Saturday, 9 May 2009
Turkey
May 2nd Turkey!! First thought... they don't do bends. The road from the border to Istanbul was arrow straight which was a nice change from the tortuous mountain bends we'd been getting used to (while I remember, how bloody mountainous is Greece!). Somebody asked about the borders, so far it's been pretty hassle free. Keeping in line with border guard stereotypes, most tend not to smile much but after a bit of disarming banter and once they find out we're driving to Oz, they're pretty helpful. Paying for 3rd party insurance for countries not yet fully in the EU is the only expense so far with the exception of Turkey where we had to pay 15 euros each for visas. We haven't had to use the Carnet de Pasage yet as most countries have put a little car stamp in our passports and on exit obviously a car out stamp. Iran though I'm sure will be a different matter.
more Greece
In fact, when we do discuss what we've seen and favourites etc it seems that Nature keeps on winning and more often than not it's a view or the intimidating mountains that make us feel humblest. That said, for all it's faults and the problems it causes (and of course the fulfilment it gives the faithful) Religion has chucked up some pretty spectacular buildings.
Onward and Eastwards, after a truly miserable weather day we pitched up in Andruopoli right on the border with Turkey. Not a spectacular place but the spinach pasties were good also met some Kiwis/Aussies that had shipped a load of historic military vehicles to Istanbul and had commemorated ANZAC day at Gallipoli on the 25th April and were driving through Europe to Commemorate D-Day for June. All they'd had since arriving was rain and their sunshades and awnings just weren't up for the job, honestly, they didn't look like they were enjoying themselves! More photo's as soon as we get a faster link (the one below took 12 min to upload!!)
Onward and Eastwards, after a truly miserable weather day we pitched up in Andruopoli right on the border with Turkey. Not a spectacular place but the spinach pasties were good also met some Kiwis/Aussies that had shipped a load of historic military vehicles to Istanbul and had commemorated ANZAC day at Gallipoli on the 25th April and were driving through Europe to Commemorate D-Day for June. All they'd had since arriving was rain and their sunshades and awnings just weren't up for the job, honestly, they didn't look like they were enjoying themselves! More photo's as soon as we get a faster link (the one below took 12 min to upload!!)
Unexpected Greece.
Corfu was wet and grey but Mum's hospitality more than made up for it. On the Sunday we celebrated Kym's birthday again and on Monday regretted it. We all did pretty much nothing all day apart from feel sorry for ourselves. Caught up with more friends on Tuesday night and all too soon were on the ferry back to mainland Greece on Wednesday.
Mum had mentioned a place called Meteora which was on our way and boy are we glad she did. Arriving late afternoon in the sunshine we set up in a campsite and got everything opened up/spread out for a freshen up. Even from the campsite the rock outcrops looked pretty spectacular especially as they the were changing colour with the diminishing sun, but the following morning when we drove up for a closer look we were blown away. The pictures don't really give you a grasp of the vastness of it all. That and the backdrop and the fact that a thousand years ago they managed to build monastries on top them, made Meteora the most memorable site so far.
In fact, when we do discuss what we've seen and favourites etc it seems that Nature keeps on winning and more often than not it's a view or the intimidating mountains that make us feel humblest. That said, for all it's faults and the problems it causes (and of course the fulfilment it gives the faithful) Religion has chucked up some pretty spectacular buildings.
Mum had mentioned a place called Meteora which was on our way and boy are we glad she did. Arriving late afternoon in the sunshine we set up in a campsite and got everything opened up/spread out for a freshen up. Even from the campsite the rock outcrops looked pretty spectacular especially as they the were changing colour with the diminishing sun, but the following morning when we drove up for a closer look we were blown away. The pictures don't really give you a grasp of the vastness of it all. That and the backdrop and the fact that a thousand years ago they managed to build monastries on top them, made Meteora the most memorable site so far.
In fact, when we do discuss what we've seen and favourites etc it seems that Nature keeps on winning and more often than not it's a view or the intimidating mountains that make us feel humblest. That said, for all it's faults and the problems it causes (and of course the fulfilment it gives the faithful) Religion has chucked up some pretty spectacular buildings.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Macedonia
So another country ticked off and into Macendonia! It was starting to get late by the time we arrived at the lake near Ohrid. We took the road round the lake as advised and went in search of the campsite, an hour later it was pitch black and we still hadn't come across the site. Then the raod ran out and lo and behold a camp site...... the two guys in reception were a worry.. both wearing camoflage fatigues and both looking pretty serious. Kym hopped out and had a quick chat and quickly ascertained, yep campsite no couldn't stay it was an army barracks. Bugger. Well we had a laugh but by now it's getting late and we still haven't found any where to stay. In the middle of no where we turned down a dirt track into the woods and stuck the truck in low range, after a brief descent we spotted a clearing and drove in, pitched up and cooked dinner. I confess, I was a bit twitchy, you see I'd read the section in the Lonely planet book about wild life but I didn't think it was a great idea to impart the knowledge that bears, wolves and even mountain lynx were roaming free in Macedonia!! Until we were tucked up in bed anyway. Of course she wasn't happy... she needed a wee... bravely I offered to hang upside down from the entrance and illuminate the area only I dropped the torch which hit the ladder and Kym's wee was suddenly over with much cursing. Whoops.
Albania
There is of course the small matter of another country in between Montenegro and Macedonia but it turned out to be more than just a drive by. Albania is light years behind eveywhere else we'd been so far, Sheep hanging by their back legs in the village square having been put to sleep with a big sharp knife, butchered on the floor and hung in the, open air, non refrigerated, "mish derri" (butchers), a definate lack of bin men or any sort of organised rubbish collection altogether and Mercedes everywhere. Don't know what the story is with the Mercedes but they make up 98% of all the vehicles on the road. But the people are great!! Almost everyone stopped and waved as we drove past, at one point even to the extent that we kept hearing a whistle while in a town centre and there was this guy in a suit jumping up and down thumbs up grinning his head off! Weirdo's. Bunkers is the other notable standout in Albania. It seems the old ruler Hoxa(?) was a bit paranoid and so covered the whole bloody place with these little concrete humps. Some are bigger than others but most are about 1.5m high by about 3m in diameter and really they are every where, peoples back gardens farmers fields just really random places. Of course they're all obsolete now and they seem to have been recycled as mostly sheperds toilets!
More Montenegro
Figured out while we were there that Montenegro seems to be being taken over by the Russians. Lot's of bad taste apparent in almost everything from clothing to appartment developements. What's weird though is that the infrastructure developement seems to be partly funded by the EU (big signs up by the side of new roads and tunnels), so this begs the question why are the Euros paying to make it easier for the Russkies to drive there flash cars around an, essentially, tin pot little country? Anyway left the coast and headed inland to try and get to Ohrid in Macedonia where we'd been told there was a great campsite on the side of a beautiful lake that would be a great place to wake up on Kym's birthday.
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Saturday, 2 May 2009
Thursday 23 April.
We spent the morning sat in the sun looking over the map, we had too many choices of where to go next & with my birthday just around the corner we wanted to make sure we were somewhere half decent. After meeting a fellow traveller Fred who himself had done a similar route to what we were about to do, but the otherway around, we took his advice & decided to head for Ohrid in Macedonia where there is a big lake to relax next to for a couple of days in a campsite he recommended.
Well with clean clothes, drinking water & a clear plan of where we were heading we set off for Macedonia, first arriving in Kotar in Montenegro after a small ferry crossing. We thought we would do the coast road & drive to Kotor but once we had turned a corner & realised just how far it was to drive, it maybe would of taken us about 2 hours as opposed to 15 minutes on the ferry, we turned around & joined the queue for the ferry.
Arrived in Kotor to sunshine so we strolled around the walled town grabbed ourselves a beer & sat by the fjord while a Montenagran old man talked to us, we didn't have a clue what he was saying except that he kept pointing at the town & saying Montenegro. Fortunately we had crossed the border so were already aware of where we were (although looking back now some of the countries we have been to are starting to merge in our memories).
We spent the morning sat in the sun looking over the map, we had too many choices of where to go next & with my birthday just around the corner we wanted to make sure we were somewhere half decent. After meeting a fellow traveller Fred who himself had done a similar route to what we were about to do, but the otherway around, we took his advice & decided to head for Ohrid in Macedonia where there is a big lake to relax next to for a couple of days in a campsite he recommended.
Well with clean clothes, drinking water & a clear plan of where we were heading we set off for Macedonia, first arriving in Kotar in Montenegro after a small ferry crossing. We thought we would do the coast road & drive to Kotor but once we had turned a corner & realised just how far it was to drive, it maybe would of taken us about 2 hours as opposed to 15 minutes on the ferry, we turned around & joined the queue for the ferry.
Arrived in Kotor to sunshine so we strolled around the walled town grabbed ourselves a beer & sat by the fjord while a Montenagran old man talked to us, we didn't have a clue what he was saying except that he kept pointing at the town & saying Montenegro. Fortunately we had crossed the border so were already aware of where we were (although looking back now some of the countries we have been to are starting to merge in our memories).
Croatia
Had a little bonus at in the Dubrovnik campite, we decided to get all our washing done as they had a washer & dryer but alas the dryer didn't work so first thing in the morning I went to complain to the manager he promptly gave me my money back & took my washing to the nearest hotel to dry it all, fantastic
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