Turkey Cappadocia Adventure

After the 3 most relaxing days it was back on the road again.  Next up was Olympos, but not without a couple of stops along the way.  The beautiful waters of Kaputas beach were just the right cure for being stuck on a bus in the 30+ degree heat.  Only a short drive from this Mediterranean beauty was the beautiful town of Kaş. By far my favourite town in Turkey. The most amazing textiles, side streets and doorways, I wish it was more than just a lunch stop.

Another few hours and we finally reached Olympos. Hippie paradise! Nothing but markets, restaurants and a beach, this place resembled Byron Bay. Although it was a long walk in blistering heat, the clear waters of Olympos Beach were definitely worth it. An amazing place to just chill out and get a real homey feel.

14 hours and a stop off in Konya later, we finally arrived in Cappadocia.  The home of natural sites, this place just had endless beauty.  Exploring underground cities, traditional cave homes, valley walks and eating nutella gozleme, the Cappadocian lifestyle is one to get used to.

  

4am wake-ups aren't my thing - but when it's to go hot air ballooning in Göreme National Park, it's a little easier to suffice those precious hours of sleep.  Nothing will ever compare to being 3,000 feet above one of the most amazing natural sites in the world in a floating basket.  1 hour felt like two minutes, but it was still the most amazing experience I've had to date.  Another massive tick off the bucket list, I couldn't recommend doing this enough.

Another full day of travel brought us back to Istanbul. My last chance to snap up the amazing Turkish street food and a last minute shop at the Grand Bazaar.  I will miss the copious amounts of turkish delight and baklava on hand wherever you went and the never ending culture and history of such a beautiful country.  Turkey was one of the most amazing experiences and I definitely learnt a lot.  Despite a few mishaps along the way that involved losing and breaking nearly everything I owned, I would go back in a heartbeat.

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Turkey Aegean Adventure

Booking a holiday from one European country to another is dangerously too easy, but oh so worth it.  I've always had the desire to travel to Turkey, and from the moment I stepped out of Ataturk airport I knew I was in for an experience. 

With the centre of Istanbul only a 5 minute walk from where I was staying, it didn't take long for me to be in awe of the most amazing city.  From the cobblestone streets to the grand Mosques and Museums, there was something to fall in love with at every turn. 

First up was the Grand Bazaar, and boy did it not disappoint.  Filled with the most flawless patterns, lanterns, turkish towels, spices, turkish delight, and baklava, it took so much self control to not spend all my lira on the first day.  After being loured into a sweet store and being converted from a Turkish delight hater to lover, it was onto exploring the streets of Istanbul.  This wouldn't have been a typical experience if I didn't get lost for an hour in the 27 degree heat, but it was so cool to see all the different aspects of the Turkish culture and life.  Eventually finding my way back to the Blue Mosque, it was time to discover for myself the beauty of the most photographed ceiling in the world. And a beauty it was. Incredible. Inside and out, it was the most beautiful place I have ever stepped foot into. 

An early start the next morning saw me off on a week long adventure down to Fethiye, with a few stops along the way.  First up was Gallipoli. It was such a surreal feeling to be somewhere you've heard and learnt about for so long, and for it to be such a beautiful place was definitely beyond what I was expecting.

After a couple of days of exploring ruin after ruin, it was finally time to venture to Pamukkale, the hot springs that dreams are made of.  A massive tick off the bucket list. It definitely lived up to its name "Cotton Castle" and was everything I imagined it to be - exactly like the pictures.

Just a short drive from Pamukkale was the little coastal town of Fethiye, where it was time for a 3 day sail around the Aegean Sea. Nothing but the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean and good food, it was exactly what I needed. Being able to wake up on the deck of a yacht and just dive into the water was an absolute dream.  Turkey is an absolutely magical place and this is only half of what I've experienced. Stay posted for part 2 of my Turkish adventure.

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