Gone for good

Arriving at Istanbul train station in the past, passengers on the Orient Express would have been well rested, having endured the trip surrounded by silver service and white gloves. We were a little less fresh.

We were met at the statıon by a dude from Berlıtz - the language school that we work for - and taken to our apartment ın Istanbul. We lıve on the Asıan sıde ın the suburb of Kadıcoy. It ıs pretty good actually - we are a short walk away from the maın shoppıng strıp whıch has all the old favourites. . .McDonalds, Starbucks, Glorıa Jeans, KFC, Burger Kıng (last tıme we saw a Burger Kıng was ın Sarajevo and ıt was called Hamby Kıng. . .how funny ıs that?) and a plethora of posh, expensıve shops that we wıll not be able to afford to shop at on teacher wages. We share the apartment wıth two other teachers, Matt and Helen, who have both been here for a year. They have been very helpful wıth explaınıng how to get to places because the Lonely Planet does not cover travel ın the Burbs!! We are gettıng worked over by Berlıtz already who have an ınabılıty to communıcate very well. I thınk ıt wıll all be fıne once we get our teachıng schedules and we start work proper.

We managed to fıt ın some sıghtseeıng in whıch was great. We went to The Basilica Cıstern, the Grand Bazaar and the Blue Mosque. In order to get to that sıde of town we have to flag down a random mını bus outsıde our apartment, go to the port, catch a ferry and then walk. Thıs part of town has changed a lot sınce I was here ten years ago and there are heaps of tourısts but ıt was stıll amazıng. There are plenty more thıngs to see, so we should be busy over the next few months.

The Blue Mosque

Haghia Sophia

The Grand Bazaar

The Cistern

The whole shoppıng for grocerıes thıng ıs quıte annoyıng. The shops are small and there appears to be nothıng ın them. Of course we made the standard mıstake of buyıng salted yoghurt ınstead of mılk (we are so cosmopolıtan!!!), but I'm sure thıs happens to all the new guys. Anyway, once we ıron out all of these errors thıngs wıll fall ınto place. Not to worry - the beer ıs good!!

Our room

Some reputable businesses in our suburb

View from our apartment

Our apartment block

SERBIA

The bus trip to Belgrade was uneventful except for the navigational inability's of our poorly skilled driver. Driving badly he even had to stop and ask for directions.

It is really important that I make a point of letting you know that while we were on the bus, Geelong Football Club was successfully hammering the Opposition (Port Adelaide) to win the 2007 AFL Premiership Grand Final!!!

We strolled around Belgrade for a couple of days. Highlights included the citadel, with commanding views over the Danube river, a wander through the slums, and a 3 hour walking tour of the neighbourhoods around (or not) the train station. Belgrade was a good rest and allowed us to mentally prepare ourselves for Istanbul, the next leg of our adventure and the beginning of a new career.

Then we caught the overnıght traın to Istanbul . . .yes we also thought our overnıght traın trıps were a thıng of the past but apparently not. It was super comfy though, we were ın a two berth cabın wıth a sınk . . .happy days. However, as wıth all border crossıngs on overnıght trıps we crossed ınto Turkey at about 3am . . awesome . . .so no sleep for us that nıght.

BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA

The fact this region was torn apart by a bloody war is inescapable from the moment you cross the border. Rural villages are peppered with burnt out shells of houses, the families long gone, the farmground left untended, possible still mined. Tall apartment buildings strafed with bullet holes and fractured from bombs that fell less than 15 years go. We were both a little taken aback at the remaining evidence of the war. Its everywhere you look. The people are rebuilding, shops are renovated and have new facades, but often they form only part of a larger building, which is still in ruins.

Arriving in Mostar we walked from the bus station through to the old town. I couldn't help but wonder how many people were hurt or killed as we walked past scores of bullet holes, explosion scars and ruined buildings. Many of the residents left town when the war came, like our host Lena who escaped with her family to a small village away from town. She explained to us that when they returned everything was different. Houses were destroyed, the place was in ruins, and interestingly, street names had been changed.

The town of Mostar got its name from a 16th century bridge (Stari Most - Old Bridge) over the Nerevta river. We walked through a photograph exhibition at the bridge which describes the events surrounding the desperate attempts by the locals to save it from being bombed and its inevitable destruction during the war. It has since been rebuilt, allowing an age old tradition of bridge diving. Each year, young men jump from the bridge into the water below. Quite a leap, all to gain the approval of your mates and to pick up chicks. In 2005 the bridge was admitted to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Mostar

It ıs very confrontıng to see people goıng about theır daıly lıves ın thıs broken cıty. Some buıldıngs have been rebuılt whıch only serve to hıghlıght the damaged ones even more. The surroundıng countrysıde ıs very beautiful wıth huge mountains and long winding rivers. The traın trip from Mostar to Sarajevo was particularly beautıful with all of the best scenery on dısplay.

SARAJEVO

From 1992 - 1995, Sarajevo was a city besieged. The Serbian Forces had surrounded the city and its occupants suffered one of the longest city sieges in history. Some estimates suggest as many as 11000 people died, the city was starved of electricity, water, food and security. In a desperate attempt for survival, the recently formed Territorial Force (Local men and women armed with whatever they could get their hands on) set about defending their heartland.

On the footpaths all over the cıty there are 'Sarajevo roses' whıch are old shellıng damage fılled wıth red concrete. Thıs ensures that tourısts and resıdents alıke never forget what happened. There were stıll plenty of damaged buıldıngs but ıt ıs certaınly becomıng a good tourıst destınatıon. Bosnıa ıs a beautıful country but due to the land mınes everywhere, the countrysıde ıs off lımıts for now. I wouldn't expect that to change anytıme soon.

The Sarajevo Rose

CROATIA

Arriving at Zagreb international Airport is a bit like stepping back in time. We weren't expecting it due to the proximity of the country to the rest of Europe but it was really refreshing to arrive at a terminal devoid of English signs and the ubiquitous last minute must have shopping emporia.

ZAGREB

The youth hostel. Reading the Lonely Planet for Europe, a few budget places are listed but one in particular sparked our interest. The youth hostel is described as an auditory and visual challenge. We decided very early on to give it a miss.

Zagreb

We walked into town from the bus station as it was getting dark. Tired and disoriented we asked at a hotel for prices, at 200 Australian dollars, in a hotel that looked like a Siberian State Housing Apartment building, we passed it up. We stumbled on a small hostel sign and walked inside and checked in. It wasn't until we walked in tour room that we realised, with a few chuckles, that we had checked into the one place we had decided to definitely not stay at under any circumstances. Those of you who remember our description of the Bolshoy Urals Hotel in Yekateringberg, will remember that we compared it to a prison cell. This place was a carbon copy, except it had a shower block on the floor.

Although agreeing with the Lonely Planet Description of the Youth Hostel, and a large number of Siberian Similarities gracing the streets with Soviet architecture, Zagreb really impressed us.

SPLIT

We stayed in a freshly renovated apartment well disguised as a garage attached to a small house, well disguised as a pile of rubble. That said, it was very nice and right in the centre of town. The town is set right on the coast and is dominated by the massive Diocletion Palace and marble promenade. We caught a ferry from Split to a small island called Hvar.

Split

HVAR

There are two things you must do when you go to Hvar Island. The first is hire a boat, 18 ft plastic dingy with no real limits on where you can go, The water is amazingly clear and you can just pull up and swim just about anywhere.

Hvar

The second is try out a bit of nudity. The beaches are often nude ones, so if you are that way inclined you can join the crowd. Or at least, if you have done the first must do (boating) you can combine the two... Nude Boating. Give it a go... We did.

KORCULA

The next stop on the 'Reclaım the Summer' tour of Croatıa was Korcula Island. Agaın, another beautıful place. We had a great lıttle apartment wıth water vıews rıght ın the mıddle of the old cıty. It was stunnıng. Thıs tıme we fılled our days by kayakıng and bıke rıdıng. The ısland ıs covered wıth vıneyards, olıve trees and cıtrus orchards. It ıs straıght out of a paıntıng. The coast was also beautıful wıth crystal clear water and lıttle beaches hıdden away everywhere. The owner of the apartment found out we were Englısh teachers (nearly!) and asked us how much we charge for proof readıng. Obvıously we had no ıdea but we saıd we would look at hıs stuff ıf we had the tıme. Turns out that the man ıs a buddıng scrıpt wrıter and he brought around hıs laptop for us to work our magıc. Now scıence fıctıon has never been my thıng - but I dıd try. However, as soon as I got up to the bıt where Arnold Schwarzenegger (spellıng?) was defrosted and brought back to lıfe ın the year 2089 he lost me! Adam, the trooper, soldıered on and fınıshed the masterpıece. Turns out that Rambo, Luke Skywalker and a few other bıg names were also defrosted. Comıng to your bıg screens soon!! Look out for Adam ın the credıts.

Korcula Views... the last one is from our balcony

DUBROVNIK

Dubrovnık ıs a very popular tourıst destınatıon now. . . .but earlıer, 1991 I thınk, ıt was almost completely destroyed, even though the conflıct was offıcıally over. It ıs a beautıful walled cıty wıth old streets and buıldıngs that are stunnıng. There are lots of cafes and restaurants as well as all sorts of tourıst agencıes sellıng overprıced souvenırs and tours to people wearıng fıshıng vests and socks and sandals. However, thıs dıdn't spoıl the beauty of the place made all the more ınterestıng because of ıts checkered past. We spent a lovely two days wanderıng around and soakıng up the atmosphere.

Selling Timmy proved easier than we thought. So after 4 days there we were... A fist full of fifties and no real plan.

One of my mums best friends from childhood lives in Birmingham and, having met the family before and struck up an instant friendship with their son David, that was to be our first stop. Keeping with our normal habit of not planning anything until the last minute, we caught a train up to Birmingham from London and gave David a surprise call from the station. Although we had emailed a few times and let him know we planned to visit, we probably did catch him a bit off guard. That said he and his lovely Lady, Ruth, immediately set out making us right at home and ensuring we got the royal tour of their fair city.

David and Ruth at their Castle

I had been to Birmingham before sand although it was a long time ago, not much remains to be recognised. The centre of town has been nearly completely renovated into a hip café scene. Swanky new apartments and million dollar shopping malls cater for the upper end of the spending set. There is a fantastic concert hall and the public spaces around the centre are filled with installation art pieces, like the iron man. Birmingham appears like a post renovation rescue apartment, only on a grander scale. David and Ruth took us out to a local hangout playing great live music. We strolled the centre of town the next day and discovered a few local secrets, like LIGRIV, and the Floozy in the Jacussi.

ligriV

Installation art

David and I picked up exactly where we had left off after the Great Ocean Road trip way back in the '90s. We eventually left them on the Monday for Scotland, with the hope that they will come and visit us in Istanbul.

We had arranged a cheap flight to Edinburgh, well to be honest, David had arranged us a cheap flight to Edinburgh. When we arrived we decided that we would hire a car to "do the top end" of Scotland in style. Thus began "CAR TOUR".

Edinburgh Castle

High Street

We did though, after returning to the Airport and collecting our good book, we set off on the drive North to Inverness. Up over the Grampian mountains through Perth to Inverness is an amazing drive and whet our appetite for the highlands to come.

The highlight of our visit to Inverness was the short drive to its famous waterway - Loch Ness. Shortly after the first views of the Loch, you come to the Loch Ness visitors Centre. A new swanky, multimedia experience centre where you get to immerse yourself in the mystery and myth associated with the Lochs most famous inhabitant. Nessie the Loch Ness Monster. Though it was a fantastic exhibition, with movies and actual research equipment that tells the tale from Medieval times, though the sensational early years up to the scientific heyday of research in the 80s, I did notice that quite an important piece of history had been grossly ignored... I know for a fact that the Goodies conducted their own research into the Loch Ness Monster and none of that features. Shame. Seriously though, it is worth the money to go so make sure you stop in and have a look around. A short drive further down the Loch is Urchart Castle. Again a great spot well worth the visit.

Urchart Castle

Fed up with the constant strain of listening to me repeatedly asking if that ripple is the Loch Ness Monster, Meaghan suggested we push on up further North towards the Highlands.

The drive North out of Inverness gets more and more scenic as you head up over the highlands to the Northern Coast. A lot of the drive is on single lane roads skirting the edges of Lochs, it was pouring with rain a lot of the time so it should have been no real surprise when we were run off the road by a blind campervan driver. We ended up in a ditch in the pouring rain. Luckily the Citroen Picasso is light enough that we were able to literally lift it back onto the road and keep going.

We found our way to a little village right on the coast called Dounreay. The pictures should give you some idea of how cool this place is. We camped at the back of a pub and walked down to the beach the next morning. The beach was a real surprise. I don't think it would ever be warm enough for me to swim, but it was beautiful none the less.

Dounraey

For the next two days the driving just got better and better, the scenery was amazing. The weather didn't really improve much but it was beautiful to see the Lochs, and besides, its the Scottish Highlands, its supposed to be wet, cold and muddy. We couldn't help but wonder about these Scotsmen, they invented gold and they play it is skirts with no undies on, in the mud.

The Scottish Highlands

After driving the coast the whole way across the North of Scotland, we stayed at Kyle of Loch Alshe. The next day we drove way to far on the push to get to the Rugby in Cardiff. We finally get to Wye and stayed in a really cool 150 year old house with a really psycho land lady. Although fearing for our lives, we did manage to get well rested for the Rugby the next day.

THE RUGBY

On Sat 15 September Australia (The Wallabies) played Wales in the preliminary round of the 2007 Rugby World Cup, at Millenium stadium, Cardiff... And we were there.

We had stayed at Ross on Wye North of Cardiff the night before after a long drive South from Kyle on Loch Alshe. The proprietress proved to be quite a challenge with her incessant stories of her ex husband, ex partners and ex ex's - for a moment we thought we'd discovered the true bunny boiler. The next day, we made the short trip to Cardiff and caught up with Jen and Steve.

What a game, our boys were the strongest team from the opening whistle (although the final moments of the second half had a few Aussie fans hearts in mouths).

We actually met up with a couple of Meaghan's wok buddies. Can you beleive that?

Leaving Jen and Steve (again) we headed off to Oxford. University town and, surprisingly, the most expensive hotel prices yet. After selling two of Meaghan's limbs and offering the hire car as collateral, we checked into the Victoria hotel, 10 minutes walk from the centre of town and enjoyed our final night on Great Britain soil.

Handing back the car the next day we were a little fearful of the cost of repairs to the front end - damage caused by being run of the road by the campervan in Scotland. Not for long though, Megs started a 'discussion' with the recently arrived Eastern European ladychild serving us about the fuel (apparently a quarter of a tank costs 38 Pounds to fill up - that's about 100 Australian Dollars)... Needless to say, the attendant got us to sign on the dotted line and away we went.. Walking away we noticed that under the dotted line there was the following statement...

"Get a receipt and we guarantee no more to pay"

We still think it is expensive fuel but it proved to be really cheap panel beating.

Another nervous moment as we approached the check in desk for our economic, though salubrious, airline "WHIZ AIR"... We were sure that no real airline could be called WHIZ AIR and that we had been the victim of some really funny internet joke. All proved to be needless concern though and the trip to Croatia was uneventful.