Howdy folks!
Now I've been a bit silent for the last month. As I mentioned I've been unable to post blogs from my phone. But...the big news is I've just arrived in Dubai (!) and finally I can access my blog. I will be uploading tales from the Islamic Republic in due course but firstly let me finish with Turkey. Here's one I prepared earlier...
TURKEY: The final hurdle (written in Turkey a month ago)
I arrived in Diyabakir bang in the heart of Kurdistan during lunchtime. The streets were busy with the usual activity.
Man power
Diyabakir is a deeply historic town and one of largest in what used to be Kurdistan. Most people here consider themselves Kurdish but for the last few hundred years they've been part of what was the Ottoman Empire and now Turkey. In the main square men sat drinking tea. Later a couple of these chaps invited me over for a brew.
Gun-fans ponder the new range of pump-action shotguns. Ironically this shop also sold religious idols and Qurans.
Most of the buildings are made of local granite. This mosque is one of the few in Turkey to have a square minaret. Looks more like Manchester's industrial museum.
Inside it owed more to a medieval church than any domed mosque
A tea area inside the bazaar. This felt very Aladdin.
Down one of the side streets I came across the blacksmiths. They seemed to be making savage medieval weaponry. I saw an 8 year old beating a hot piece of iron into shape on an anvil. He wouldn't let me take his picture unfortunately. I didn't know this stuff still went on?
I decided to stay the night and leave early the next morning. I did find a nice little spot next to the river Tigris. I shared the area with a few local goat herders but they didn't seemed to mind.
That day was a bit of a slog so I didn't snap much. I hadn't showered in 4 days so on arrival in this town called Silvan I went for a thorough wash in a petrol station toilets. The other users seemed puzzled. Here's an example of how to pack a truck.
As the sun was going down a fog was settling in the valley below
The road headed down and it was like cycling through a cold steam room and visibility was nil...
Riding was pretty dangerous in the dark and the fog so I pulled over at a cafe. These two awesome guys, Kali and Çinassi, invited me over for a traditional Kurdish dinner. I'm getting used to eating on the floor now.
Çinassi, among other jobs, worked in a petrol station so there lay my bed for the night. Reassuring to know that if someone wanted to rob the station then I'm the last line of defence...
Kali's wife was away so he was left holding the baby. He was a real tinker and I had to stop him putting cigarettes in his mouth. He was soon suppressed by the plinkety plonk of Pingu. Something tells me he'll grow into that jacket one day.
Breakfast was down the quarry. I felt particularly manly.
A real pea-souper in the morning...
It all brightened up and I stopped for a break before the mountains
It's mandarin season so you can pick up a bag for about 30p.
Urban cows - public enemy number one
And then the mountains...up and up towards Lake Van
This was a tough old section of road but the landscape made up for it.
And there you go... Another day passes, and I'm pleased to see the mountains behind me again.
The next morning I cycled to the ferry port to board a boat across Lake Van. A five hour ferry ride for £1.75.
And I had the boat to myself. The sole passenger and some freight trains.
I do love a good boat
With the most up to date safety features
And sound advice
Evoking the late Keith Floyd, I knocked up a rustic meal on deck
One of the men invites me to kick back in the engine room. The noise was ridiculous but I loved the old gadgetry
I had a bit of time to map my route across Turkey in the crudest way possible. Nearly there!
Aaaaand finally, after stepping foot on dry land I found the cheapest hotel in town. I managed to knock him down further to £6 for the room. It was 1.5m x 2m and I could touch all 4 walls from the centre. Safe to say I'm sick of budget hotels
Last day out of Van
Very bleak and painfully cold. This is no man's land
Coldest night yet. I eventually pitched my tent on a school playing field. I needed a pick axe to remove the ice in the morning.
Thankfully I was given a lift to the border crossing in the morning.
So 5kms from Iran...passport - check. visa - check. Islamic facial hair -
Check.
And finally. The last supper (breakfast) with the border guards. I was invited in as an honourary guest. Must be the moustache...
So there we have it. TURKEY - DONE.
One more country to go: Iran. Piece of cake :)
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