Melbourne
19 de maio, Austrália
☀️ 10 °C
After a beautiful last Aussie meal (roast lamb) the night before with Matthew, Mary, the grandkids and Seren, Matthew very kindly dropped us at the airport nice and early. The flight to Bali was likeLeia mais
Denpasar transit
19 de maio, Indonésia
☁️ 29 °C
Our direct Jetstar flight to Singapore had been cancelled and we had to transit through Denpasar, making our Melbourne start three hours earlier. The transit was ok though, basically just doing aLeia mais
Ingela Hamilton SteningBon voyage & enjoy and safe travels in this crazy world 🙂
Singapore
20 de maio, Cingapura
⛅ 30 °C
Overnight in the land-side airport hotel Yotelair. If the room was any smaller we would have had to put our luggage in the shower, but the bed was ok. No window of course, but half the price of theLeia mais
ViajanteIt's called the Jewel & like everything they build in Singapore, worth a look. At the airport & , like the airport, is huge.
Istanbul arrival
20 de maio, Turquia
☁️ 17 °C
The flight wasn't quite full and we had three seats! Turkish Airlines is very good. The toilet on the plane was more spacious than our ensuite last night, except no shower of course. The flightLeia mais
Istanbul
21 de maio, Turquia
🌧 16 °C
We are staying at The And Hotel right in the heart of Sultanahmet. We have a spacious corner room on the fifth floor. Out our northeast window we can see bits of the Topkapi Palace, the AyasofyaLeia mais
Istanbul wanderings
22 de maio, Turquia
☁️ 17 °C
Our first visit this morning was to the Basilica Cistern, about 100 metres from our hotel. This is an absolutely incredible water storage built underground 1500 years ago (!!!) by the Romans.
We thenLeia mais
Blue Mosque last day in Ist
23 de maio, Turquia
☁️ 20 °C
After a slightly more leisurely start, we headed straight to the Blue Mosque, along with a thousand other people. A beautiful but overcrowded place!
Passing through the Hippodrome (think chariotLeia mais
Ürgüp (Cappadocia)
24 de maio, Turquia
☁️ 13 °C
Today we start our three day tour to Cappadocia with Bellaturca Travel. We were picked up at our hotel and dropped at the airport, about an hour drive. We are staying at a cave hotel in Ürgüp forLeia mais
Joanne Horan
What a fascinating part of the world, guys! And doesn’t look too busy or crowded?❤️
ViajanteDespite being Eid, it wasn't too crowded Jo. And yes it's a fascinating, ancient place
Hot air balloon flight
25 de maio, Turquia
⛅ 9 °C
Cappadocia 25th May
About 100 balloons in the air & up to 3000 people floating around. Justified our 3.25am start.
North Cappadocia Tour
25 de maio, Turquia
☁️ 17 °C
Our guide is Serkan and the only others on our tour are a retired couple Kathleen and Paul from Missouri.
Cappadocia is a fascinating and very picturesque area.
South Cappadocia Tour
26 de maio, Turquia
☀️ 15 °C
Today we visited a huge underground town. The full extent of it is 17 square km. Used by various people over the millennia to escape persecution and murderous invading Mongols.
After the tour we wereLeia mais
ViajanteIt's extremely interesting Cait. Fascinating, multilayered record of history, religion and human development generally
Gallipoli and Canakkale
27 de maio, Turquia
☀️ 26 °C
Troy and drive to Kusadasi
28 de maio, Turquia
☀️ 23 °C
Ephesus (Efes)
29 de maio, Turquia
☀️ 25 °C
Pat EslerThe problem is the Eid al-Adha holidays. Every tourist area in Turkey has been absolutely packed all week. You can't park anywhere near anything. It finishes today, and we catch a ferry to Rhodes (Greece) tomorrow.
ViajanteFounded by the Greeks & added to by many different civilisations, including the Romans.
Fethiye
29–30 de mai., Turquia
☀️ 25 °C
Kaş
31 de maio, Turquia
☀️ 25 °C
Not too much to do or too far to go today so Pat went for an early run along the beach. Quite a nice drive to Kas where the hotel had saved a parking spot for us. We found a restaurant in town thatLeia mais
Kastellorizo
1 de junho, Grécia
☀️ 22 °C
This morning after breakfast we walked down to the port and caught the ferry to Kastellorizo, only a ten minute trip. We are now in Greece and the EU. A short wait and a nice coffee in this veryLeia mais
Rhodes 1st & 2nd June
1 de junho, Grécia
☀️ 25 °C
Staying in a nice place in the old town for three nights.
Sea Kayaking Rhodes
3 de junho, Grécia
☀️ 28 °C
After an early pickup from one of the ancient gates of Rhodes (the old town is pedestrian only, theoretically), we headed to the sea on the east coast. After a 4.75km paddle, we stopped to swim,Leia mais
ViajanteIt's amazingly clear when you consider the level of human occupation in this area
Rhodes last day and ferry.
4–5 de jun., Grécia
☀️ 26 °C
There was no one coming into our room so our host Gioni very kindly allowed us to check out at 4pm. We walked into town via the waterfront and went to Gluten Free Rhodes again, where the coffee isLeia mais
Santorini
5–7 de jun., Grécia
☀️ 23 °C
After checking into the Anamnesis Spa Hotel, we wandered through the myriad lanes and alleyways of Santorini. This place is really busy. Fortunately, our hotel, only 5 mins from the central square,Leia mais
Naxos Greece
7–10 de jun., Grécia
☀️ 27 °C
Cruising along beside The shores of Naxos, it was immediately apparent how different it was from Santorini. The island is huge in comparison and flat enough to accommodate development along much ofLeia mais
ViajanteI stayed at Naxos in 1983. It wasn’t remotely touristy and everything was running at snail’s pace. We stayed in a really basic hotel and walked everywhere. People thought we were nuts going there as it was the opposite to the other islands. Ate fresh seafood and salad each night at a cute restaurant on the beach and owner would ask us how many jugs of retsina we’d had at the end of the night. Then he’d work out the bill. Loved it. Imagine it’s not untouched anymore.
ViajanteNo it's definitely not untouched, although less crowded and more relaxed than Santorini or Rodos. It grows a lot of fresh produce and reminds me a little of the Tassie foodie vibe. Hoping to sample that tonight, xx
Farewell Naxos. Hello Athens
10 de junho, Grécia
☀️ 32 °C
Today was mostly spent travelling. Return hire car (& pay parking fine- bit of a joke), catch fast ferry at 10, Port of Piraeus at 2. Train into Athens, hotel at 3.30. Evening stroll for gf dinner andLeia mais
A few days in Athens
11–13 de jun., Grécia
☀️ 31 °C
Our first full day in Athens required an early start to join the ticket queue for the 8am entry to the Ancient Acropolis site. An easy walk from our hotel and it all went well. Pat joined the queueLeia mais
Meteora
13–16 de jun., Grécia
☀️ 22 °C
We caught the bus from Athens to Meteora (Kalambaka). We are here for a few days before we move on to Albania.
The first morning we went on an eBike tour up to the monasteries on top of the amazingLeia mais
ViajanteIf we don't return for whatever reason, please note a sizable part of our inheritance sits at Melbourne airport in the form of Bombay gin.
Matthew EslerI'll be sure to collect the gin if the Russians shoot you down near Ukraine
ViajanteThat's a great relief. T'would be a terrible shame!