A head full of memories

We had a long flight back home, leaving from Frankfurt airport, stopping over in Seoul half way for 4 hours and then on to Sydney. Time to reflect and ponder the past 3 months! I’ve met so many wonderful and interesting people. I’ve seen some beautiful, stunning and amazing parts of the world. I’ve experienced such diverse cultures. I’ve learnt about religion, history, politics, geography, society, sociology. I’ve seen some inspiring art, heard wonderful music, and eaten delicious food. I’ve learnt a lot about life, myself, who I am and what I enjoy. I’ve enjoyed the explorations and discoveries along the way, the ‘being in the moment’ that travelling inspires, the highs and lows, the exhilarations and exhaustions and the times of fullness and stillness.It is with excitement I return home after such a long and full adventure. A rich, memorable and exciting time of my life, and even though I return home from overseas, I feel that the adventure is only continuing!

German experiences with Good friends

Sitting on a couch in a tiny cosy cottage in country Germany, a glass of wine in hand, chocolate in reach, playing a game of 500 with dear friends filled my heart with warmth and contentedness. Matt and I were staying with our Australian friends Tim and Mandy in their small cottage in Duisdorf, surrounded by green fields, horses and little forest groves. Their cottage was homely, small and simple with one main room decorated beautifully with a country touch by Mandy. There was a small stove fire flickering in the corner creating a deliciously warm glow - a cosy haven from the freezing temperatures of the dark night outside. This was the end of my epic overseas adventure, and it couldn’t be more perfect. The last few days had been wonderful with Tim and Mandy as they shared Germany with us. They picked Matt and I up from Duseldorff train station in their little red mini, heading straight for Christmas Night Markets set up around a castle in the country. There we ate a soupy spinach dinner with a huge sausage floating in the middle of it, shivering in the chilly air. We scoffed down our hearty meal while watching a choir of old men swaying on stage with Santa hats singing Christmas carols in German accompanied by two piano accordions. It was a festive and cheerful atmosphere with many people out, young and old, all rugged up drinking their hot spiced wine. I can understand the need for these markets - breaking up the miserable long winters with something to look forward to. The markets were filled with many artistic home-made items, and I was creatively inspired. As we walked around, we bumped into two older ladies eating an interesting looking pudding desert. Very curious, we all gathered around them both, peering at their food inquisitively. Mandy, our German interpreter, began asking what it was they were eating, excusing us for ‘we were Australian‘. I can imagine how odd we must have been to these women! (I didn’t think of it then, it seemed like perfectly normal behaviour). I think they found us entertaining, as after explaining what they were eating, suddenly one of them began shoving large spoonfuls of her pudding into Tim’s mouth and proceeded to do like-wise with all of us. The other lady exclaimed with laughter ‘yes, that’s right, feed the kangaroos’!! I’m sure if we had stayed longer, they would have fed us all their pudding and bought another one for us!

We went on a road trip the following day to stay in a Castle in a gorgeous town called Monchau. We drove via Maastricht in Holland, and stopped there for a Dutch beer. Very cool to be in Holland! (even if only for a couple of hours!). Sort of surreal to be passing through a country like that. Monchau is a small village in a valley, with two small overflowing rapid rivers diverging in the middle of it.

The buildings are ‘framework houses’ - where the wooden framework is exposed in criss-cross on the outside walls. We enjoyed some more atmospheric Christmas markets here, with more hot alcoholic drinks (very good to warm you up!) and German tucker. Staying in the castle was very exciting. It was converted into a hostel, and the rooms were quite plain, however it was cool to be sleeping in such an old building high up above the village with tremendous views. The excitement increased the next morning when we all discovered it was snowing! It is funny how snow still provokes this child-like fascination and excitement! Along with the snow, came the cold! My fingers and toes were frozen all day! In the afternoon, we headed to a football match between two local teams. I’ve never been to a soccer match before, so it was quite exciting. The packed crazed crowd was pumped, chanting their songs, drumming their drums and waving their fists. We joined them in their singing and clapping and waving about - partly to keep warm. (it was a chilly 1 degree!). We witnessed an historic game, as three of the five goals of the winning team were scored by the opposing side!
Our last day in Germany was spent with Tim and Mandy and their lovely neighbours. A delicious and hearty brunch, a hip-hop dance performance by their (neighbours) talented 8year old son, a game of hacky, a wonder into the nearby forest, a row on a lake, some good conversations and thawing out inside with tea, fires and wine. A great and memorable way to finish the trip off!

Black forest - Germany

Sitting on the train once more to head into Germany - destined for the Black Forest. Train travel has been very enjoyable, a great way to see the countryside. The trains are fast, efficient and very comfortable. The German countryside we passed through was beautiful with green rolling hills, mountains covered in tall pine trees, and cute little villages of colorful cottages with sharp A frame roof-tops.

We arrived in a little town called ‘Triberg’ where we planned to stay for 2 nights. We had only just decided to stay here after we met a German on the train to Basel who mentioned it as a nice town in the Black Forest. Other than knowing it had a waterfall, we didn’t know much else about the town! We disembarked the train, and found out that the station was quite a distance from the town centre. Thankfully, up until now, I hadn’t had to carry my pack very far - so the long walk up hill to the town looked a little daunting. But I managed it, propelled by the excitement of being back in the country air and with the forest looming up ahead of us. The Black Forest isn’t really black, but this is actually where the black forest cake originates from. And, we discovered, is also the origins of the cuckcoo clock. I’m sure you can imagine what most shops sell here!



We went on a long walk into the thick pine forest, admiring a large very full waterfall along the way. We were a bit adventurous as the walks in the forest had all been closed for the winter, but we felt we were safe enough. The day was crisp, the air was cold and the sun was out . A gorgeous day. As we headed higher up the mountain, there was a light covering of snow. It was revitalizing to be hiking!

We found an old bell tower on top of a hill where we enjoyed our little picnic cheese and cracker lunch. The sun was on us, however not creating that much warmth. I was wearing quite a few layers - including thermals, shirt, jumper, vest and jacket, beanie, scarf and gloves - but still ended up frozen to the core. My fingers have not been functioning that well over the past few days - not happy to be out in the below zero temperatures! So we headed back soon, to thaw out in a cafe with a hot tea.
We had a German meal for dinner that evening at a very kitsch German restaurant. German food is quite hearty - sausages, bacon, sauerkraut, dumplings, potato, egg - and the servings were huge!

Christmas markets in Basel

We were both a little sad to leave the mountains behind, however a few wonderful and refreshing days were spent with a beautiful loving family, the Villiers, in Basel. It was lovely to be back in a family environment again. With three young gorgeous girls, we were kept entertained by their games and highly active imaginations. Basel sits on the border of France and Germany. On Sunday, we all piled into 2 cars and drove into France. I thought that was pretty cool. We visited an old ruined castle on top of a hill with some great views.
Matt and I also spent some time in the city of Basel enjoying the festive Christmas spirit of their markets and lit-up decorations. With freezing and long dreary winters, I can see the festivities around Christmas time would be looked forward to with anticipation and excitement! A very different way to experience Christmas than in Australia! Abounding with energy and activity were the street markets in the centre of Basel. I found it amusing to walk through these clean, neatly organized, orderly markets, fresh on my mind the souqs I had experienced in the middle east. The evenings brought many people out, and the market place was buzzing with people doing their Christmas shopping, gathering around stand-up tables eating thick sausages and drowning them with beer. The smell of cheese filled the air, as huge blocks of hot, melting Swiss cheese sat sizzling on metal plates waiting to be scraped off and served with bread. And everywhere, people were walking around with identical mugs, which we discovered were filled with ‘hot spice wine’. No wonder there was a festive spirit!
Basel is not really a ‘tourist’ town, as it is not near any mountains or lake. (Unlike most other cities of Switzerland). However, it has its own charm to it, with its old characteristic European buildings hugging small cobbled alleys, ornate architecture, rich in colour and design and the wide Rhine river running through the centre with typical European arched bridges. Apart from the Christmas markets, we also spent some time in the Art Gallery, excited to find great original art from famous European artists. To top off our cultural experience, we went to a chamber music concert in the evening - so good to see live music again!

Mountains SNOW and Schapps

Matt and I were like excited kids as we sat on the fast train from Florence to the Swiss Alps. The scenery was breathtaking, and we kept jumping from one side of the train to the other to catch the amazing views out the window. Huge snow covered mountains that seemed to grow larger as we approached the heart of Switzerland, descending steeply into large still sparkling lakes with gorgeous little villages on the shores. We ended up in a town called 'Grindelwald'. Amazing, majestically massive mountains surrounded the snow covered town. We got off the train, breathing deep the chilly and revitalising air, exuberant to be in this wonderful place! The first dump of snow for the winter season had happened only two nights before we arrived, and it was already almost 1 metre deep. The snow was light, thick and very powdery. Wonderful! Unfortunately we were leaving the town a day before the ski areas were opening up! We found a delightful little B&B run by a warm young couple with 2 cute little kids. Our view was of 2 huge mountains - almost unbelievable to see them rising so high above us!

We took a long walk on some paths through the valley of the region, absorbing the exciting and dramatic landscape, getting chilled to the bone with the fresh cold air. I loved hearing the crunch of the snow beneath my feet, seeing the intense blue sky above us and the sun causing dark shadows on the immense mountains above us. We warmed ourselves up in a little hotel restaurant on the way with a local beverage favourite - hot schnapps and coffee, and then enjoyed a picnic lunch sitting outside in the brisk air before heading back into town.
It was a short stay in the Alps, but will be firmly planted in my memory for ever.

Italian wonderings

I flew to Rome from Cairo to meet Matt who was arriving from Australia. Back to western civilisation, and I was curious to discover I was feeling the effects of ’reverse culture shock’. Seemingly clean, efficient, organized, cold and face-less compared to the warmth and exciting chaos of the Middle east and Africa. However, this was ROME and I was excited to be seeing Matt again and sharing the journey with him! Our Italian trip was a whirlwind adventure. From trekking around ancient Rome, to beautiful Florence and then on to explore the picturesque Tuscan hills all within a week! Pressured travel is definitely not the best way to absorb a country, however we didn’t have the luxury of time on our hands.
Rome was wonderful - to see where this ancient civilisation began - after seeing the expanse of the empire over my travels. We wondered through the ancient ruins and the Colleseum with an excited American girl as our guide who unfolded the 2000 years of amazing history in about 2 hours. She was brilliant, bringing alive the historical events.
One of those special travel moments - when you come face to face with the heart and soul of a city was shared with an old Italian guy during an evening sitting in St Peters square. He was volunterily clearing away rubbish, and came over to talk excitedly to us about the coming Christmas activities in the square. He spoke mostly in Italian passionately and engagingly. It didnt seem to matter to him or us that we didnt understand alot of what he was saying, we just enjoyed his obvious love for his country and city. He then began singing to us some carols in Italian. We felt touched and warmed by his sincerity.
From Rome, we caught a train to Florence, where we hired a car to do a road trip around the Tuscan hills. After experiencing the driving in Cairo, to me, Italian driving was a walk in the park. However, I was only the passenger! Driving on the left-hand side of a different car on the right side of the road in a foreign country is definite test to ones nerve, and Matt was most un-nerved, but he did a fantastic job. Despite finding ourselves on the wrong side of the road only once and going around the roundabout the wrong way, we only experienced 2 honks and one rude sign! Tuscany was as beautiful as the postcards, pictures and Italian films represent and we were rejoicing to be back in the still peace and fresh air of the country! As we drove, the weather began turning as dark clouds rolled in bringing a rich intensity to the colours of the hills against the textured clouded sky. The rain didn’t deter our enthusiasm, as we enjoyed being forced to take things at a slower pace. The town San Gimignano was a special highlight. A tiny walled city, with cobbled pedestrian-only streets winding narrowly through quaint tall stone buildings with wooden shutters on their windows arched doorways and rising turrets and bell towers. We climbed the main bell tower to catch the magical view of the town in the early morning. Colourful terracotta rooftops connecting rows of cute stone houses in a hodge-podge of close living. Rolling hills, washed with the colours of Autumn, textured with trees, vineyards, orchards and open spaces of deliciously green grassland. Breathing deep the crisp country air, hearing the bells of the village ring out the time, feeling the warmth of the morning sun, and enjoying the spaciousness of the moment.
We enjoyed some great Italian food - pizza, pasta, gelato and coffee, but one thing I wont forget was a huge waffle sandwhich with massive scoups of ice-cream. Indulgement!

Taxi flight or fight!

An experience in Cairo is not complete if you haven’t been ripped off by a taxi driver! I took a taxi to the airport from Natasha’s apartment. Natasha had said to me it shouldn’t cost much more than 40le. There are two types of taxis in Cairo - the black and white ones that you need to bargain with as they don’t use a meter, and the new all white cabs that have meters in them. I caught an all white cab, thinking that what was on the meter would be what I paid. I jumped in the first one that came past, saying ‘Airport’ to the cabbie. He looked at me blankly, obviously not understanding English, however, drove off with me anyway. I tried
to make things clearer, by flapping my arms around in the back seat - in my mind replicating the exact picture of an airplane flying in the clouds…I think to him, I looked like an over-excited chicken, as he shook his head at me! He pulled over to someone standing on the street, asking if they spoke English, and with luck they did and we were on our way to the airport. I was satisfied when I began to see ‘airport’ signs along the way. We were driving along, when suddenly the driver pulled over and put his hazard lights on. I looked at him, confused. He turned around and signaled for me to wait, then got out of the car and ran off. It took me a little while before it dawned on me that he was probably relieving himself, as I watched the meter tick over! 5 minutes later, he was back in the car and I sighed in relief. As we pulled up to the airport, there was a parking ticket booth, and the driver turned around to me indicating he wanted me to pay. I looked at him in confused, trying to ask why I had to pay since he wasn’t parking. We pulled up to the booth, and the booth guy lent in and explained it was 5le, but didn’t answer my question. The driver picked up the ticket, drove off and kept asking for money. I gave him 5le, and he shook his said, and wanted more, indicating that this was only for one way. It was then I was sure something was really wrong, but couldn’t reason with him. I gave him 20le. We arrived at the airport, sure enough, the meter at 40le. I handed 20le over, with 5le for the ticket. He wasn’t happy. He took the 20le, then before I knew what he was doing, he took 50le out of my wallet. I expected change, he wouldn’t give it, I said no, too much, he merely grinned at me and blew me an infuriating kiss! So in a dramatic display of displeasure, I grabbed all my stuff, gave him a screwed up angry look, got out of the cab and slammed the door. He blew more kisses at me. Cairo had got me, and I learnt a lesson.

Floating the Nile...

The setting sun cast rich colours on the sails of the Felucca as we floated dreamingly down the calm blue Nile. Palm trees and parks lined the banks, creating a lazy paradisiacal atmosphere, and we pass a very large sand-dune with ancient tombs in the side. Birds flew overhead in flocks, catching the gusts of wind in joy. It was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon, after a long day visiting the ancient tomb of Abu Simbel. Being the only passenger on the old wooden boat, my Nubian captain offered me the rudder to test my sailing skills, along with his hand in marriage! I took the rudder, and polietly refused his other offer - explaining to him that Egypt wasn't my ideal place to live! Thankfully he eventually left the matrimonial discussions, but I knew he couldn't understand why I wasn't enthusiastic about his proposal.
I was in Aswan, a relaxed, peaceful river town south of Cairo almost on the southern border of Egypt. Arriving the previous day, I had sat on the river’s edge to enjoy the sunset and peace, a welcome relief to crazy Cairo! Unfortunately, my enjoyed peace was shortlived.
I was soon pounced upon by every opportunistic Felucca tout there is as they spotted me and shouted out their Felucca deal. None of them seemed to understand that I wanted to sit and enjoy the sunset in peace and quiet. One particularly persistent guy came up to me. “But why you not want Felucca? You sit on Felucca in sunset. I give you good price.” I politely refused his offer, explaining that I just wanted to sit now, and have some peace. But it didn’t seem to achieve anything, and he started lowering the ‘good price’, thinking I was refusing his initial offer. Ignoring him didn’t work, “are you angry? Why you mad? Why you not want Felucca? I give you good price…….”. Finally I realised this guy wasn’t going to leave, the sun had set and by that stage he was offering me the Felucca for free. I turned to him and said I was wanting a Felucca for the following evening. We negotiated a price and time that I set, shook on it, and I left feeling like I had fallen into their tourist trap! Interestingly, we finished the Felucca trip, and my almost 'husband-to-be' captain then decides that we had agreed to double the price. Ha! This time, my refusal was a lot less polite! I told him in no uncertain terms that we shook on the original price, and that was all I was paying and there was no way I was paying more, and was 'shocked' that he was asking for double! I think I was letting out a bit of steam from the persistently annoying hard sell tactics these poor people use. My Nubian captain capitulated, accepted my pay, but then audaciously demanded a kiss! They are unrelenting!

Unfortunately Aswan is a bit of a tourist trap, and the city thrives hungrily on its tourist business. Fighting for space on the Nile are huge cruise ships with their motors noisily churning, filled with sun-baked tourists and destroying the charm of the simple town. The Felucca touts roam up and down the shores, snatching up their prey who feel like they have to succumb in order to get rid of their annoying persistence. A street away from the river, there is a bustling market. Again, tourists are eyed off hungrily. ’Excuse me, excuse me, hello, where are you from, I have Pashminas, good price, excuse me, English?, American?, Holland?, Australian?’. As you walk, a sea of pashminas are flapped before you, draped on you, and wrapped around you. Any slight look or perceived show of interest is immediately pounced upon and you can be followed down the street with their incessant sales chatter!

It was here though, that I learnt the art of bargaining. A way of life in these countries, I couldn’t leave my trip without taking part in the game. There are a few rules which I discovered that made things a lot easier: Know what you want to pay and only pay what you want to pay. The vendors start with a ridiculous price, often even up to 7 times the amount you should pay! Sticking to your price becomes a game, and the vendors enjoy the hard barganing, as did I. But it is definitely shopping that needs a lot of time, patience, humour, energy and some fore-knowledge of the items you intend to purchase!

I left Aswan feeling only slightly more relaxed than when I came! I travelled back to Cairo by an old rattling and bumpy overnight train. An interesting experience in itself, but I arrived in one piece!

Football fever in Cairo!

It was the eve of the football match between Egypt and Algeria. I was sitting on a bus in the middle of a traffic jam, heading into town with a bunch of over-excited kids creating more noise than the cars around us.
These kids were from a non-government run school that my Australian friend Natasha (who I was visiting) has been working at for the past 2 years. After accompanying Natasha out to the school, we were on the bus with the kids who were headed into town for a performance. Natasha whispered as we boarded the bus to be warned of the inevitable high decibel levels we were about to experience, which were only to increase due to the football. Armed with drums and excitement, the kids got on the bus with electric energy. I know Melbournians can be sport crazy, however nothing prepared me for the fever that sweeps through Egypt during football season! Immediately the drumming and chanting began, the kids dancing, clapping, shouting, singing and jumping. The closer we got in to town, the louder they became, hanging out the windows bellowing their excitement at the cars we passed. Our bus became the centre of attention, and soon, amidst all the city traffic, we had the whole neighbourhood honking in rhythm to their drum chant. It was hilarious, and I enjoyed watching the looks on peoples faces change from confounded interest to appreciation and amusement. That night, I could hear every scored goal as the whole city erupted in their roar of applause. The game came to a sudden halt, as the city became strangely subdued. Egypt had lost to their Algerian opposition. We were relieved, as the quiet allowed us some sleep!

Chaotic Cairo!

A boisterous symphony of gregarious, colorful and varying pitched horns punctuating the drone of unrelenting traffic creates the pulsating musical hum of Cairo. Much like a vacume, the never stopping city sucks you in to its interior and whirls you about in the noise, dust and dirt and other things it's picked up along the way.

As I walk around the streets of downtown Cairo the call to prayer echoes through the city above the noise of traffic. People are everywhere. Rubbish, dirt and grime litters the cracked footpaths. A cat sneaks past me, eyeing off a feast of discarded food scraps in a gutter. Parked nearby is an old unused car, covered in filthy dirty grey dust. A testiment to the thick polluted air that covers the immense city. I head down a narrow street lined with fruit vendors creating a little hub of colour and action. Bargaining cheerfully with one of the vendors, I purchase a couple of bananas, a percimman, and a mandarin. He enthusiastically throws in two weird looking fruits when I ask what they are. They didn’t taste that good, and I’m still a little unsure what they are!!

It is a pac-man game to be a pedestrian. Getting across the road in one piece seems like a death wish! But, I learn fast as I watch and imitate the locals crossing the roads of the constant stream of traffic. A little secret hand-signal (shown to us by Jess and looking not unlike the same signal you‘d use to appreciate delicious food) actually has a satisfying power over oncoming vehicles. With this, and a focused, confident stride through the waves, crossing the road actually becomes less daunting!

I sneak up to the top level of the Hyatt hotel. A clear day brings a stunning view of the Nile and the whole city. The nile river is lined with shady trees, which I suspect would create a lovely haven from the heat of the sun during the summer months and a semi-peaceful retreat any time. Along the river Feluccas and other boats cruise, rocking with amplified Egyptian rock music.

Cairo transforms at night, with it’s lit-up shop windows and masses of people strolling along, talking, eating, window-shopping and enjoying the ‘night-life’. Caironiens dont seem to sleep! All night, the city is pumping, moving, churning, and ever honking!

With a bit of trepidation, I pluck up the courage to hop into a taxi to head into the heart of the confused sprawl of this crazy city! Lane markings, stop signs, traffic lights….seem to be merely ‘decorations’ to be completely ignored as we swerve through the traffic with the horn announcing our presence. After being in these bustling crazy middle-eastern cities for enough time now, I have become used to the seemingly chaotic road rules - where cars pave their way like people do with shopping trolleys in a crowded supermarket. Amongst the cars, there are people straddling bicycles delicately balancing loads of stacked bread, the occasional donkey harnessed to a cart with a guy nonchalantly staring like he’s trotting somewhere in a remote farming village. The taxi driver dumps me out in Khan al Kahlilil, where I hand him 15E pounds, hoping that he’d be happy with the price. I find myself right near the local fruit and vegetable market and walk around absorbing the colorful atmosphere. Eventually, I stumble across the big market area of Cairo - the Souq. People cram into small winding streets and alleyways with shops selling all different types of wares. Spices, jewelry, souvenirs, scarves, crafts, and various hardware. I find a little felafel stand for lunch, and for 40 cents I buy two tasty felafel rolls with salad. I eventually find myself sandwiched in between a mass moving crowd heading down a long street lined with brightly colored clothes and fabric. Most of the crowd are women, adorned with their colorful headscarves, and holding tightly to the small hands of their children who look up at me wide-eyed with curiousity. We move slowly and steadily, forced to cram even more when a guy with a cart loaded with a huge bundle pushes his way through the crowd. The street ends spewing its people out onto an extremely busy road. The noise which was already loud with people calling out and bargaining, becomes deafening with the roar of traffic and incessant honking. I gulped in the fumed air and began finding my way in between the cars, people, carts and bicycles. Seeking a few minutes of refuge, I step into a busy little shop selling all sorts of dried fruit and nuts. I decide to buy some cashews and stand waiting at the counter. Once again, I am reminded of my foreigness as waiting ‘politely’ achieves nothing! I am forced to elbow my way in amongst all the pushing and shoving women, and shout out my request. I am then told the price, and directed to pay for it at a counter on the other side of the shop, and receive a ticket which I have to show to collect my nuts. Once paid, I have to push my way back in again and wave my ticket around to get the attention of the server. Nuts in hand, and with a surge of renewed energy, I head back into the market area for a last peak at the shopping circus!

Beneath the obvious chaos of the sleepless, dirty, busy city, Cairo certainly has a charm with its welcoming and beautiful people. Greeted constantly with nods of welcome, warm smiles, gently curious eyes, and the eager ‘hello’ and ‘welcome to Egypt’ were lovely introductions to this hospitable city. I found myself quickly discarding any previous ill-informed pre-conceived judgments of this city and apart from its polluted air and congested traffic, I discovered a fascinating, and richly layered city that I would love to spend more time in.

Desert wonderings....the DEAD SEA, PETRA and WADI RUM

The road to the Dead Sea twisted through deep valleys of yellow-brown jagged rock and sand dunes. At times, large rocky mountains shadow the horizon, other times it is dead flat. A sparse, endless desert, spotted occasionly with lone dry looking trees. The harsh sun beating down relentlessly upon the arid land. This is how I imagined the middle eastern desert to be. Like the Australian centre, I wonder how people can live in this harsh area. As we drove through, we passed little villages spotting the landscape with their humble white concrete houses relflecting the intense sun.

The Dead Sea is large, a welcoming deep cool blue to the stark desert. We drove to a little beach set up for enthused tourists to enjoy a 'healing' float in the salty water. A low hot haze prevented us from seeing the horizon, where Jerusalem is situated (apparently seen on clear days). The water was very boyant due to the large amounts of salt, and after a while started to sting a bit. But I enjoyed my 'float' and had the famous photo taken with the newspaper!On our way to Petra, we stopped off at Mount Nebo - apparently the mountain Moses climbed to die. It was a taste of what was to come later at St Katherines and Mount Sinai - overzealous and religiously enthused Russian orthodox and Brazillians scrambling to get their picture taken next to 'sacred' rocks and bushes.

Petra was incredible. I had no idea what I was seeing before going there, and was blown away! Immense and impacting! The scenery is wonderful, and I discovered some amazing breath-taking views. Surrounded by rocky mountains, Petra is an anicent city, with massive tombs and temples carved into the mountains. There is a deep expansive canyon formed by the splitting of the earth, narrow, twisting and turning, as we walked along the valley floor.

I totally exhausted myself, wondering around in the sun, scrambling up mountains for almost 8 hours straight. I think I covered about 25kms. A special moment, was after climbing a mountain, finding a 'Bedouin' guy (like a 'squatter') on the top welcoming me into his cave to share a cup of tea. A welcome relief from the intense sun and exhaustion from the climb. I explored all of Petra till sunset, and stumbled back to the hotel afterwards almost fainting from the strenuous day. I think I did suffer a bit of heat exhaustion, as the next few days I was not well! We headed further into the Jordan desert to a place called Wadi Rum. A dramatic landscape once again, as large rocky mountains rise straight up out of the red-orange sand. Rippled sand dunes reflect the heat of the sun, rich in colour, an artists delight at sunset! We rode in a jeep across the plains, the heat of the sun pounding down upon us, taking in the sights in wonder. We had a typical ‘Bedouin’ camp set up for us that evening, greeted with Bedouin tea and a delicious dinner roasting in a stove set in the ground. We all slept on a large mat with thin but comfortable mattresses. Sleeping under the northern hemisphere stars in the silence of the desert was an unforgettable experience!

Middle East! Syrian adventures

The city of Aleppo, Syria was nothing like I’ve experienced before. It was one of those rare moments after much travel, when you come across something that you cant really compare to anything else you’ve seen before. Arabic writing was everywhere, adding to the excited alien feeling I had. The buildings were all the same ‘desert-brown’ colour, stark against the deep blue sky. There was a great view of the sprawling city from the Citadel ruins.
One of my highlights of Aleppo was being part of the action in the souq (Market-place). Most amusing is watching mini trucks that try to fit into the confined spaces of the narrow and enclosed souq lanes. We came across one intersection that was a mayhem of mini trucks all descending upon each other, drivers leaning out the windows shouting, stubbornly waving their fists, honking their horns, while pedestrians squeezed into any space available. Adding to the mix were the odd donkey, carts with huge loads spilling out the sides, and men balancing boxes, food, clothing, bags on their heads. There were a few amused looks shared as we all watched how these trucks would maneuver their way out of the squashed predicament!

Damascus was an interesting city with it's Islamic and Christian history. I was again drawn to the action of the souq, but also enjoyed getting lost in the back streets of the city. There, away from the noise of traffic and bustling markets, was a little insight into the lives of the residents.

Our group disbanded in Amman, which was very sad, as we had all bonded after the 2 weeks of travel together. Half of the group was leaving us, and we had 7 others joining us for the last 10 days in the desert to Cairo.

home stay in a remote village, Turkey

An early breakfast back at the hostel, and on the bus again for another long trip including a cargo ferry trip across the Euphrates. Our destination was a tiny village near Sanliurfa, to stay overnight in a family’s home - for an authentic peek into the lives of a ‘Turkish’ family. The family were beautiful, welcoming, eager to please and delightful! The experience is as much great for them as it is for us - as it gives their children a chance to practice their English and opens their minds to the wider world. It also widens our own minds - as we discover and change our perceptions of middle eastern way of life. A typical family home has 2 main rooms - one room for the whole family to sleep in, and the other for eating and for guests to sleep in. There is a small kitchen and an outdoor roof top space that they sleep on during the
summer months. Next to their humble house, was a couple of stables with a few cows and some goats. They also own chickens that run free around their yard. It is the womans job to milk the goats, cook, clean and wash clothes. The girls of our group had a go at milking a goat - not as easy as it looks! Especially with a baby goat trying to head-butt us out of the way for some dinner! We also watched Pera make flat bread - quite impressive was the speed and the ease in which she made it. All the food they eat is home grown and home made. We had a feast for breakfast and dinner! To eat, we would sit in the dining /guest room on the carpeted floor around a plastic table-cloth mat. The food would be spread out before us, and we'd eat with our hands.

The family kindly gave up their room so that we could use two rooms to sleep in. It was squishy, but fun.

I made friends with their 9 year old daughter - Aylin. She was a bit shy at first, but warmed up quickly when we found some common ground in clapping games. She recited songs in Turkish while I tried to keep up with her clapping patterns. Quite a few laughs at times when I obviously had no idea! I was her playmate for most the evening then! Her two older brothers aged 16 and 17 were keen to engage in conversation with the rest of us with their broken English. They had such beautiful smiles and open honest faces, and were very respectful and loving towards their parents. It was refreshing to spend time with such a warm loving family!

Toilet paper was often a topic of interest during our travels. In the middle-east, and parts of Turkey people don’t generally use toilet paper - which we found interesting. (It is funny how we are brought up with a certain way of doing things we consider completely normal, assuming everyone else in the world does the same and then to discover they don’t and we each believe each-others way is a bit weird!) Because of this, their sewerage system doesn’t handle toilet paper all that well, and so we were constantly reminded by Jess that our used toilet paper needed to be discarded into either a waste bucket in the cubicle or just on the floor near the toilet. To break the habit of ‘wipe and drop’ ingrained in us was really hard! It became ‘wipe, think, look around for the bucket, drop carefully so as not to offend the next person…’. Most of us agreed that using the squats actually made things much easier than the normal western toilet.

mysterious stone heads in the mist

Another long bus ride to a mountain hostel in Nemrut Dagi. The weather started turning on us, and it wasn’t looking good for the planned early start the next morning to watch the sunrise from the mountain top with the ancient stone heads. It was freezing when we arrived, and we discovered that our cute little hostel was not really equipped for cold weather with no hot water, and heaters and air-conditioning that didn’t work. We all survived the cold night, and were woken up at 4am for the walk up the mountain to see the sunrise. It was snowing and very windy as we departed the hostel, not the best conditions to be trekking up a steep mountain side. We huddled into a café at the base of the mountain, waiting for the weather to give us a pocket of relief. Wind, snow, sleet, rain and even hail! We were all keen, much to Jess’ dismay - she thought we were all mad. There was a low mist, and no visibility, however we didn’t want to come all this way and not see these mysterious stone heads. Our Turkish driver was with us, and braved the extreme conditions encouraging us to follow. We ventured out when the rain let up. We trekked slowly up the moutain, steep, slippery shale underfoot, and the wind howling around us. It didn’t take long to reach the top. Standing silently in the mist were the mysterious large staring stone heads and the tomb of King Antiochus. The low cloud and dark dawn created a very eerie atmosphere. No sunrise, however it was still incredible to see. Jess stood there wrapped in a blanket cursing the group as we took photos and absorbed what we were seeing. When it began hailing with small ice flying into our faces at high speeds very uncomfortably, we decided we’d better descend. Surprisingly, we passed more crazy tourists as we descended!

9 hours on a small bus to Goreme, Capadocia. Goreme is a little town set in the most weird and fascinating landscape! Formed by volcanic action and erosion, the landscape is full of tall spire-like rocks (looking quite phallic!) in a large canyon area. People settled here and turned some of the bigger spires into dwellings. This is actually where our leader - Jess - currently lives (originally from NZ).

I awoke early in the morning to catch the sunrise over the town and rocks. The sky was overcast, but I was optimistically hopeful the sun might peer out. I climbed up over some ruins onto a roof top and was greeted with an amazing view made more exciting with hot air balloons floating low amongst the tall mystical spires. Everything was silent except for the hot air blast in the balloons. It was magical. Then, as I watched, the sun suddenly pierced through the clouds spotlighting the balloons, the town and the surreal landscape. Breathtaking! I was ecstatic!
After a walk through the valley of these surreal rock formations, we headed to an ancient Christian city all carved out of the rock. There were small cathedrals, with old fading frescoes, tombs, rooms with long
dining tables, kitchen areas and even a wine-making cave. Later, we went to an immense underground cave city that was used by the Christians when hiding from attackers. Small, low, claustrophobic tunnels that lead deep below the earth’s surface into large caves that were used for sleeping, eating, worship and teaching. About 2000 people would stay here for a period of 2 weeks. Hard to imagine how people lived here! The air was damp and thick at times, the tunnels were tight and I’d imagine were quite dark without the electricity we had down there.

We’ve been eating some great local food. A Turkish breakfast consists of loads of bread, tomato, cucumber, olives, yoghurt, fruit, eggs and cheese. They love their tea. Lunch and dinner would be a doner or shish kebab, Turkish pizza - flat pizza with meat and eggs was a favourite, ‘meze’ - a mix of dip appertisers, lentil or tomato soup and always more bread! Fresh fruit and tea for desert or the delicious baklava! I’ve discovered a new fruit called ‘percimum’ - or something like that. It looks like a tomato, and to hold it is really squishy. It bursts in your mouth with a weird sloppy texture that some people don’t really like. It’s wonderful! I’ve also had pomegrant - which I’ve never tried before either. Another interesting fruit - but I prefer the percimum.

The famous Turkish Bath

HAMMAM - Turkish bath
Louise, Sarah, Byron, Tim, James and I had arranged to meet up at 5 to go to the local Hammam (a Turkish Bath). I wasn’t completely sold on the idea as bathing and massages and communal scrubs weren’t really my idea of fun, and watching the sunset seemed much more exciting. However, as the others said, a Turkish Bath is one of those ‘must have’ experiences, and Tim had assured me that it’d be a
a bit of hot water and a casual arm scrub and that was about all. Some of the other ladies of our group had been to a bath the previous night in and had raved about the experience. Our experience turned out to be completely different!
On arrival, we were shown to change rooms where we striped down to just underwear, and handed a (very) small line towel to wrap around. We had expected - from the other ladies’ experience - to have segregated male / female bathing areas. However, we discovered this wasn’t the case. We were all directed into a hot room lined with benches and taps over wash basins. Apart from one other man, we were the only people in the hammam. It dawned on us all that we were in this together. Just like the high school days, the boys placed themselves on one side of the room, and the girls and I on the other. We all felt a bit uneasy and just a little ‘exposed’ in our tiny towels! We giggled and the boys laughed and Tim carried on with his dry sense of humour about ‘flossing’ in undesirable areas. I think we were all just a bit scared of what would happen next! The poor lone man that we had railroaded upon just sat there quietly, observing our antics with disdain. A staff member then came in to deal with us. He was an older man, and I think he picked up that we were first-timers. He pointed to us girls, and made us sit near the basins. He then filled up bowels of water and poured them on us from over our heads until we were thoroughly saturated, and then directed us to lie on a large slab of heated marble in the middle of the room. He then exited the room. We lay for a long while, beginning to roast. The boys poured water on themselves. The old bearded man returned, this time with a cheeky gleam in his eyes. He walked over to the taps, filled a bowl with cold water and much to our mirth, threw the water over his cooking victims. We squealed and writhed about on the hot marble, providing great entertainment for the boys who watched the whole scene, laughing at our expense! More and more water, more squeals and laughter. Eventually the cheeky old man stopped and had us leave our torture table to follow him into another room. We left the boys still laughing at the show. The room we entered had 2 massage tables, and another old man joined us. Louise and Sarah climbed onto the tables, and I sat and watched, awaiting my turn. I must say, at this point, we were expecting
women to be handling this next stage. Jess had assured us that if it were men, they are ’professional’ and see us just as ’meat’. I could see this was the case, however it didn’t make us feel that much more comfortable. Anyhow, the girls were scrubbed down head to toe with lint-like mittens peeling off layers of skin. After being rinsed, they were then soaped up with a huge bag of bubbly soap. Accompanying the soaping was some intense massaging. Meanwhile, the boys in the other room sat, roasting, their eyes transfixed on the door to our room. Erupting from the door were big loud slaps, groans and squeals of pain, water splashing and hysterical laughter. I watched on consoling the girls in sympathy, knowing that my turn was to come soon.
Our ordeal lasted about 30 minutes. It did feel weird to be scrubbed and washed like a child again! We came out feeling strangely high, relaxed and sleepy, very dehydrated and just a bit traumatized!. But we were all glad to have experienced the famous traditional Turkish bath.

Greek Ruins, and the gorgeous mediterranean sea.

A 5 hour slightly cramped bus trip was rewarded with a gorgeous little coast town called Fethiye. The coast was beautiful, as were the surrounding mountains. The morning after arriving, half of us set off at 8am for a solid day hike up into the mountains taking us up into the ruins of an ancient abandoned Greek city and down into the deliciously inviting sea. The scenery was magnificent! It felt exhilarating to be hiking in such wonderful landscape. We had incredible views of the Mediterranean sea from mountain tops - looking down into the deep turquoise, textural sea splashing against the cliffs and sparkling in the sun. The mountains descended sharply right into the sea, and we winded our way down with this constant breath-taking view heading towards an inviting green-blue lagoon and beach. We arrived famished, hot but exhilarated, ready to rest our weary legs and eat something substantial. After lunch and a taste of Turkish beer, a few headed down to swim in the pebble-beach. I followed down, regretting that I’d rather stupidly forgotten to bring my swimmers. Rolling up my pants, I waded in to my knees watching the others enjoying the blissful warm and totally clear water. I couldn’t resist, and with little encouragement from my fellow travellers, I jumped in fully-clothed. There was no way I was going to be so close to the Mediterranean, and never get in it! Deliciously warm and very boyant because of the salt, I felt revitalized after the long hike!
Thankfully I’d worn ‘quick-drying’ clothes, so they were semi-dry by the time we caught the bus home.

Charm

We took a little afternoon trip up to a small ancient Greek village out in the country. The village was situated right in the steep hills, quaint, charming and picturesque. Its main produce is wine and olives, so wine tasting was on the menu! We tried a large selection of fruit wines - Blueberry, Strawberry, Quince, blackberry and even Kiwi-fruit! The village people were beautiful, however tainted a bit by ‘tourism’, taking whatever chance they had to sell something! I was walking through the little back lane ways with a couple from our group - Kristin and Bob, excited by the building decay, peeling paint, cobbled alleys, old wooden doors falling off hinges, and the view of the surrounding hills. We all had our cameras out. A little old lady spotted us and called out to us ’photo’ with a ’come follow me’ gesture. We resisted following, not really sure about her ‘intentions’. However, she persisted with such eagerness that we decided to follow her. She lead us up to her very humble abode with a tiny stable next door and a donkey braying inside it. She stepped into her tiny house, inviting us to come in and indicating we could take a photo inside. We felt a little awkward, however she was very insistent, so we removed our shoes, entered the room and sat on cushions on the floor. It was a tiny kitchen with the huge stove taking up most the room. Our little old host offered us grapes, and then put the kettle on for tea. She had a gorgeously
weathered face with a crooked grin and bright eyes that had seen many years. After handing us our tea, she then pulled out lace shawls with the intention of selling. We felt ’snagged’… as Jess had mentioned this happens quite a lot. We admired her lace, and politely refused, attempting to divert her sudden saleswoman tactics back to some sort of conversation. (Slightly difficult when we our Turkish was limited to hello and thank you!). With the help of a Turkish dictionary, we discovered she had 2 kids (adults) and had lived there all her life. Kristin and Bob showed her photos of their children, and I showed a photo of my family. She was interested for a little while, but then eagerly picked up her shawls again. We refused again, but didn’t want to take her hospitality for granted. We ended up ‘buying’ a little woolen-made cat.
It is amazing how quickly the Turks transition from heart-warming hospitality to the ‘wanting to get something out of you‘! I find it unfortunately taints the experience of ‘culture sharing’ as you are always expecting this ulterior motive! I suppose we are an opportunity for them to gain a bit more.
Apart from the hard-sell, we all found the whole experience uniquely special.

The Ruins of Ephesus

I find it incredible to be standing and walking in a city that existed centuries ago. I was awestruck by the size of the ancient city of Ephesus, the Roman opulence, magnificence, eye for beauty in their architecture, and their sophistication - amazed that so much of the ruins are still standing. It would have been a beautiful city in its day - set on the sea (which had since receded) hugged by gorgeous rolling hills and mountains in the distance, with the great marble buildings shining white against the blue sky. With the amount of tourists there, it actually helped in imagining all the people, the noises, the colours, the activity and buzz of the busy city.
Rich in history, Ephesus was a major merchant/trading city of the Roman empire, however it dates back further than the Roman times to the ancient Greeks. It also holds significance in Christian history - one of the earliest Christian churches began here and the apostle Paul visited Ephesus on a few occasions. We had an exciting history lesson in the ancient city by an older Turkish man. He shared his knowledge with great passion, loads of personality and a wicked sense of humour. He would gather us all in close to whisper some secret historical fact (that ‘no other guide would tell you’). These ‘secrets’ were often insights into the somewhat risqué Roman culture, but it was the comical way in which he revealed them to us that was most entertaining! At one point, we sat down on ancient toilets - a row of holes carved out of a long bench made out of marble. Our guide showed us what our left hand would be doing… and assured us that these ancient people had adequate privacy with their long togas.

Intrepid adventures - Pamukkale

PAMUKKALE, Turkey. 26 Oct 09
My adventures are getting even more exciting - as I am now traveling through Turkey, Syria and Jordan with a group of 15. Our tour began with a real introduction to ‘Turkey’. We were waiting for a minibus to deliver us from our meeting point to the main bus station. Jess, our leader, has just told us this particular tour has never happened before, we are the ‘guinea pigs’ and that anything can happen - ‘this is Turkey’. Time was ticking, and Jess began to get just a little frantic. Suddenly on impulse, she had all 14 of us bundled (squeezed) into taxis for a little taste of crazy Istanbul driving. I have experienced Istanbul’s taxi service before. It is not for the feint-hearted! We screamed through Istanbul, taking the ‘scenic route’ at 90km/hr on tight-laned, winding roads in the dark. As we were flying along, one of the other taxis filled with our fellow precious group members pulls up close to our taxi and starts conversing with our taxi driver through the window - while still driving a casual 90km/hr. I have no idea what they were discussing - maybe the weather - or the football - but we were all just a little concerned about the van we were rapidly approaching ahead of us. Our driver finished his conversation, apathetically turns his head, regards the van as if it is only 50km ahead, and swings the wheel effortlessly to only just miss contacting it. Meanwhile, we all let out our breath simultaneously. We are making our way traveling together over the next 3 weeks through some amazing historical, scenic, culturally exciting countries. The group is great, 14 people - 5 Australians and 9 from the US, with a crazy chick NZ leader, Jess, who’s been living in Turkey over the past year or so. We are a great mix of ages and personalities - from mid 20’s to 50/60 yr olds, relaxed, easy-going, and adventurous. We boarded the bus which was taking us overnight to a town called Pamukkale. (for those geographically inclined, this is inland, south-east of Istanbul). Okay, I will never complain of Wagga bus trips again! 9 hours on a bus overnight is not much fun! The overnight train option sounded so much more romantic - however the Turkish government has decided (inconveniently) to do track work which is taking a bit longer than planned…

We arrived in Pamukkale to do a day’s worth of exploring. I had no idea what we were exploring - until we walked up the crest of the hill and in view was an immense, weird looking mountain that looked like it was covered in snow. I’d never seen anything like it before. It was the ’Travertines’ - which is a calcium deposit build up over centuries (and centuries!). Streams of thermal water flow over and down the cliffs, forming little thermal pools, iridescent blue against the sparkling white. We were allowed to walk over it - without shoes and ripples of built up calcium massaged my feet. Above the Travertines, sits the ruins of an ancient Roman city - Hierapolis, with the remains of an amazing theatre. We spent quite a few hours wondering around the city at our own pace. The city would have been beautiful in its time - set in gorgeous scenic rolling hills.
It’s nice to be sharing the journey with a group of people. I really enjoyed my alone traveling time, however it is good to be able to share meals with people, get to know and form relationships with them and experience things together.

ISTANBUL, Turkey

People crammed onto the tram as we got closer to downtown Istanbul. Fresh off the plane, I was seated with my large backpack still attached, my excitement brewing rapidly as we approached the heart of this pumping city. I hadn’t realized how much I loved Istanbul - until I made the return and discovered my heart leaping backflips!
There are so many sides to Istanbul. An exciting city - dirty, smoggy, cluttered, noisy and smelly, yet beautiful in sights - the sea, shady parks, and an immense river. Rich in colour, history and its people cosmopolitan, passionate, joyful, vibrant and spirited. Completely unique, standing on its own from any other city in the world.
Its sounds, smells, sights, and tastes of Istanbul are what make this city different. Like any busy city, the traffic noise (especially taxis!) punctuated by polite yet unrestrained use of the horn is inescapable. Competing with the traffic is the shouting of men selling their wares from overflowing shops and street vendors selling corn-on-the-cob or large donut shaped bread sticks, and the general hubbub of MANY people (11million! - plus all the tourists…). Down by the water, the sounds become even more intense, with cars, trams, busses, people and ferries! The Bosphorus, the large canal-like river that runs through the centre of Istanbul, is a happening place! I am amazed at how many boats, ships and ferries cruise, speed, row, putter, and sink on the Bosphorus! It is a very busy port - with fishing boats, cruisers, container ships, ferries, and other indefinable floating devices. And yes, they are not quiet! Fog horns, motors, engines, steam, whatever - they all add to the city symphony. Interwoven in this wash of sounds, about 5 times a day, the call to prayer is amplified through megaphones from the iconic mosques all over the city. I find the passionately sung call beautiful, a stark reminder that this is an Islamic country despite its cosmopolitan atmosphere. Bringing all these sounds together, is the music of Istanbul - the heart of Turkey. Wondering past shops, restaurants and houses, the unmistakable traditional Turkish music is heard. The Turks are very proud of their music heritage, and if it isn’t traditional music, it is Turkish music fused with pop, jazz or funk.

The people of Istanbul are warm, eager to help, peaceful and very social. Being an Islamic country, there are more men about than women. They sit around chatting together, laughing easily and readily. They are kind and gentle people. They like socializing, and they gather together in Tea-houses smoking cigarettes, hookahs (water pipe) and playing back-gammon.
To get the full Istanbul experience, I tried a hookah with some Belgium girls I’d met in my hotel. We sat in a outdoor ‘tea-house’, full of locals (and tourists) smoking hookahs. It is not like normal smoking where you inhale the substance - you don’t actually breathe it in - so the smoke is blown out immediately. Also, it is filled with apple flavored smoke so you taste apple in your mouth as you breathe out. I found it fascinating, but not exhilarating! Another favourite Turkish pass-time is to play backgammon. Again, as you walk past tea-houses with hookahs, you will inevitably see Turks playing backgammon. My Belgium friends wanted to learn, so we asked for a game and I taught them how to play. There was some live music to add to the atmosphere. And then, to top the experience off, a Turkish ‘whirlish’ dancer entertained us. This is actually quite an intriguing thing to be called a dance! It basically consists of one spinning around with arms out wide non stop till the music ends. Interestingly, the dancer doesn’t seem to be affected by dizziness afterwards! Apparently it is a ‘trance-like’ dance.

As I am alone, (and a woman), I have been approached many times by men who are curious about where I’m from and what I’m doing and where I’m going and what my name is… I quickly discovered that their interest mostly has no intentions other than general curiosity. Not like Tanzania where their intentions were more often questionable! I have had a few harmless offers from guys to take me into Taksim - the music heart and night-life of Istanbul, but once they discover I have a boyfriend, they take back their offer.

‘Taksim’ is the music centre of Istanbul. There is a narrow busy pedestrian shop filled street that winds for about a kilometre through Taksim. The amount of music shops - selling traditional Turkish instruments is quite amazing! The clarinet plays quite a large roll in Turkish music - and every music shop window had an array of different clarinets. I was fascinated with the metal clarinets, and had to have a go! They are pitched differently, based on a minor mode key. They make a rich sound, however the holes are awkwardly placed and I found it difficult to play. I also tried an instrument called the Dukun. It looks like a recorder - yet is played with a large double reed (as big as a bass clarinet reed)and sounds like a clarinet. It had a reedy and haunting sound. At night Taksim comes alive with pumping night clubs, jazz and Turkish music. It isn’t the best place to be as a single woman, and it was quite a distance from my hotel, so unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to see it in its late night glory.

To get to Taksim, I had to cross the long Galata Bridge that crosses the Bosphorus river. Lined up along the bridge are fishermen - another iconic sight of Istanbul! Young and old, some fishing all day, some turning up after work - in their business suits to make their catch for the evening. They chat and laugh and swing their lines around, completely oblivious to the pedestrians passing by and the loud constant flow of traffic. By the bridge, on the water are boats rocking with huge BBQ’s, and men cooking the ‘catches of the day’ on them. They slap the fish in a roll with some onion and lettuce and sell it for 4 Lira. (About $3). This goes on all day and into the night. I sat eating the fish sandwich with the locals, enjoying the atmosphere, smells, people and the sun setting, silhouetting the mosque filled skyline.

In Istanbul, there are cats everywhere. They seem to wonder around like they own the city - just like a cat 'owns' the house it lives in. They find anywhere they like to sit, sleep or lick themselves - whether it’s outdoors or in! I found a cat quite content on the seat of a motorbike yesterday. Today, I was sitting in a park and discovered a cat having a snooze in the tree next to me. I also saw some cats lazing about on the rocks by the water! The Turks seem to enjoy having the cats around, and not infrequently, I see the cats getting their share in some affection.

Since I have been to Istanbul before, and seen a lot of the ‘tourist’ attractions - all the mosques and ancient historical sights, I am happy to just relax and absorb the city at a slower pace. It is nice to just wonder around, watching people, cats, boats. Enjoying the smells, tasting the food, sitting in a park, and taking a rest from ‘sight-seeing’. (I think I’ve suffered overload over the past few weeks!). A feast for the eyes, Istanbul is full of colour with its abundance of carpet, ceramics and lightshade shops. There is a 'spice market' which is an enclosed space of crammed in stalls all generally selling the same thing - spices and dried fruit. It is a game for the stall sellers to strike up conversation and sell you something!

My hotel restaurant balcony has a stunning view of the Sea (of Marmara). I’ve spent quite a few long hours watching the boats float by, with their huge trawlers and followed by flocks of opportunistic seagulls. The sunsets and sunrises on the water have also been a treat. And I am as happy as a pig in mud!

As you can see, being in Istanbul has been awful! :D

Tomorrow I meet up with 12 people for an organised 3 1/2 week tour of Turkey, Syria and Jordan. Very excited about that! It has been a month already...and the next few weeks will fly! 　
　
　
　

16th-19th BUDAPEST, Hungary

The hostel I’m staying at in Budapest is another home-like place! It’s in an old renovated apartment building, and my bed is in a loft, with a ladder to climb up to it.

Budapest is a great city. Vibrant, historical, alive, energetic, buzzing, cultural. There is so much art and music here! The buildings are a bit more darker, grey and ‘somber-feeling’ than the colorful buildings in Prague. The people are friendly, and welcoming.
I went for a walk all over the city on my first day. I saw some great contemporary art galleries - was very inspired! I wondered around some historical buildings and Buda castle. In my wondering about, I came across lady advertising a folk-music / folk dance concert for that evening. I thought that might be good to go to. On arriving at the building where the concert was, the lady who I’d met earlier informed me that I was at the wrong place. Two other ladies - from Austria - were in the same predicament. But she kindly organized for a car to come and take us to the other side of the Danube where the concert was. I befriended the 2 Austrian ladies as we were in this weird situation together! The concert was good - I enjoyed the folk dancing - very energetic! The dancers were accompanied by a gypsy 10-piece string orchestra, with a loan clarinet player (who had amazingly fast fingers!) and a weird sitar-like instrument - and the guy who played it was incredible! After the concert, I was ready to head to bed, however my new Austrian friends were keen to do a bit of sight-seeing. I was happy enough to walk around with them. Budapest looks fantastic at night - we found some really good views of the city. (One view from on top of a very high arch-way, with no rails!). We parted company eventually, and I walked back to my hostel - since the trains had stopped going. Very sore and tired when I finally got to bed!
One must-have experience in Hungary was the Baths! After my day of walking many km’s, I decided to head out to the famous Baths. I really had no idea what they’d be like, but wow!! So glad I went!!
The baths were in an old building / enclosure. As you walk in the entrance, you can see a huge open-air series of 3 pools with steam coming out. It was a chilly day, so it looked quite enticing. (but the people who were out of the pools in just their bathers looked particularly cold as they danced on tippy-toes to the warm water.) After buying your ticket, you enter into the change/locker room. Changed into your swimmers, you head through into another room with 2 smallish pools. One at 20 degrees and one at 40! Another room, another pool at a different temperature. Then there were some saunas amongst the pools. I’ve never been in a sauna before - must admit, I think I used to be ‘scared’ of them! (weird I know). So I ventured in. The first sauna was 30-40 degrees. I survived that, so thought I’d try the next one - 40-50 degrees. Fine! And later, the 90-100 degrees… oooh didn’t last 5 minutes! Anyway, without going into more pool-sauna-degrees-warm-hot-chill-steam-ice details, the whole thing was magical! Felt so good - exhilarating, relaxing, tingling, breathtaking! The atmosphere was fun too. So many people around, lazing in the pools. I was imagining I was back in the Roman period! The outdoor pools were great too - I spent more time there, absorbing the atmosphere, the sky, the gorgeously ornate architecture surrounding the baths, the steam coming off the water making everything look mysterious and enticing.
I came home suitably relaxed (and tingling!). I think these sort of baths should be introduced in Australia!
I spent my last day in Budapest on a bike. I hadn’t made up my mind about what I’d do, and with a vague idea of heading to the “Citadel” (on top of a hill, with great views of the city), I stumbled across a bike-hiring place. I thought that’d be fun as the sun had decided to shine, and it was a much faster way of getting around the city. The view from the Citadel was fantastic. However, I discovered how unfit I was while getting to the top! :P Coming down, was super fast and easy. Until I realized I’d come down the wrong side! I didn’t know how to get back (without a detailed map), so had to head up the hill again! Gr! But it was good to be pumping blood again. The sun soon disappeared, and I soon discovered that it was really very cold. And typically, my fingers and toes decided they’d go on strike. So when I finally got back into the city area I was chilled to the bone. I popped into a café for a coffee - or more to warm up!
I started noticing all the statues in Budapest - after the night with the Austrian ladies. One of them was fascinated with all the statues and kept stopping to take many photos. The statues are larger than life, detailed and very expressionistic. Horses rearing up, life-like figures of men and women in different poses and attitudes, some standing strong and king-like and some just doing everyday things like sitting on a chair watching the world go by. The statues tell a bit of history as well. Centuries old, to modern day statues. I have a whole new appreciation for the art!
I returned to the hostel that evening and one of the other girls there mentioned she was thinking of going to the opera that night. I had been contemplating it as well, and so we decided we’d go together. That was incredible! Partly because, the ticket was 2 Euros! That’s about $4!!! Amazing! The opera house was stunning inside. We had a standing ticket, and not the whole view of the stage, but it was still a wonderful experience. They played Bela Bartok’s ‘Bluebeard’s Castle’ and it was a fantastic performance of a really intriguing piece! Very modern staging too, they used computer graphics and interesting mirror-like large panels to reflect the computer images and stage scenes. I’ve actually never been to an opera before - so it was a brilliant first-time experience!
　
　

12 - 16th Oct Slovakia - High Tatras.

My next destination after Krakow was the High Tatras - Slovakian Alps. I had to catch a tram and 2 busses to get there. It was a long trip, with spectacular scenery. Every time I get out of the cities, I realise how much I love the country! As we approached Slovakia, the scenery got better and better!
I arrived in a wonderful picturesque little village called Zdiar nestled in a huge majestic mountain range in Slovakia. Apparently there was a massive mountain view outside the ‘Ginger Monkey’ Hostel I stayed at, but when I arrived there was already a low cloud settling in, and the weather didn’t get any clearer! I could only imagine the sight. The ‘Ginger Monkey’ is a quaint old cottage that an English guy, Jim, bought 2 years ago to set up as a hostel. Since it is ‘out of the way’ - it attracts ‘out of the way’ sort of travelers. By that I mean people who are looking for something more than just the city highlights / party atmosphere of traveling. Some of the guests (and staff) had been on the go for a long time. One guy had been on the road for about 4 years. I find that incredible. I don’t think I could live that way! It made me think a lot about what travel is and why we do it! More contemplations later! Anyway, the other hostel-lers were friendly, fun and interesting to chat to. (oh, and still more Australians! (and Melbournians, might I add) They ARE everywhere!)
I went for a walk when I arrived through some rolling hills / pasture-land into a pine forest. The weather was a bit dicey. Very cloudy, misty and imminent rain. But I found a great spot on top of a hill that had a panoramic view of the mountains and sat there contemplating for an unknown amount of time. (until I almost froze!!) Nice to sit and think again. J
Another communal meal at the hostel - Indian Curry!
I came to Slovakia to hike in the mountains, but on the first day there, I awoke to massive snow flakes falling thickly! It had snowed all night, and the view out the window was magical! To go outdoors was an event in itself. I was thankful for the warm clothing I’d brought with me. Thermals, 2 pairs of socks, waterproof shoes, waterproof pants and jacket, scarf, beanie, gloves. Ok, so it’s just like rugging up to ski, but somehow it’s more exciting when it’s in a wildly different country, and it’s actually snowing thick snow flakes, and the snow is about 1metre deep, and it’s right out your door! A rare occasion to experience!
Since the weather wasn’t conducive for hiking, I took the opportunity to have some rest and relaxation - lots of reading, playing cards and talking with the other guests. At the hostel, there was a dog named Wally. I must say, I’ve never really been into dogs… but Wally and I had a great time together! I went out to make a snowman, and Wally thought that was great fun. He dug up snow, ate snow, rolled in the snow and ran after the snow I shoveled away. We played soccer - I kicked the ball and he’d do a running / jump / dive into the snow attacking the ball with focused ferocity! I also took Wally for a walk (in an almost blizzard) - down to the local store for ‘supplies’. That was the first time I’ve walked a dog! (Or more like, the first time a dog has walked me…). We became fast friends.
As the snow got thicker, I and the other guests headed out with toboggans and snow-boards to the back of the house where there was a mini-slope. For about and hour we entertained ourselves with face-planting into the snow, making snow-angels and having snow fights. It was kind of cool to be sharing so much fun with complete strangers! One evening, Jim wanted us to experience some local tucker - goulash. I think most the village restaurants must have assumed no-one would be out in the snow as they were all closed. However, we did find one extremely cosy little pub that served beer and very tasty goulash for about $6! We crammed into the tiny eating area, about 12 of us, when suddenly there was a black-out. Completely, pitch-black! No light - and no heating! So we sat and shivered together, while the poor old pub owner (who was working on his own) served us beer in candle-light. I don’t think he was expecting so many people on such a cold night - and was a bit hesitant to cook up goulash for 12! But with some gentle persuasion, good cheer and the electricity coming back on he obliged.
I was going to get a lift with an Israeli couple to the next town where I’d catch the 5 hour train to Budapest, Hungary. However, as we shoveled their car out of the snow, I started thinking of the road conditions - snow and ice, and driving without chains - and the fact that the Israeli couple had never even seen snow before! I started to think that I didn’t want to end my life on a road in the middle of Slovakia - so decided to take the bus instead! (Although, Slovakian bus drivers aren’t well known for their safe driving…). I ended up being accompanied by an English guy, Edwin who was also staying at Ginger Monkey. We traveled together all the way to Budapest. He was a great traveling companion. We had some very interesting conversations, sharing the love of art, music, ‘earthy’ stuff. A friendship sparked - in a moment in time - that remains in that moment in time! It was nice to have someone else to share the navigating around once we hit Budapest at about 9pm.

10 Oct - Auschwitz
Confronting. Overwhelming. Sickening. Horrifying. I wasn’t quite prepared for Auschwitz. I don’t think anyone can be. The huge scale of Birkenau - the camp set up for the gas chambers was overwhelming. It was a grim, gloomy rainy day, freezing. Quite fitting. The air felt thick, oppresive, and even had a weird smell to it. I found it impossible to fully comprehend the realities of the horrors there, however it solidified the historical event a lot more by being there in person (than reading it in a book). The day spent in Auschwitz left me numb and with a sick feeling in my gut. I cant begin to understand the mentality behind how or why people could conduct such atrocities on other humans.












The railway tracks in Birkenau - leading to death. The Jews would disembark the train, and immediately be seperated - majority would be sent straight to their death in the gas chambers, and the others were made to work and live in completely inhumane conditions, surviving no longer than 2 months, some only 2 weeks. A picture of the endless barbwire fences enclosing the camp. A picture of the living quarters - an old cattle shed. Bunk beds, paper mattresses, thin ragged blankets, 2 bucket toilets per shed, no heating or insulation.












Lastly, a picture of the dorms in Auschwitz - they look much better, however they were brick buildings of hell - starvation cells, 'standing' cells, rooms where medical 'experiments' were made on children, and rooms of torment. The preservation of the concentration camps are a memorial and sober warning against racism, xenophobia and war.