27/03/2013 - Oslo to ...back to Antalya. Day 103

Distance cycled: 110km from Sultanhani to just north of Konya, Turkey
Average speed: 18.1km/h
Moving time: 6h04m
Total distance: 8866km
Border X'ings: 22
Money spent: 20lira

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I sincerely adore traveling day to day about the face of this world on a bicycle although today was not enjoyable in the slightest (terrain wise); strong headwinds on incredibly flat roads surrounded by nothing of interest bored the crap out of me (not literally) I did however meet some pleasant Turkish characters who lightened up my day, free Turkish brunch albeit partially moldy but free nonetheless from a young man who invited me to his farm, smiles from a restaurant owner who sorted me out with extra food and when looking for a place to camp two dudes who worked at a gas station who offered me a place behind the station. I spent some time with these two guys learning some more Turkish while waiting for the sun to go down which was interesting as they didn't speak a lick of English, fun though.

Typical Turkish food.

This was a sad sight, the puppies watching over their now dead mother

26/03/2013 - Oslo to ... Back to Antalya. Day 102

Distance cycled: 29.9km from where I was yesterday to Sultanhani
Average speed: 18.7km/h
Moving time: 1h36
Total distance: 8756km
Border X'ings: 22
Money spent: 25 lira

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Today was a little bit of a half assed effort in terms of getting anywhere, I really should have continued for at least another 50 odd kilometers but the wind from the north west progressively became too terrible for me to bare so i pulled into the small carpet producing village of Sultanhani, here when I checked the forecast at the Internet cafe I found that the wind was not going to let up and as such decided to stay.
I found a small camping ground on the outskirts of town where I met the owner, Rashim, who was also a carpet salesman. He was kind enough to show me about town and of course try and sell me a $400 carpet but as I am homeless I would obviously have no where to put it. The town even had some carpets laid down on the road for whatever reason but it was something new to see and something to remember about Sultanhani; I got to meet the majority of the town as Rashim knew everyone and I even met the carpet repair men who endure working with a single carpet for up to 6 months.
I was offered dinner (a dismal portion) and tea at the camp sight and helped removing the branches and debris from some lopped trees, good honest physical labour for one who likes to help out. Lets see tomorrow when I pay of I get a discount for the 2 hours I spent cleaning up the site.
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As it turns out all the work I did yesterday did not pay off :(

Im a pretty terrible tourist, Rashim took me here to check it out but i wasnt bothered about reading the history behind it… all i know it is in Sultanhani – if you want you can do the research for me

This guy has been working on that very carpet for 4 months, simply repairing it with a crochet hook… I’m sure its more complicated than that…

25/03/2013 - Oslo to ... Back to Antalya Day 101

Distance cycled: 110km from Goreme to nearby Aksaray
Average speed: 17.8km/h
Moving time: 6h11m
Total distance: 8726km
Border X'ings: 22
Money spent: 12 lira.

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After 5 days staying in Goreme, Cappadocia I found myself with itchy feet to move on. I did have a great time here hiking, meeting fellow travelers and enjoying the many deserved beers from cycling 100 days, this is an applaudable achievement but it is rather overshadowed by my next upcoming accomplishment because in 3 days, which for those who regularly read this blog will know, but for those who don't, after cycling approximately 275km I can claim that I have cycled 1/2 the circumference of Earth! Unfortunately today and the next 3 will be relatively boring in terms of terrain, I'm currently cycling the Obruk plateau which really has nothing to offer, arrow straight roads, small shoulders, lots of traffic, absolutely no trees and if it wasn't for the a snow capped mountain in the far south to occasionally catch my eye I would have fallen asleep at the handlebar.  As soon as I am out of the plateau and into the mountains I will be much more satisfied with my surroundings.  It really is the little things in life that make you happy, I was having such a boring day, nothing was making me enjoy the day with a mild head wind and like I said before the less than appealing terrain when I man beside his car who stopped to give me some apples. What a kind man! This kept me smiling for at least an hour. I've always told myself that if I were to be driving about somewhere and see some touring cyclists I would do precisely this. A small amount of generosity goes such a long way. Thanks buddy, you certainly made my day. :)

 

 

The mountains in the distance

The only other picture i took… kind of artsy but not going to win any competitions

21/03/2012 - 24/03/2012

An excerpt from yesterday's post:
"Arriving in the Cappadocia area it's small wonder that tourists in the bus loads flock to the deep center of Turkey, the lunar like landscape surrounds many small villages where locals dug into the rock to build their homes, some, maybe most of these cave dwellings are now boutique hotels or some sort of tourist attraction. It's the place to come for hiking, spectacular sunsets and hot air balloon rides"
It really is a beautiful part of Turkey during the times it wasn't snowing or too cold to go out and hike but when the sun did come out the weather was near perfect.
Staying at another hostel that was 1/2 the price of what I paid the 1st night in Goreme and with many more backpackers I enjoyed my time too - long hikes in/around the valleys where inevitably you would get lost, the open air museum showing what life was like for a troglodyte and how the caves were made, that is if you got a guide or an audio guide which we didn't do and ate local food at the restaurants around town but in my opinion it was a little disappointing although normally Turkish food is delicious but lacking variety.
I was going to mention the people I met over these few days, an Aussie girl, groups of German and French and another cyclist who wanted all my advice about the way to travel on a bike but they won't read this and I'm now quite tired and need my rest.
To sum things up Cappadocia is certainly worth visiting especially for the amazing hiking that can be had, my only disappointment other than the food is not spending one night in a vacant cave... Next time.

Boing at Cappadocia

I was going to comment on these photos but its just easier to say that this is Cappadocia and if you have any questions just email me.

20/03/2013 – Oslo to ... Day 100

Distance cycled: 110km from... to Göreme, Cappadocia
Average speed: 18.6km/h
Moving time: 5h54m
Total distance: 8614km
Border X'ings: 22
Money spent: 55 lira.

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Can you believe it? 100 days of cycling from Norway to reach what is the furthest east ill be traveling on my bike on this trip. Does this mean that this bike trip is now over? Of course not! I still have 2 weeks before I fly out of Antalya, I have no need to rush and so I'll just take my time to get back there.
So, today. Today's cycling was as boring as it can possibly be flat along the high plains towards Cappidocia with nothing of interest other than the several celebratory ice creams I bought along the way to treat myself.
I could tell that Cappadocia was getting closer as the masses of tourist buses seemed to plague the highway, this and the drivers seeming not to care about me on my bike (more so than usual) , flying on by mere centimeters from my handlebar and getting thrown about the slipstream of the larger vehicles.
Arriving in the cappadocia area it's small wonder that tourists in the bus loads flock to the deep center of Turkey, the lunar like landscape surrounds many small villages where locals dug into the rock to build their homes, some, maybe most of these cave dwellings are now boutique hotels or some sort of tourist attraction. It's the place to come for hiking, spectacular sunsets and hot air balloon rides - which recently there was a malfunction on a balloon killing 14, I think perhaps Ill avoid this not due to the accident but because it costs an arm and a leg.
As it was my 100th day of cycling I wanted to find a hostel where I could meet some travelers and have a good time celebrating my achievement, I cycled everywhere around Goreme finding many cheap places but none that had any guests until I came across a Swiss guy (Samuel) who was also cycling, his hotel was a bit on the pricy end but he was there with his buddy, Andreas (who was a bit of a dick) and an older French guy (Fuk?) who cycled down from Russia. For those who read this and who know me I am a charismatic crazy one when it comes to meeting new people, I don't hold back and this is my character. I could tell my enthusiasm when hanging out with these three guys was perhaps taken irritably but the truth is that there was nothing said whatsoever if I wasn't talking.
Anyway after a couple of beers and everyone wanting to go to bed I did the same, ill move to another hostel tomorrow.

 

This is Cappidocia, the furthest east ill be cycling on this trip.

19/03/2013 - Oslo to ... Day 99

Distance cycled: 114km from the most ideal place I have camped to 15km SW of Nigde.
Average speed: 17.5km/h
Moving time: 6h29m
Total distance: 8505km
Border X'ings: 22
Money spent: 8 lira

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I awoke this morning with yet another dog yapping at my tent but all was good because it soon left me alone and it was time to get up anyway. It left me with the birds happily chirping away with the sounds of the nearby stream flowing as I got my stuff packed up.
I covered quite a lot of distance today through various terrain and for the most part it was not easy, I had two passes to conquer, a busy main road with more retarded Turkish drivers doing ridiculous things before finally reaching the vast flat high lands at 1100m where it was near impossible to find a decent camping spot for the night.
I met some generous locals who shouted me many cups of chai and one guy who bought me some food and drink.
Throughout the day I went back and forth between being in a good mood and being pissed off; the pissed off moments were generally because I was nearly clipped by lorry drivers and the stupidity of motorists cutting me off but I'm safe and pleased having cycled as far as I did.
Right now I'm camping on a windy farmers paddock in the wide open meaning I have to wake at the crack of dawn tomorrow so that nobody has any issues. It's going to be a cold one tonight but with the appropriate gear that I have it shouldn't be an issue.
8500km with only 500 more to succeed in hitting my goal. Ill be reaching Cappidocia tomorrow!

 

First peak at 1370m

One the way up, seeing snow, it was at the time a welcome change from the coastal roads in the south

Perhaps Mum and Dad should be worried about me.,..

Peak no. 2 at 1600m..

…should be downhill from here