Caravan to Turkey: Home GB

Made it.

Some stats will go up HERE

What have we got out of this adventure...

...well, yet more varied cultures experienced and friends made... lots of priceless memories that will stay with us..and what about our faithful outfit...

Just one very small dent on the Searcher where a strong Turkish gust of wind picked up a chair and hurled it at the side. Otherwise that's around 14,000 miles of adventures ... it still looks pretty damn good..and still gets lots of interest and admiration. Wish I could say the same.

What can we say about the Touareg? What a car....it hasn't put a foot wrong...bags of power..totally stable with around 1.9 tonnes on the hook..and I have yet to top up the oil while on one of these taxing 6000m+ jaunts.  Comfort & luxury, too...does love a drink of diesel though...prefer red myself.

So that's about it for this adventure; it's that time for reflection, memories....and a return to home chores.

...Off to Coventry on Friday for talks on overseas motorhome adventures from the C&CC....Southern Africa looks good.

Watch this space....

Caravan to Turkey: Nearly home F

Thursday, 11 July 2013 at 2:52pm

 Nearly home... Back at Saverne yesterday..5 hour trip...another 5 hours later we're here near St Quentin, where this blog started, so it's all a bit sad really. 

 Tunnel tomorrow, then back to reality...hang on, what's that these days?

 Will publish the stats for the trip soonish...

 Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Interlaken CH

Friday, 5 July 2013 at 8:19pm

OK...catch up...and its a fantastic week here in Interlaken.

Interesting journey to Interlaken as you might imagine but no problem with the Trusty Touareg. Camp site just off the motorway ... only problem is that we have to unhitch and use the mover to get it on the site...

...but when we do, it's all worthwhile because we have a super-pitch pre-booked here and it's big... drain, water and a perfect view of the snow covered Jungfrau...or, at least, we have to take that on trust when we arrive because we can't see much at all...and it's wet wet wet. Forecast is good though.

Fair number of Brits here as it's a Caravan Club site for a change so we can have a chin-wag. Can get Astra 2 on the satellite... which means BBC highlights of the German GP....actually want to watch HIGHLIGHTS for a change as we really need to make as much of the weather windows as poss...this is absolutely brilliant scenery with so so much to do and see.

Buy a 6 day travel pass for the Jungfrau cable car/train/boat network. Might have to go back to consultancy to pay for it though. Even so, we reckon it's the cheapest option if we are going to see the sights. Get free local bus pass from the campsite though.

Realise that this campsite is in the perfect location..bus stop to town outside and 10 mniutes walk from Wilderswil station, the starting point for the Jungfrau transport network.

Thursday...Interlaken on the bus.

Friday...Use the old historic rack and pinion railway to get up to Schynige Platte with a brilliant view of the Eiger and Jungfrau amongst others. Do a 2 hour walk with fantastic views. Look down on the town from 1967m, seeing it sandwiched between the two massive lakes...Interlaken..see?!

Saturday....up to the Jungfrau! Highest railway station in Europe...3454m...just below the Jungfrau summit which is actually higher than the Eiger. Get to walk on the Glacier..the railway company have created a complex to entertain and it's a great experience. Getting up here by the Jungfrau rail network so easy...trains (mostly rack and pinion up steep inclines) run exactly to time and are scheduled to connect with each other. Great experience and impossible to describe the power of these awesome mountain peaks.

Sunday...up early (again) and off to Grindelwald to connect with the longest european cable car ride to Mannlichen (brilliant). We then do a 1.5 hour walk along a ridge to Kleine Scheidegg and it's truly amazing..one of those breathtaking moments as we walk along just below the snow covered peaks of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. Phew! Then it's back by a different set of rack and pinion trains...

....to see the Beeb's replay of the German GP. Damn good race too. Nice to see Kimi doing well for second and the McClarens look to be better too.....well, a bit better that is.

Monday..Grindelweld then cable car to First and walk to lake (Bachalpsee) at 2265m. Lucky with the weather..just miss the clouds and rain. Yet another great day.

Tuesday...last day...take bus to Interlaken then a cable cliff railway up to Harder Kulm...where we walk and have a traditional Swiss rosti for lunch...and very good too. We then take a lake ferry to Bonigen and walk back to base..a good final day. Thunderstorm half an hour later..that's perfect timing.

Perfect ending to a brilliant but exhausting week....homeward bound tomorrow. Probably try for Verdun..we'll see.

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Buochs CH

Tuesday, 2 July 2013 at 6:55pm

Left our site near Venice on Monday and drove into Switzerland, staying at Cugnasco near Locarno, at the same site we stayed in on the way down, spending one night there before moving on....

....Now we're in a great little site at Buochs, after driving through that bloody awful Gottard Tunnel (hate hate tunnels) .. it's on the lake near Luzern.

Great afternoon, beer by the lake, walk into town, buy expensive Swiss food...

...now we're sitting in the 'van and I'm writing this while we watch the thunderstorm...Jeeezzz..that WAS loud.

Interlaken tomorrow.

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Ca Savio > Venezia

Monday, 24 June 2013 at 11:48am

Ca Savio...near Venice
Holiday! ... time to unwind after our exertions of the last couple of months.

Good trip to this holiday site on the narrow strip of land opposite Venice, forming the famous logoon between them... the site and its brilliant beach is on the Adriatic side though...reminds us of caravan holidays with the Girls...ahhhhh.

Will get our minds round trips to Venice and maybe Verona when we have recovered from our travels. Here for a week.

Sorted RTL satellite TV for the British GP....as if I wouldn't.

Spend some time on the beach when the weather permits and also walk across to the 'Venice' side to Treporti.

On Thursday it's Venice (only our second visit) ... we buy an all-in ticket for €22 each and catch the bus to Punta Sabbioni, then the vaporetto to S. Marco, Venice Centre. It's a great way to arrive at the Piazza San Marco. Walk around the labrynth of fascinating streets, full of shops, bars and restaurants. So many Farrari shops! It's for the tourists, yes, but there is nowhere else on earth like this.

Caffe and chat to cruising tourists from Gurnsey..

Believe our rough guide and leave our planned visit to the Basillica until the 1.30 lull and it works brilliantly....we see the whole amazing place at our leisure. The terrace and museum is good value.

Lunch in a back street restaurant this time and it's a good one...we both choose the local liver with onions...good!....

..catch the vaporetto No. 1 up the main Canal Grande, walk back..then it's time for the vaporetto 'home'.

Great day. Pity about the torrential thunderstorm in the night though!.

Adventures even on holiday.

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Ravenna & Ferrera I

Saturday, 22 June 2013 at 5:04pm

Ferrara.... Well, don't seem to have time to keep the diary up to date since we left the group.

Travelled to Ravenna from Rimini....which gave us a day in another beautiful historic Italian town with an absolutely dazzlingly wonderful old Basilica..the Basilica di San Vitale. Comes close to the best we have seen. Look at other sites, caffe, people watch.

Then moved to the municipal site at Ferrara....which is absolutely covered with sticky mulberries...the site being covered by mulberry trees. Grow taller on mulberry mush as you walk about....

..pity, because we walk into Ferrara itself to find yet another, but different, historic walled town. So glad we made the trip here. It's very hot but we visit the old Duomo, a magnificent cathedral and walk some of the medieval streets.

Sit and people watch...lots of police of various Italian sorts because a protest against the rise of the Neo-Faschists is about to take place....

....time to return to the mulberries and prepare for our move to near Venice.

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Rimini I

Thursday, 20 June 2013 at 9:43pm

Well we're in Rimini so let's recap:

Drive to ferry (cross beautiful bridge on the way to Patras port), get tickets off Alan & say goodbye (he's off to Athens), eat awful meal at the port, meet up with group, park outfit on ferry, eat, talk, sleep, eat, talk.....reveal that we are off to Rimini and not spending a last night together at San Marino (out of our way and, well, that's one farewell too many methinks). So say farewells on the boat.

Then (at last....a long trip) it's reversing! around and off the ferry into Ancona traffic chaos.....and onto Rimini.

.....and here we are....great sandy beach but very Italian formal....no bars, ice cream, anything really. Just bloody umbrellas. Still it looks very pretty indeed I must say. Site fine..

...take a trip into old Rimini on the bus and very Italian nice it is too. Very impressed indeed.

..off up the coast to Ravenna in the morning.

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Delphi GR

Sunday, 16 June 2013 at 10:27pm

Delphi Mountain roads, hairpins..brilliant

..and so is the site, perched on the mountain slope overlooking the valley of olive groves far below....looks a bit like Nerja....sigh...

Fathers Day!!!! Cards and emails from the girls (I am SO lucky!!) ...

Guided visit the ruins of Delphi, home of classical Greece, the Oracle and a major place of worship to the God Apollo. Inspiring.

Return for lunch ..abortive dodgy phonecalls to girls then take the Treg out to town on the sea...it's so hot but grab a nice Frappe (THE thing to have here) in a nice little beachside cafe before heading back.

Last group meal, dodgy Greek dancing then to bed.

Overnight ferry to Italy and the end of the tour tomorrow. Then we're on our own...

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Plaka Again

Sunday, 16 June 2013 at 10:16pm

Plaka ....been here before..remember how bloody difficult it was to get the caravan on the pitch...still the same...funny that...

Onward tomorrow.....

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan Turkey: Androupolis GR

Friday, 14 June 2013 at 2:27pm

Androupolis GR ......ring a bell?

Back on the homeward track.

... just don't try and drive through the town centre with an eight metre caravan on the back. Would have been ok without the roadworks....

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Kabatepe TR

Monday, 10 June 2013 at 9:43pm

Western Turkey & last site in Turkey....in the Gallipoli battlefields..

Up early..dodgy tummy..(beware buffets!) but just get on with life in manly kind of way...(subtle: 'I'll manage')

Set off 7.30 am and, after hairpin bends and truly awful roads... we stop with others on the tour at a local roadside kind of cafe/shop, where we are given free Cai.

Stop off at ancient Troy on the way & worth the detour...site being refurbished...like the rest of Turkey!

We reach the port and only have a 10 minute wait to jostle onto the ferry for the 20 minute crossing of the Dardanelles...

Big jostle to get off then a straightforward 20min to the campsite. Great campsite with beach access and own beach beds.....cove, clear waters...HOLIDAY!!

Second Day, visit the battlefields and British, Australian, New Zealand and Turkish cemeteries.

Very moving and sobering......

On final day, drive into local town, Eceabat, with R&M, eat good lunch and drink in atmosphere of last day in Turkey. Discover museum near campsite has seven language audio contrary to previous info...so after a shop we drop off food at camp, pick up extra passenger then visit...
....ultra modern, full sound effects, moving platforms, 3D... a powerful presentation of the Gallipolian war, finishing with a rousing finale of the achievements of the modern Turkey, its people and its armed forces.
Powerful....more on final impressions.

..and what a great finale to our Turkish tour...

Greece tomorrow...

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Bergama TR

Saturday, 8 June 2013 at 11:43pm

Travel up to Bergamar along a mix of motorway and hectic busy towns. Like everyone else, miss the signs to ruins we want to see.......see below..

Arrive, set up, ponder over legal emails re Ireland, clean car & van then drive into town with R & M.

See museum (v good) and also, by pure chance, a celebration of a circumcision ceremony where the wealthy fund circumcision for less well off. Whatever your views, this is an important part of Turkish culture and we are fortunate to have seen this singing, drummming, musical parade.

Miss briefing and communal meal and eat in town at Lonely Planet restaurant instead. Phone tour leader. Wise choice, I think, but not guaranteed to improve our standing with some members who prefer communal bonding activities..but that's not why we're here is it!?

Campsite hosts wedding ceremony for loads of guests. Sue and other female travellers get a special table at the wedding..great opportunity to see this at first hand...no food or drink!!! But lots of really good contemporary Turkish music.

Next day we get a great giide for a trip to see the Turkish Acropolis. Excellent!!!.

Eat with other campers in the restaurant.

Another wedding but much more formal & traditional muslim. Still no food or drink. Music 'till very late Zzzzzzzzzz..

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Kusadasi TR

Friday, 7 June 2013 at 1:19pm

Journey fine...good site in walking distance of this modern holiday town, home of cruise ships and package holidays....but it's nice!

Walk in and enjoy a different Turkish experience. bazaars of fake goods abound!  See 'genuine fake watches' shop. The Turks have a great sense of humour.

Trip to Ephesus, probably the best preserved Roman town. Truly breathtaking..we can almost see the bustling trafing town in its heyday. Wonderful.

Shopping in local supermarket!

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Pamukkale TR

Wednesday, 5 June 2013 at 6:57pm

Journey fine..although drive through road repairs that cover the car and van in what looks like pebbledash. Manage to get the whole outfit jet-washed in a shell garage for 5TL....then we have a nice lunch in an attached restaurant.

Site is absolutely great...it's right in front of the famous travertines...a massive Calcium Carbonate formation which we later walk up. Also look at Roman remains.

Arrange a joint meal in the town then off to Kusadisi on the Aegean coast tomorrow.

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Kas TR

Monday, 3 June 2013 at 9:15pm

Set off early ..... or not. Another b@##!**y puncture on the 'van. Decide to change to the spare wheel slung under the van and try and get the other one repaired en route...then Ken points out that it's Sunday...

The reason that we were originally setting off early was to visit some of the Roman ruins along the route..and it's a long drive along difficult roads. Decide to still visit the amphitheatre at Aspendos, which we do...very glad that we do too...it's being set up for a classical concert that evening. Walk around associated ruins and grab a coffee. Bump into Rich and Monica who have also stopped.

Traffic builds up as we progress along the coast road towards Antalya...where it gets very busy indeed. Very little lane discipline or adherence to speed limits.....but having driven in Morocco certainly helps here.

Clear of Antalya, we move into less busy but rougher and mountainous roads. Getting time for a lunch stop when Sue yells 'TYRES!' having seen a very small repair shop attached to a garage...and it's open for a change. I miss the entrance but manage to slow the rig down enough to drive into the exit, much to the surprise of a car leaving the garage. The repair turns into one of those now-familiar Turkish exchanges. The guy repairs the puncture, swaps it for the spare and mounts the spare back onto the impossibly difficult AlCo chassis rack....takes some time this.... but all done with smiles and dodgy communication. His relatives kind of chat and a little girl has a sit in the 'van. Handshakes and smiles then we top up with diesel and we're off...no more constantly looking for tyre repair places....

Stop for a bite at an odd little family run restaurant at a fuel station then head on...it's taking longer than expected...roads rougher...windier...steeper....eventually make it and slot into the last pitch....phew! C

ommunal meal then bed. General agreement that this was the hardest day yet.

Day 2

Trip to Demre to see the ruins at Myra and St Nicholas Church...the home of Santa Clause...amazing original frescos.

Group meal then a boat tripvto see the graves and ruins on the hillside and the 'lost city' underwater. Three of our number have a swim from the boat.

Long trip back to camp...then an evening walk to the nearby very flash marina with R & M.

Long trip tomorrow to Pamukkale over the mountains.

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/