Monday, 27 May 2013 at 4:47pm
Cappadocia
4.5 hour drive from Ankara and quite straightforward.....initially through industrial areas then turning into rolling hills.
Arrive 12.30ish, set up, Sue sorts out some washing and I, of course, work out how to watch the Monaco GP. End up watching it in Brian's caravan as he has a 1m dish and manages to get Dutch RTL. Well done Rosberg...the McLaren looks to be a bit better round there too.
Relax with a meal cooked on the Cadac and eaten with next door neighbours.
Day 2
Trip to the Goreme Valley. We see the open air museum where churches (some with frescos) have been hewn out of the rock. The shapes of the rocks give this area an erie, enchanting feeling, quite unlike anything else we have seen...
Then it's on to visit the Kaymakli underground city where the inhabitants would live for weeks or even months when under seige.....quite an incredible feat. We go down three levels.
After lunch we see more of the valley, highlight being the vast 'rocks with hats' as our guide puts it. Others put it rather differently.
Back at camp, sign up for an early morning hot air balloon flight....being picked up at 4.40am........!!!
Day 3
Up at 4.00am.....quick shower...it's raining and windy....hell.
Rain clearing, five of our group picked up and off for a 'breakfast' at the balloon assembly point with dozens of other minibus loads.....20 minutes and the clouds begin to clear... then it's back on the minibus and off to the launch site...which is just something else...90 balloons starting up with roaring burners; waking monsters in the dawn light.
22 of us in the baloon. The flight is brilliant. Rising high, 'kissing' the balloon next to us, then breaking free and then flying low, to within feet of this truly exceptional terrain. Although we know two people were killed here in an accident only last week, we also know that our pilot is an instructor and he really knows his stuff. Gentle landing in quite a breeze. Applause!
Wait for the recovery team who get the big Landcruiser very stuck in a ridge 200m away...so they set up the champagne there and we join them after they deflate the baloon safely. Very professional crew..lots of hanshakes explanations..and costly photos.
Magic.
Back to the site, change, then off with the rest of the group for a guided 3.5 mile walk along the valley we have flown over....turning out to be an exceptional day. As was the traditional clay pot lunch.
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