We are experts at packing now and only have our limited amount of stuff to pack. BUT it is a chore every time. Grateful that we have brilliant sunshine outside and I am even more grateful that I haven't woken up feeling sick for the first time since Jaipur, India, a few weeks ago. Hoping today will be a new beginning as far as health goes because it was becoming rather tiring.
Travelling on the Metro in Istanbul is really easy. There are escalators everywhere unlike India and
Thailand where there were stairs to drag heavy packs up. We are travelling on a Metro Turizm bus tonight and left our big packs in Left Luggage for free. We decided to go upstairs to the warm comfortable waiting room with its free Wi-Fi! After restricted Wi-Fi in our Istanbul accommodation it was fantastic!
 |
| Metro bus station 49 -59 |
 |
| This where we built a snowman the other day - now there's only Annika! |
I learned a valuable lesson today: NEVER order a cappuccino when you can't see a coffee machine! I asked for a cappuccino and they indicated that such drinks were available...and I was served one of those packets mixes of frothy coffee - FOUL - and as Annika was with me, they thought we needed two! I politely swallowed the mixes but now know I should stick to Turkish Coffee rather than trying to have coffee such as I would have at home. Annika chose some Ayram, (drinking yoghurt most likely buttermilk) which is very delicious - a wise choice.
 |
| Ayram |
 |
| Disgusting coffee! |
Unfortunately, Annika was feeling poorly so we had to rest. This really didn't bother any of the boys who were "plugged in" and didn't mind how long they sat at their screens.
We had our bag of sandwiches with us but mid afternoon we thought it was time for a brief excursion. We took the train to Yanikapi as it looked like we could have a walk along the coast before our bus tonight. Wrong! Yanikapi turned out to be and pretty down and out area and the coast couldn't be accessed because of a motorway! We found a small strip of grass with some play equipment on it. Standing under a tree was a mistake as a pigeon above me decided to let loose and poop on my head....grrrr.....especially as we don't get access to a shower until we get to Bodrum tomorrow morning! My second lesson of the day: DON'T stand under trees or pigeons.
Dinner back at the bus station was kebabs for everyone and lentil soup for me. We found refuge in the warm waiting room and charged our devices. Good service!
 |
| One porsiyon of Doner chicken |
 |
| Lentil Soup |
The bus was comfortable as far as buses go and the driver was good at sticking to his lanes unlike the Indian bus drivers. We drove across the Bosphorus Bridge which links Europe and Asia and also went on a car ferry across the Sea of Marmara. We couldn't see anything but lights in the dark. The bus stopped several times and we were also served tea and biscuits and water through out the journey. The bus made quite a few stops for smokers - there are many smokers in Turkey - and unfortunately the bus smelt smoky because of this even though they didn't actually smoke on the bus.
 |
| Car ferry across the Dardenelles Strait |
 |
| Lights of the Turkish coast |
 |
| Our bus to Bodrum |
 |
| Screens, Wi-Fi, etc...Luke wasn't complaining - but all movies were in Turkish! |
Hi there Helen. Your photo with the disgusting coffee caption made me laugh! Without the words anyone would think you were enjoying it! The camera does lie!! My sister is currently in Canada and missing Aussie style (which is probably Italian style really) coffee. I'm empathising re Luke- he and Skyler have more than a few similarities. Bread sticks with sesame seeds were left in the lunch box just this week-grrr. Will add our prayers for more cooperation with school work.
ReplyDeleteGillian
Fussy eaters are a pill, aren't they? hopefully at the end of childhood they were be nourished well enough!
Delete