – it was a great scene.
Have just gotten word that my authorization numbers have come through for my Uzbek and Iran visas – so I should be sorted for those. Still need to pick them up, one in Ankara, the other in Erzurum. Just trying to work out how to do the buses, and how to catch up with Keith and co. Shouldn’t be a problem though.