I decided to pack and send my bike back home, this was a bad idea! There are several reasons, but mainly because it is a complete faff dismantling and packing a bike safely. Not to mention the issue of finding a courier. But alas I managed it but it was painful! Much frustration from me, a box which was 40cm (max 120cm) too long and DHL charging for the privilege!
I had already agreed that I was going to meet TJ and Sam in Tbilisi in the middle of November. This gave me almost a month. I had missed out on a chunk of Turkey’s coast to the South. So I made my way to Fethiye via Ankara.
Kayseri, a destination no one speaks about.
But first, I should look around Kayseri. No one had mentioned anything about Kayseri and most people use the airport as a conduit to Cappadocia. So, I decided to have a look and was surprised to find quite a lot going on.
Firstly there is the castle, who doesn’t like a castle, in good condition and a pigeon hotel on one side.
Why would you build a hotel for flying rats, much fewer people feeding them? More important is the museum underneath. It covers the archaeology of the area in a lot of detail and has artefacts going back 1,000s of years. Plus unlike many museums in Europe and Turkey, it explains the why and how!
They also had many mini-cuneiform tablets, no more than a couple of centimetres in width used for record keeping. Kayseri was a major trading post throughout the region with links as far as Afghanistan where they traded Iron. There was also an old trading courtyard, turned cafe spot and shops for students to buy materials needed for their studies. Plus, which has become a norm in many places, a street with coloured umbrellas overhanging. Got to have something for the Instagram generation.
Overnight train to Ankara
Firstly I had been warned that Ankara was not worth much of a visit, so not to spend a lot of time. Secondly, I had to get there. Hitch-hike, bus or train. There was an overnight train, which I opted for.
I had visions of gently being rocked to sleep whilst I endure the 7 hours of travel to Ankara. Whilst waiting on the platform I noticed that everyone seems to travel to Ankara with sacks of onions, this made loading somewhat interesting. I am glad of just my backpack!
Lights, why they are not dimmed during the night on trains I will never understand. They do it on buses! With no eye mask, it was going to be difficult to catch some sleep, but then Turks seem to consider 11:30 at night to be the start of the time to call people and talk. Well, who needs sleep? Optional extra I believe.
Around 4 everyone calms down and gets a nap. It’s only a nap because the screams of babies and toddlers wake you. Their demands for food and attention cause the bleary-eyed mothers to wake and the day begins again. Arriving two hours late to Ankara, everyone starts making a rush for the exit. I would consider this normal behaviour but there was something of more urgency about it.
On taking a stroll I realised we had to cross into the station and there is a security check with all bags going through an x-ray scanner. Normally this is quick but when everyone is carrying a sack or two of onions it takes a while!
Ankara
My first day was spent resting at the hostel initially after meeting Stan who is in the same boat as me and needed rest after travelling overnight by bus. I had one day to explore Ankara and it was spent in two areas, firstly the old town. The bits which have been restored are now devoted to tourism but overall it is a run-down area. The second was Atatürk’s mausoleum and museum. Mustafa Atatürk was the founding father of the Turkish republic and its first president. The mausoleum is impressive and also includes his two cars used for transporting him and a separate area for the first prime minister of Turkey, İsmet İnönü.
Fethiye and finally a break
Opting for an overnight bus this time was the right choice. Much quieter and darker! I’m staying at a hostel out of town called Chillsteps. This was a good choice; the owner picks you up from the bus station and gives you a quick guided tour of Fethiye. It’s more of a relaxing hostel and you don’t get the feel you need to do anything. After cycle touring for five and a half months I needed a ‘vacation from the vacation!’
Sidney, another Brit, has been hitch-hiking for about the same number of months from the UK and on his way to Georgia and was spending some time resting here as well. I was debating to start hitch-hiking but after a discussion realised I would need a tent/hammock around Turkey. Apparently, it is possible to get stranded where there is no accommodation. In the evening we often cooked communally and this time Sidney cooked Risotto.
The staff at the hostel are also awesome, Oz, a Turkish English teacher taking a break from teaching, and Chrissy, a German, like me taking a break from working. Kemal, also working there was in charge, who also chilled and always ordered food in the evening. After taking a bike into town and having a look around I head back and decided to just relax. I start to realise that what I really want is to have my bike back and I regret sending it home and not storing it in Kayseri. I don’t know why stopping here in Fethiye has allowed me to relax but I feel I should’ve maybe stopped earlier and relaxed properly.
Antalya
Further South along the coast lays Antalya, an old roman city with a modern city built around the old preserving its history. On arriving at the bus station, it is apparent that Antalya seems to be better organised than other Turkish cities. But they have a lot of tourism here and I guess that pushed for better organisation. Due to the war, a lot of Russians are holidaying in Antalya, escaping the draft or generally just leaving Russia due to the political situation leaving some locals to say that you should learn Russian, not Turkish!
I spend a couple of days going around the old city and have a tour with Bayram who guided us to many of the old parts of note and a few of the best bars to visit. He also took us to a friend’s shop who gave us a taste of local teas and foods. Naturally, the hard sell was coming! Luckily I have no space in my rucksack.