4 September 2011

I didn’t sleep well Saturday night.  Not sure if it was because I was in a cave?  When I woke up Sunday morning I was tired and ached all over.  Every now and then my stomach would tie itself in another knot.

I’m not sure what brought this on.  I’d hardly eaten all day.  Nothing for dinner either.  Just no appetite.  Didn’t even finish my wine.

The tour started at 0930.  I hoped there wasn’t much walking today.

There wasn’t luckily.

I’ve become a bit of a speed tourist these days.  Probably another positive influence from P.  I only need enough time to look, read something and take a few photos and then I need to be off to the next beauty spot or place of historic significance.  Nothing to be gained by lingering.

If they’d given me a map of the route I reckon I could have done it on the bike in 2 hours.

The tour guide was excellent though even if a little repetitive.  And the lunch was good – an all inclusive buffet, drinks extra.  Not ideal for someone with a sensitive stomach.  The salad was good though.

You know how there is always one guy on a tour who likes to take advantage of the “all you can eat buffet”?  Well we had one. He went real hard.  Had noodle salad with every plate full.  Even desert.  At least someone made up for my poor showing.

But the tour was good.  I saw some things I would not have otherwise seen at .  For example, Devrent (Immagination) Valley,  Çavuşin village and Pasabag (Monks Valley) are definitely worth seeing.  But the hand made, hand painted pottery at Avanos was, for me, the highlight.  This and realising just how large the Cappadocia region is.  Could have done without the winery though.  The Goreme open air museum was also excellent.  A Byzantine Christian monastic settlement built inside the volcanic rock formations, some chapels elaborately decorated with frescoes, and now defaced, eyes of Christ removed, all extremely old.  Remarkable.

My return to the hotel was most welcome around 1630.  At least now I could have a nap.  Maybe I’ll feel better when I wake up.

I didn’t.  Maybe a walk and some dinner and I’ll feel better.  Wrong again.

Back to the hotel and into bed early.  A hot lemon drink and all wrapped up to keep warm tonight.  Tomorrow is a big day.  Got to shake this.  Too much to do to have a sick day.

Here’s all of the photos I took over the course of the tour – hope you like them.

Be sure to see my next Turkey motorcycle tour post for more spectacular scenery of the Cappadocia region.