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.
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