Goodbye foggy, dull, damp, cold Birmingham & Hello bright, sunny, warm Istanbul

It’s been 2 & a half weeks since my last post.  In that time I’ve only been getting about 5 hours sleep per night due to my mind being on overdrive worrying if I can do everything I need to each day.  There did not seem enough hours in the day.  It’s been quite stressful.  I’ve done as much as I can.

Got my passport back in time containing 4 visas, which leaves 7 to get on the road, bought some more equipment, said goodbye to friends, another practice pack, actually got to see the Boat Race from the Thames Path after living next to it for 5 years, moved all my stuff to mums-never realized I had so much stuff, will have to sell stuff at car boots next year, mum can just about get in the back door-lots more scanning, photocopying, laminating of documents & a final pack.

Thursday 11^th April mum took me to Rugby train station. It was foggy, dull, damp cold.  I got on the 7.50am train to Birmingham International with the commuters-just another Thursday for them.  Checked in at BHX.  Had to unclip my sleeping bag & mat from my Rucksack which only came to a grand total of 15KG, so all that practice packing was worth it.

Lovely flight on Turkish Airlines with a Turkish meal & Turkish red wine.  I found myself sat next to a Turkish lad who was now living in Rugby & had even gone to my high school.  He was able to let me know that the Metro ticket machines offered instructions in English.

Istanbul was sunny from the plane window-sun glistening on the sea & white buildings bright in the light.

Joined the £10 visa fee queue, passport control no problem, bags already going around the carousel!  Luckily my sleeping bag & mat did arrive, but minus 1 clip.

Taxi queue was an hour long, so negotiated the Metro & Tram in the rush hour.  Tram stop just inside the Wall of the City was opposite the hotel at a place called Topkapi Gate in the Faith district.

Called mum & glad to say my old phone works.  Lovely hotel.  Free Wi-Fi & spa.  Been able to relax & chill out a little.  Have also walked around a bit of Istanbul where the temp feels like 20 degrees = Local supermarket, Faith Mosque, Chicken shish kebab (don’t have chilli or garlic sauce here but only cost 5TL which is £1.91), Turkish Coca Cola, Spice Bazaar, Grand Bazaar where I had a Donna Kebab & later a cinnamon cup of Turkish tea, Suleymaniye Mosque, Bozdogan Aqueduct.

Istanbul is very busy.  Thousands of people on most streets walking, cars, buses, trams, mopeds & motorbikes use the pavement, no helmets & don’t stop for red lights!  Crossing the road is dangerous.  Proper free-for all.  If there’s a gap/space get there first.  Also lots of stray dogs & cats everywhere.  Enjoy the photos below.  It’s taken me ages to figure out how to save & view them.

I move to another hotel this afternoon where I will meet everyone who is doing this Odyssey Overland Expedition for the next 6 months.  We leave Istanbul on Tuesday-to somewhere else in Turkey.  I’ll update when I can when I get free wi-fi.