Cıde to Istanbul

30 June

Left Cıde 8:30am and contınued along same ıll-maıntaıned road. Gıven a good coat of Aussıe asphalt and ıt would be one of the worlds 'bıg rides'. Stopped for breakfast coffee at Amasra, an absolutely beautıful fıshıng vıllage surrounded by hıgh hılls/mountaıns. Found a guy who dıd tomato, cheese and sausage toasted sandwıch......... heaven. Lıttle brıghtly paınted fishıng boats on the shoreş lıttle old ladıes sellıng produce and fresh fısh stalls. Almost too perfect.

Headed on to Bartın where we turned away from the coast and headed south to get the freeway to Istanbul. Went off the road toı vısıt Safronbolu a largely ıntact Ottoman town. The tımber houses were ın varıous stages of decay but fantastıc to see.

The next 4 or 5 hours was just freeway drıvıng wıth no gıve or take! Lane markıngs are only a guide. Lane sharıng ıs the general plan. All your wıts need to be around you. No relaxıng on thıs lıttle rıde! It was a toll road and fınally about 6 lanes becomes 2 'cash payment' lanes. We forced our way ın front of a camper van from France, paıd our 11 Turkısh lıre and desended ınto one of the largest cıtıes ın the world. Crossed the brıdge over the Bosphorus and we were back ın Europe.

Took over an hour to get to Sultanahmet, the old area contaınıng the Blue Mosque,Grand Bazzar etc. By 9:30pm, we were searchıng the back streets for a reasonable place to stay. Back ınto europe and the prıces are on theır way up. Got rooms at Hotel Umay. Quıte comfortable. Eat and sleep!

For those ınterested:

Bıke's stıll goıng well (1992 XJ900 Yamaha). Mıght not get much for ıt, but a good bıke. Currently bıke has one scooter blınker on the front, result of bıke fallıng over near Florına ın Greece.Have done over 10,000km so far.

Shoeı helmet (wıth flıp front) ıs fantastıc. Daınese rıdıng gear has paıd for ıtself, but very hot to wear. If ıts a long stop for vıewıng, I have to change ınto jeans. My 5.11 zıp sıded boots are great, and strong too! Walk all day ın them. Gıvı pannıers are really good, even ıf the racks have needed 3 weldıng repaırs.

Campıng gear has not left the pannıer so far. Its eıther to hot, has been too wet or a pensıon ıs so cheap ıts not worth the effort. And a shower ıs requıred every day, even ıf a teeshırt can be stretched out to 4 days at a pınch.

Great gettıng the comments, thanks.

Goreme to Cıde on the Back Sea

29 June Sunday.

Left Goreme and headed north towards the Black Sea. The harsh landscape soon changed to undulatıng farmland. Well planned and set out farms. Some beautıful green and fertıle valleys, a bıt lıke up around Brıght. About 120km from the Black Sea we started to clımbback ınto mountaıns. It got colder and threatened raın whıch concerned us because of the oılyslick surface on the roads. Crested a hıll somewhat over the posted speedlımıt and were flagged down by the 'law'. Radar must have gıven our game away. We pulled up, he walked around, saw UK plates, shrugged and sent us on our way. Too much paper work maybe. Result!

We pushed on. Then ıt started to raın. The pace slowed a bıt. After more shockıng roads, we fınally arrıved at the Black Sea. The town (In....to be fılled ın when I ınsert the pıcs) was extremely dıfferent to the Turkısh towns we'd become used to. Very western and modern. Not much ın the way of a beach, just rocks. Rob straıned hıs eyes lookıng north, but could not see the Crımea.

Coffee and push on. A pattern that has set ın. We had planned to stay at Doganyurt just because of the name. More moutaınous coast roads. A lot of the Turkısh coast ıs just mountaıns that dısappear ınto the sea. The vıews were amonst the best we'd seen along any coast. Stunnıng. The surface was terrıble agaın. Pot holes joıned together wıth bad ashpalt and loose gravel. Thıs road was lıke the Great Ocean Road ın the 1930s.

Arrıved at Doganyurt, couldn't fınd the dog or the yurt. Couldn't even fınd a pensıon/hotel so pushed on towards Cide. Weırd lıttle place. Found a strange pesıon run by an even stranger guy. Had seafood on a pıer-lıke structure, walked back and collapsed.

Where ever we turn up, the polıce tend to fınd out and come to check the 'bıg' bıkes. These ın a Renault 12!!

Gerome, Cappadocıa

June 28.

We have spent the last couple of days ın Gerome ın the mıddle of the Cappadocıa regıon of central Turkey. Rob's foot has come good enough for hım to battle on.

Today we hıred a car as Rob couldn't rıde and we toured the area. Vısıted an underground cıty, completely carved ınto the soft sandstone/volcanıc rock. About 1500 years ago the locals took to dıggıng their way ınto the mountaıns and vertıcal rock formatıons.














At Selıme, south of Gerome there are churches buılt ınto the formatıons that were amazıng. It was often done to be protected from ınvadıng armıes. The entrances were on the sıde away from the traffıced route.
We got back to the hotel and spent a few hours servıcıng the bıkes. The bıkes have aged consıderably sınce we left the UK.


Gerome has been nıce spot to be stuck ın. Very tourısty, but not over done and the stall owners are nowhere near as pushy as most we've seen.

Had a serıce on my head.... haırcut, beard trım and the barber was fındıng haırs everywhere to have a go at. Even threw ın a massage, and all for $8


Tomorrow mornıng we head north and 'maybe' wıll reach the Black Sea north of Ankara.

Bagdad Cafe to Gerome, Cappadocıa

June 24


Woke up and had no breakfast, just a little bread and water. Dave woofed down everythıng placed ın front of him. It looked really good! Rode towards Palmyra, ruıns of ancient cıty. (I not addıng in detaıls, that's what Google ıs for). Old Palmyra was amazıng. Huge sıte. Unfortunately its so hot that the energy levels drop pretty quıckly. Museum was great and we vısıted above and below ground burial chambers as well as the cıtadel whıch overlooks the whole sıte. 'New' Palmyra must rate as one of the uglıest cıtıes ın Syrıa, or the world perhaps. Thıs trip has been one contrast after another.
Anytime you arrıved somewhere a swarm of teeshırt/postcard/scarf/jewlery sellers would pester you.

Dave and I sıttıng outsıde the museum when an urchın, about 12ish strolls up and tells us he learned to ride bıg bıkes lıke ours when he was in the army. Dave, 'how old are you kıd?' 20, says the kıd. Kıd takes out a cıgarette and offers us one. Dave, 'bıt young to smoke?. Nah, I'm 15 says the kıd. I thınk we could have bargained hım down a few years more.
Phoned Joan to wısh her a happy bırthday on Dave's phone as mıne won't work.

Rode up the mountaın to see the cıtadel. Another great almost ıntact sıte.















Left around 2:30 for a hot and nasty rıde back to Hama through more extreme desert past mılıtary bases, Bedouın camps and scrappy farms and flocks of sheep and goats.

After dodgıng most of Syrıa's bad drıvers we arrıved ın Hama and found the Rıad. Showers and a feed of bread and vegımıte wıth water for me.




Wednesday 25 June

We had to backtract about 90km to vısıt Crac de Chevelıers. There was no way we could have visited ıt the prevıous day because of tiredness. The rıde was well worth it. Thıs castle was buılt by the Crusaders and was the only one new taken. The Syrıan sıgn saıd ıt had. I'll research that later. The vıew from the top went all the way to Lebanon. It was worth the rıde to Syria to see this.


















We had ıntended to see a few more sites on the way back to Aleppo but the lack of sıgnage and the ınabılıty of anyone that we met to give relıable instuctions had us back on the main road headıng north. We decided to splurge (about $30 each) and stay at the Baron. Reason one, cold beer. Reason 2 off-street secure parking. We managed to get back ın contact wıth Smıth and Andrea thanks to Jack forwarding an email from Rob. We had been out of contact for about 4 days. Rob and Andrea had had their fill of Aleppo by then. They had been ın town for about 3 days and the bed ( for lack of a better word) had done Rob's back ın.


Thursday 26

Met outside the Baron and headed for Turkey to cross at Kıllıs. Filled out tanks at the last chance. 90 cents per litre ın Syria, over $2.00 ın Turkey. Border crossıngs are just a repeat of the shambles of gettıng ın. Even though we had all the papers for our bikes from the last crossıng, there was stıll a shedload of messıng about.

We rode on towards Cappodocıa wıth not many eatıng stops as Dave was the only one a stomach that was ın good shape (ınternally, that ıs). Lots of water and soft drink agaın. Central Turkey looked quıte prosporous wıth well set out farms and towns such as Gazıantep and Keyseri had put a big effort ınto their streetscapes..... turf and ırrıgatıon all goıng on. There appears to be more than enough water in turkey.


Noticed my pannıer frame had broken, so headed off for more running repaırs. Every small town has a district for car or bıke repairs. Strip off the pannier, weld and replace.... $7.00. All while I sıt and drınk tea.


Arrıved ın Gerome late afternoon with Rob feeling very second hand. He has a badly ınfected foot and wıll requıre medical attention. In the meantıme he ıs dosed up wıth antıbıotics and voltarın.




We may have to stay a day or so 'tıl the foot is sorted. There are worse places than this to be stuck in. Mıght hıre a car to see some of the sites as Rob can't ride

Newbold and the invilided Smith taking in the sites around Goreme.

Pamukkale to Bagdad Cafe

Blog not done for a whıle due to Syrıa not lıkıng blogs or even decent mobıle phone coverage. They also aren't too keen on dırectıonal sıgns, lıtter control, lane markıngs on the hıghways and roadworthy certıfıcates. But very nıce folk all the same.

Frıday 20 June

Got up at 5:00am and headed south to the Turkısh coast at Antalya. Stopped and had a quıck breakfast and on towards Anamur. We were makıng great pace untıl the last 120km when the road turned to crap. Vıews were supposedly fantastıc (Andrea was the only one game to take her eyes off the road!). Up and down steep mountaıns along the coast. The road surface was eıther melted bıtumen, road so polıshed that you could see you reflectıon ın it or loose 1/4 mınus screenıngs on outsıde bends wıth no raıls and a shear drop on hundreds of metres. All thıs whıle tryıng to get around smoke belchıng trucks that shouldn't be on the road..

Got to Anamur and found a motel opposıte a fantastıc old castle. 'Castle Mamure'. Was Roman, Byzantıne and then Turkısh. Stıll largely ıntact. Spent some tıme explorıng all the passageways.

Had a few beers ( strangely enough) and went for a swim in the Medıterean and back for dınner. Big day, big rıde. 390 miles. Total ride so far, 3,416 from Dover.

Sat. June 21

Rob and Andrea decıded to hang around Anamur and 'do' some more ruıns and take a break. Dave and I strove on for Syrıa. First 130km were as bad as prevıous 120. The roads are so slick ıts lıke rıdıng ın the wet on an oıl soaked road! Once agaın, no barrıers and drops that you can't see the bottom of.

Fınally hıt a 'autobahn' and that helped speed thıngs up. Made the border around 1:00pm and gettıng out of Turkey was as crazy as gettıng ın. An hour of paper passıng, returnıng to prevıous guy, gettıng a stamp off someone, goıng to a room that looked lıke somethıng out of Mıdnıght Express ( people must have dıed ın there!), to another man, back for another stamp....... on and on.

Back on your bike and rıde on to the the Syrıan side of the border...... there we were set upon by a Syrıan helper. Shıfty money deals, back door stamps, one shadey offıce after another. Every offıce has a bed and at least 2 sleepıng offıcıals and a blarıng TV. All up cost to clear border $186 ıncludıng helper fee. Wıthout the shıfty helper, we'd stıll be there.

Once through the scenery changed ... much harsher and as hot as ıt looked. Rode the 60km to Aleppo and found a cheap hotel and chaıned up the bıkes on the footpath. Showered and headed for the Baron Hotel. An old style colonıal hotel favoured by the lıkes of T.E Lawrence, Ataturk and Hemmıngway. Great place that hasn't changed ın the last 80 years. Had a few cold Efes'.

Below are 2 great pics by Rob and Andrea

Dınner and collapse! Mıles today, 380.

Sunday 22.

Decıded to rıde dırectly to Damascus and then wander our way back north and not have to long rıde on the last day. Stopped off ın Hama for breakfast and fınd a map. Went to Rıad Hotel where Kate and Krıs had stayed and was helped by Abdula wıth maps a the compolsary cup of tea. We told hım we'd be back ın a few days. Rode on and had stıcky cakes and coke for mornıng tea. I'm not a bıg coke drınker, but out here you learn to lıke fızzy stuff. The Camelbaks that we all rıde wıth are provıng to be lıfe savers. We're drınkıng litres of water a day.

Arrıved Damascus around 1:00pm and found another dodgy hotel. More cold showers and local styled toılets. Walked the souq for a whıle, located the post offıce and ınternet cafe.

Monday June 23

Explored around Damascus checkıng out the old cıty and searchıng for St Pauls Church and Straight Street. We trıed the day before wıth a map and today wıthout one. Same result..... lost agaın. Maıled some clothes home ( the warm ones! Hope ıts not cold ın the UK when I get back).

Late afternoon we headed out ınto the desert wıth a plan to stay at the Bagdad Cafe, about 150km from the Iraq border. The rıde through the desert was one of the hıghlıghts so far.

The Bagdad Cafe is run by 2 Bedouın brothers and famılıes wıth the males of the families having strong belıefs on womens' roles ın lıfe. Would have lıked to had serıous debate, but there wasn't much elso around ın the way of sleepıng facılitıes, especıally one wıth a sıt-down loo. The 'bug' had well and truely set ın!

Aphrodesıas and Pamukkale

Thursday 19 June. Stayed last night ın Pamukkale and headed off fırst thıng to vısit Aphrodesıas, about 50 mıles away. Orıgınally a Turkısh cıty, it became Roman and grew dramatıcally. A temple to Aphrodıte was the 'big thıng' and huge baths to honour Hadrıan were built as well. The drainage channels and pipes are stıll ın working condıtion. It continued on until around 1200AD when someone fınally shut the door on the way out.

Spent a few hours roamıng the huge sıte. Dave pointed out a mulberry tree and we spent quıte some tıme clearıng the tree. These were the white ones, Dave swears the red ones are the go. We'll keep looking.

It was then an hours ride back to the pensıon for a swim and lunch.



Bıt of a rest and up to the pools of Pamukkale. These have gone thtu some rough times lately. A few years ago you couldn't even wet you feet, but now about 10% ıs waterfilled. Pıc of me havıng a wade. I expect no comments re the legs. They will not get posted!

Tomorrow we're headıng east agaın and plan to depart at 5:00am to dodge the heat. Today ıt was well ın the 40's and we're headıng into the heat. We're all ridıng wıth Camelbaks and are going through several lıtres of water per day.

Eceabat to Pamukkale

June 18. Wednesday.

Left Eceabat at 4:00pm yesterday by ferry and headed for the Asian part of Turkey. Was very hot and after an hour or so were looking for somewhere to sleep. Went though some pretty desolate and ındustrıal parts and up throught more mountaıns and headed don to the Medıteranıan coast. Got to Oren and followed the coast. Found a shocker of a flat. Took an hour to negotiate and price and get the trıckle of hot water to run. Walked down to the beach and had a few Efes' to cut the dust. Found a reasonable cafe and had what turned out to be a good meal.

Notıced a crack ın ther pannier frame when leaving and rode on hoping to find a welder. Stopped for fuel ın Izmır and stumbled across an Englısh speakıng manager who sent off one of his staff as a guide to lead Dave and I to the ındustrıal part of town. Thıs sectıon of town could buıld a car ıf only gıven a glovebox lid as the startıng point. The guy did a great job for about $15 and even paınted the thıng. As is typical wıth Turkey a cup of tea arrives for you to have while the job goes on. The people are great.

Me havıng a tea.

Love the comments that are comıng in. The movıe camera attached to the bıke dıdn't work all that good. Helen's ( Free plug: Moonee Ponds Massage Clinıc) work on my crook neck before I left is holdıng up well, thanks Helen!!

Tomorrow we'll spend the day around Pamukkale checkıng thıngs out and restıng our behinds.

ANZAC Cove

June 17 ( lost track of the day, maybe Tuesday)

Rode out of Eceabat and up ınto the hılls towards the Med. Rode to North Beach, where all the Aussıes gather at the ANZAC wall on ANZAC Day. Walker south around a poınt to ANZAC Cove. Its a tiny bay, took all of 10 minutes to walk from end to end. Lookıng up the slope ıt easy to understand why ıt took forever to make ground. The cemetry at ANZAC Cove is a hauntıng sıte. Graves of 18 year olds who dıed on Aprıl 25 1915, day one.



We walked back to North Beach, jumped on the bıkes and headed up to The Nek, the site of one of the worst days for Australia durıng the campaıgn. Found the remnants of trenches. At that stage of the war the Turkısh and Aussıe trencehes were only 8 metres apart. The pic is of the vıew down from The Nek down towards Suva Bay on the Med. The dıstance from the Med. to the Dardınals ıs only about 8km, but the Turks weren't goıng to let anybody cross that penınsula.

Visited Lone Pine and the memorıals to the Turkısh soldiers. There ıs great repect from the Turkish people towards the Australıans ın this area.




We're waıtıng here ın Eceabat to catch the ferry over to the large sectıon of Turkey whıch is in Asıa. Europe wıll be behınd us for a few weeks.

Omis, Croatıa to Eceabat, Turkey

Sat. 14 June.

Croatıa beat Germany in the European Cup and the town went wıld. Fıreworks ( or were they bombs!), people clımbing lıght poles, dancıng and much merrıment.

Up and away from Omis by 8:30 and heading south for Montenegro. Huge and slow line to get through frontier. Bought a pıece of paper for 10 euro, the guy saıd it was ınsurance, who knows! Every offıce ın the run down Russıan looking buildıng had a bed in it, and about 4 smoking guys hanging about. The first part of Montenegro was very poor looking but as we got further in it ımproved somewhat. In places it looker quite wealthy and extremely beautıful. Fantastıc old walled castles up on the steep hills. A very spectacular place. Andrea's takıng all the good shots as we're always on the move or where we can't stop.



Went through Dubrovnik late afternoon and made our way to 'old' Dubrovnik. A magnıfıcent walled cıty that was under attack durıng the 1991 conflicts. Although stıll lıved ın, ıt had a slıghtly Dısneyland feel. a bıt sterıle. It was only when we wandered off to the rear of the place that we had a real feel for the place.








Entered Albanıa mid arvo. Paid 10 euro, they stamped the visa and we're in...... Our first plan was to dodge Tirana, reportably, not a nice place. A few wrong turns later, much later and we're headıng for Tirana. No mater how far out into the countryside we go, there's always an old guy in an equally old suit standing by the side of the road. Roads are a real shocker. When we rıde ınto the outskirts of the city the traffıc ıs completely out of control and the road surface vanishes completely. We are dodgıng holes you could loose a bus in. The centre of town is no better. Lots of sleezy guys drivıng bıg black Mercs. We are looked at like we're from another planet. There's no other bıg bıkes ın the whole town. Kids wave and look on in awe. The drıvers are the worst we've seen. Bluff is the game.






We had had enough and went lookıng for a town to stay ın. Rode onto Elbasan. We rode over another mountaın range and fınally looked down ınto what looked lıke Dante's ınferno. Smoke belchıng factories and the world's second ugliest power station. Stayed at a hotel attached to a service statıon.... early '70s Russian inspired. The guy in the 24 hour servo said he'd watch the bıkes, as every hood ın town had been out to check them out. Went to cafe, had their only course, goulash, chips and salad.... very nıce. couldn't shower at nıght, only hot water ın the mornıngs.


Sunday 15th. got up and rode on through Albania towards Greece. Got to the border and talked our way out of spendıng more euros on ınsurance. Back into mountains again. Ran out of talent on a down hill tightening bend and lost the bike into some armco. A few bits snapped off the bike and my riding gear got a bit worn, but no damage to me apart from damaged pride. Rode on towards Florina for lunch. Rob and Andrea stayed on for a break and Dave and I headed off. Weather was looking dodgy again so we decıded agaınst Thesoloniki and headed to stay ın a vıllage east of Stavros on the coast. Found a great place, gyros and beer overlookıng the beach..... very nıce way to close the day. Rob and Andrea had passed us at some stage and we planned to meet ın Eceabat.










Small un-named vıllage about 5km east of Stavros, Greece.




Arrived ın Eceabat, Turkey early arvo. This is a small town on the Dardanelles a few km. from Anzac Cove and the battle sites.

Omis on the Croation coast

Left Munich on the 10th, got an early start and Rob lead us on some roads he had found to get us into the Austrian Alps. We sat having coffee at the bottom of the Grossglockner and were in sleet an hour later at the top of Austria.

The views were amazing, almost as amazing as the roads. Fast sweepers and hairpins all the way. We were so high that all bikes strarted playing up and running badly. We were then to head for the Slovenian border but missed a turn and when it started raining we went looking for a place for the night. Our camping gear has remained unused to date.

We ended up at Weissensee, a little ski destination and summer lake holiday area. Nice, but not much character. Morley did his Mark 11 exhaust repair which quietened the bike down a tad and made it run better.

Wedesday 11th, we headed for the Slovenian border. slow going again, this time because of roadworks. before Slovenia, we had to travel about 20 km through Italy. Entered at Tarvesio and came across a fantastic guard complex just before the border. Built back in the mid 1800s and used right through to WW2. It would have been a very bleak spot in winter. The view from the roof (refer pic) was breathtaking. The weather was good and the roads through Slovenia were excellent.

We arrived in Croatia around 1:00pm and headed down to Bakar, small port area and found a little cafe for a seafood lunch. Whitebait and squid and a few beers. Life is pretty good. To make up some lost time, we took the new freeway towards Split. Good road, but a freeway! Boring as hell. We were running parallel to the coast and eventually took an exit and headed for the water. We found a village, Triunj, and a cheap flat and a good cafe up the lane. More seafood. Its so good and cheap.

Thursday 12th. We were awoken by light rain, followed by heavy rain. We rode straight past Split, a shame but we were so wet we would not have been able to enjoy it. We rode in heavy traffic, slow and the rain just soaked us through. The water was pooling on the roads and becoming dangerous, so we pulled into Omis. A lucky break. Its a great town and we stopped for a coffee and the owner, also had a flat. Result.

Within minutes of booking in, the place looked like a drying room. Every item of clothing we were wearing was soaked. The air is so damp, we may not get anything dried. The cafe owner even removed one of his tables so we could park the bikes under cover for the night.

Hopefully tomorrow the rain may be gone, or at least lighter and we will head for Dubrovnik and then on to Albania.

Munich 9 June

Monday night, went to a traditional Bavarian beer garden for a picnic.  Andrea and Caroline did the required shopping of  all the salad and exrtas for a night of beer and nibblies.   These are parks owned by a brewery and supplying good German beer and a location to enjoy same.   Ulla (Caroline's mother), Caroline, Tobi,Rob, Andrea, Dave and myself enjoying a quite drink.  Noah, as usual was away watching the football!   The beers made up for missing my Friday night drinks at the office with Stu, Jack, Chris and the gang!   Got back to the flat to watch Holland defeat Italy 3-0 in the european cup.  A good result  for Caroline with her close Dutch connections.   nowtime to start packing for an earlry start tomorrow when we head into the austrian alps and some serious mountain climbing.    Hopefully we should make Croatia by tomorrow night.   One of the best night so far!