(Daniel) Perhaps we have been wasting our time, spending ages looking for quiet spots to bush camp. Camping at the truck stop last night was safe and convenient. In the morning, we had hot water, a toilet and breakfast with coffee only a short walk from the sleeping bag! Of course we won’t be spending all our time in these places, but on a long driving session, to be able to pull up late and sleep soundly without any of the usual worries is a good option. In the morning you wake up, already on the main road to your next destination.
It was this pleasant start, and the wonderful sun, that took us in good spirits from Sofia to the Turkish border in record time this morning. We stopped at a petrol station just outside the border post for a bathroom break, and to stretch our legs. The smiling garage owner came out to meet us, and asked if we needed fuel. He seemed to be saying that it was cheaper in Bulgaria than Turkey, but I didn’t believe him, and declined to fill up. I remember thinking that it couldn’t be much different, and so we pushed on to the border crossing with only the larger 85 litre tank full, and 185 litres of empty space in the other fuel tank and empty jerry cans.
The Border crossing was extremely easy, with very friendly smiling guards, and lots of approving looks. First we purchased visas at the cash desk after leaving Bulgaria, the visa fee for Norwegians was 50 dollars, and the English one 20 euros, but with my Irish passport, I only had to pay 10 euros! After going through passport control with our visas, we purchased insurance for the Wolf and trailer for 52 dollars, then from there we moved on to the vehicle customs section. This was my first time using the Carnet de Passages, and was not so easy. The older man on duty was quite put out about having to process us, even though the paperwork was relatively simple. I figured I would have to learn this process, and make sure that the officials completed the paperwork properly at each crossing from now on. After 30 minutes we were waived on without a search, into Turkey.
Starting along surprisingly good roads, we drove past a queue at least 3-4kms of freight haulage vehicles waiting at the border. None of them were moving. I guessed that the vehicles towards the end were in for a long wait, possibly weeks! On the main road we spotted a petrol station, and discovered to my embarrassment and the others annoyance, that fuel in turkey is 80 euro cents more expensive per litre than Bulgaria!
The mounting fuel bill, had already become a bone of contention, as it felt like the bulk of our spending was going on the daily fill ups, and despite sharing this three ways, it was adding up already.
The drive to Istanbul was smooth and went very quickly. The Wolf is fitted with a very good sound system, and we were in high spirits, blasting dance music, singing and talking loudly. Suddenly we were in the city, and had not been prepared for how manic the Turkish driving style was.
Drivers seemed to rely completely on others watching out for them, and fly full speed along any lane of the motorway, including reversing back down it to get to that turning they just missed! I have been practising defensive driving for a while, but this was the first country where I could see a major shift in driving style. Off the highway, drivers beeped constantly if held up, or just to make others aware that they are about to buzz past at light speed. I didn’t have too much trouble, as larger vehicles usually get a bit more respect, and Sultanhamet was very well signposted from the highway. However it was a bit of a shock, and our happy mood, was shattered somewhat by the sudden change of pace.
In Sultanhamet we found a 24 hour manned car park and made a deal to store the Wolf next to the guards office. The cost was 80 Turkish Lira, a small price to pay for peace of mind. Gabby (“Lonely Planet Larry”) already knew the best place to stay, the Side (Seeda) Hotel just across the road from the Four Seasons. We did have a wander to check out the competition, but returned to The Side and checked in, a Double for Rowan and Gabbs, and a single with shared bathroom for me. I got the better deal, with the same size room for half the price, and my choice of shared bathrooms, as no one else was staying there! There is a brilliant roof terrace where breakfast is served and from your table you can see both Ayasofia and The Blue Mosque. From the upper level of the terrace you can look across the Bospherous to Asia, and along the coast of this huge city. It felt like the edge of Asia, and that our overland adventure was about to level up.
When I unpacked the laptop I discovered that there was a wireless network in range, so I could surf and update the home team on progress. All this convenience, for 16 euros a night!
We unpacked, and walked down the narrow streets to a local restaurant that looked worth a try. It was our first experience of current food prices and quality, and wasn’t bad. Know Rowan, we would be in for some more culinary exploration, and there would be much better to come.
After dinner, we returned to our rooms. After many nights in a rooftent, it was a genuine pleasure to get into a nice comfy bed, with heating for warmth, and double glazing to ensure a quiet night. A very welcome start to a much needed three day rest!
Distance Driven 350miles