The road to Syria and Jordan. Motorhome trip to the Middle East. Part 2, Turkey

This trip was not to be done. This year Tina, my wife had a big problem with the teeth, operations, medications and a variety of applications, so a problem that had lasted over time and with a substantial cost. The dentist came to my aid, and between a transaction and another had to spend at least 60 days, just long enough to make this trip by his friend Lawrence asked about the Desert Club last minute Tina has agreed to place, and we started.
The trip, departing from Ancona April 30 begins with a ferry that will take us to Patras and from there, through Greece and Turkey will reach Syria and then Jordan, our main goals. In return, the crossing will be shipping from Cesme in Turkey with more landing in Ancona on May 10 and then journey's end.

These are our costs of travel:

Medicines and vaccines € 162
Maps and guide € 61
Mechanical preparation camper € 290
Phone € 50
Food € 548
Fuel € 944
Tipping € 65
Highway € 55
Entry sites and museums € 160
Parking € 32
Stamp passports € 80
Souvenir € 255
Restaurant € 455
Newspapers € 40
Bar € 60

Total € 3237

Quota Club Desert ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... .... € 3133

Total ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... € 6370

 

Shell service station – Border with Turkey

We travel all day with coffee break and lunch and the evening you will cross the border to Turkey. After the customs paperwork, fast enough, you stop at the first distributor with a large staging area with a shop where you buy and where to find all the most important thing: the bread.
In a nearby pond there are many frogs, we hope they leave us to sleep.

Istambul – Floria – Oto Park

In the morning, 8 o'clock, I move first and do supply, diesel costs more than in Italy (1.42). Gradually they all do and then we go. As before there is a lot of confusion and a lot of traffic on the highway to Istanbul. Take the exit for the airport and tried in vain for a parking lot. Lorenzo must wait at the airport arrival of a farm worker who joined him from Tunisia. With the help of a taxi driver arrive at a parking lot along the sea, where once there was a campsite. With the keeper is fixed overnight in 15 Turkish lira.
E 'late, it's already 14.00, a quick lunch of canned goods and then with a little train reached the town. We are all, many remain in camper. First, we must visit Hagia Sophia (Turkish lira 10 each), then the Blue Mosque, already visited some years ago, but always beautiful and interesting. We return to the harbor to see the Asian side. Some of us reach the Galata bridge, spanning the Golden Horn joins two parts of the old town. With others in the group remain to await their return, but since I am not sufficiently covered and Tina as he started to get cold, we decide to take the train back to the camper.
The parking lot waiting for us a surprise. Some people, elegantly dressed and appearance important, tell us that we can not stop and we must evacuate. Many of us have not yet returned and we can not abandon them. After several discussions accept that share the next morning at 8.00. There is nothing more than condescending to them because there's a police car.

Istambul – Kucukcekmece – Oto park

At 8 am all ready to go. The character of yesterday evening we had promised that a person who was to accompany us to the new place about 4 km. Arrived at about 9.30. We start along the sea and come to another suburb of Istanbul. Narrow lanes between arriving in a parking lot that process would only call it a tribute. It 'almost a yard of dirt with several holes, scrap cars used as chicken coops with various birds and a nose for the request stop at 240 Euro (the manager does not want the Turkish lira). Unanimously decided to leave while Lorenzo insists to keep paying the costs of redundancy.
It's already 11, all in groups, with the exception of Lorenzo and with a taxi at the airport will take Sofian, go to the station to catch the train that will take us back downtown.
First visit: Tanks, a site that we had not seen the last time, beautiful, with only one problem. Inside is very dark and I did not bring a tripod for the camera but still managed to make nice photos. Were built by Constantine and enlarged by Justinian in 532 to ensure hydration of the city in case of siege. Were fed with different sources of conducted 20 km away also visit these underground tanks is amazing and creates a unique environment for the sound of water. The great conservative state today maintains water at the bottom enough to survive numerous fish.
Continue, just me and Tina, stopping at a restaurant for a quick bite and then to the Grand Bazaar. Chaos with a single exposed everything and more, then the Egyptian bazaar much smaller and less crowded. Strolling along the coastal road we find stalls of fish and fabulous to follow, the only fish restaurants. Unfortunately we had already had lunch and we could not do an encore, otherwise you could lunch of fantastic fresh fish. We are advising the "Beyaz Restaurant"
Returning to the center, on the square in front of St. Sophia, are in place two events, one for the Beijing Olympic Games with folklore shows and a variety of music and the other with pro-Tibet dissidents who want to boycott the Olympics. An unpleasant situation from which we move quickly.
Taken the train, back to the camper, not before he had made purchases of fruits and vegetables in the shops along the route.

Highway Ankara - Adana, parking area

Day of transfer to Adana highway with a fee. The fund is initially good but then towards the end is uneven and wavy.
Yesterday, one of the group, visited the office of tourism and noted the unprecedented demand of our parking. Probably someone has moved and this morning at the start, the manager who yesterday received the euro, has made what he had received more than 15 Turkish lira due to the camper. The office also told us that a place to stay in Istanbul with the camper and there is between the Galata Bridge and the next on the right beside the sea. This is helpful to those who come to this city, until it reopened the camp Atakoy, now under renovation,
In the afternoon, the road climbs, up to a pace of 1580 meters, then continue for un'altipiano more than 1,000 meters, where we also encounter a blizzard.
By evening we stopped in a parking lot of a gas station, quite modern. Now, very hospitable, gave us hot tea. Unfortunately, a person in the group has complained because he wanted to stay in town to see the shops and the lifestyle of local people. In response, quite rightly, Lorenzo pointed out that a lease for 17 campers, a small town, it is almost impossible to find and then, importantly, today is a day of transfer and not to visit the city.
Tomorrow is the birthday of Lawrence, Anna and George, friends of the trip to Russia. Remembering the cakes made in a party in Estonia, I was asked to make one for the head. After dinner I made two pies, one with fig jam and the other with peach jam.

Trucks parking area, border with Syria

Usual starting at 8. Continue the highway, not too good, some with new asphalt and the old holes and troughs. It begins to descend toward the sea, occasionally we find a toll payment booth.
It 'time to get supplies but, given how much is diesel in Turkey and Syria, as do the calculations to be made in being able to reach the border and then finish the full because it costs more in Turkey than in Italy, that is 1:42 against € 0.50 in Syria. This solution will cost us dear then later because the distributors of diesel fuel near the boundary are devoid of oil and we buy it at a higher price on the black market.
Towards evening, before reaching the parking for the night, the No. 15 hole to the right rear tire. Radio warns us and we all stopped. Intervene to help the two Swiss teams, very well equipped, as in the Ferrari pit-stop, dismount and change the tire in record time. We're back and arrived at the staging point night, Lorenzo gives us instructions for the documentation necessary to prepare and practice to attend to the turkish-Syrian border crossing tomorrow.
Now after a little refreshment with my cakes, a dove, and several bottles of wine, all to celebrate the 73rd birthday of Lorenzo glad it toasted with us all.

Aleppo – Camping

Leave the car park at 07.45, to be the opening of customs 8.
Output from Turkey, we hurry in 90 minutes at 9.30 am We are Syrian customs in Bab El Hawa, "The door of the wind", we know the Syrian leadership: Saman (Simeon) a nice young man who speaks perfect Italian. We will know then that he studied in Perugia. Unfortunately we lose a lot of time here, they only come out at 16.30, they want to control even the number of the chassis. Obviously required by the offer of 10 euros for campers but for each unit shall be written in Arabic, a multitude of documents and then you lose time. We take the opportunity to have lunch.
Finally been released from customs, we head to San Simeon. During the journey we encounter a storm of dust, mist appears. Our guide tells us that the place where we should go, the situation is worse and we could not see anything. We reverse and back to Aleppo. Back tomorrow morning with the bus, before visiting the city.
Before Aleppo to 20 km. There is a campsite is a simple lawn of a house with trees to park under a scattered small plants. There is current but at a lower voltage, the fridge I put it on gas, no water but we must do to reach the Gimcana between the plants. I had a little argument with the number 15 who did not want to leave the passage, solved by moving the No. 7 that he had to fill up.

To be continued on:
The road to Syria and Jordan. Motorhome trip to the Middle East. Part 3, Syria