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Thursday, 13 December 2012

06/12/2012 - Oslo to Israel. Day 75

Distance cycled: 25.5km from Istanbul - European side to Istanbul - Asian side – Alex’s place
Average speed: 13.8km/h
Moving time: 1h51m
Total distance: 6420km
Border X'ings: 22
Money spent: 10 liras - €4


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I dunno how this messed up but i think it is yesterday and today’s terrain profile combined.

 

After seeing all that I wanted to in Istanbul for a single day of sightseeing yesterday I attempted to cross the bridge from the European side of Istanbul to the Asian side. I thought his would be a good idea for not only the view but also the experience of cycling into a new part of the world. However this endeavor turned out to be a little more troublesome than anticipated, it was a freeway bridge where bicycles and other means of slow transportation were forbidden.
I thought I could get away with it and make it over but there was a police car that stopped me and told me to take the ferry boat across, meaning all the effort of getting there was wasted.
Meh, whatever; so obviously I took the boat and cycled the 15 odd kilometers to Alex's place where I'll be staying for the next few days. Alex a Brit, I met when traveling in Peru and Bolivia, he is here now with his fiancé teaching English.
On my way to his place from the boat was quite the ordeal too, I did find a bicycle lane that was ignored as a bike lane by all the traffic and having cars cut me off, sit in my way or come right at me without any intention of stopping was an interesting experience. I say interesting and not frightening because I felt like I was in control of the situation being as observant as possible to avoid any accidents and ill be honest, smashing my fist on the hoods and windows of unaware drivers was kind of fun.
I met Alex's housemate and fiancé where we chatted away and ate. It didn't take me long to want to sleep as the last few days of sightseeing, cycling and waking early for the free breakfast at the hostel has worn me down, not to mention the somewhat bad weather that dampens my normally lively spirit.

 

I dunno how this messed up but i think it is yesterday and today’s terrain profile combined.

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Leaving the hostel in Istanbul.

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Guards in bulletproof glass boxes, sorry, didnt have the time to check out what this building was about.

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The bridge i attempted to cross but was turned around by the police. a waste of effort.

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