August 31st 2007 - Erzurum, Turkey
I've been asked a few questions by people and saved them up for this Q&A post.
If you have other questions send them in an email with a subject line:
"whereonearthisjeff - Trip 2007 Q & A" or reply to this email and next time I do a Q & A I'll be able to find the questions easily.
Q: Would I be right in thinking that, on the whole, you would be developing a sense of trust in humanity, as a result of the many examples of people's kindness and generosity shown to you during your travels?
A: I think I already had a trust in humanity - otherwise I wouldn't have chosen to do a trip like this. But the trip has definitely re-enforced that opinion. I'd Have to say that one experience that I.d rather forget in Greece is about it. Everything else has been positive. Although there are times when cultural differences makes reading the body language and tone of voice a difficult - and with the words in a language you don't understand it means that at some times you are unsure what someone is on about - but it generally sorts itself out.
Q: On a more practical level, are you using a trip meter, to keep a measurement of distance traveled on the bike? You mentioned going past a harvester at 50km recently, so I presume you do have a meter to confirm speed, daily distance and total distance?
A: Yes I have a trip/cycle computer. I keep the Odometer running a total of the trip to date and reset the other readings on a daily basis. the other readings are Trip distance (Daily total km), riding time (which stops when i do), average speed, max speed. At one stage I had some of this detail on the google map but it is gone now and wasn't there for everyday. I record the details in a little note book (which I'm bound to use at some stage during the year - so I also write the details for the day in my hand written journal.) and have often thought it would be good to spreadsheet & share it. This particular unit has a second trip distance which is good when you know you need to turn left after 22km or something.
Q: Also, are you managing to resist accumulation of objects as you travel? No doubt weight is a huge factor to consider, but have you purchased souvenirs and then posted them straight back to Oz?
A: As all travellers I do accumulate - although I've never been a big souvenir person. I have sent many parcels home. These contain exercise books (journal segments) CD's with images and maps on a regular basis. but there have been others containing a mixture of these plus souvenirs or things that I brought with me that have either outlived their usefulness - but too valuable to throw away - or that never really had a usefulness for the trip and are too valuable to throw or give away. The stuff that's been sent home serving no useful purpose included things like: A short sleeved riding shirt, i prefer long sleeve cotton shirts in summer to greasy sunscreen. An iPod mini that would last a few hours then need recharging - not easy in a tent by the side of a road. I generally don't listen when riding - I'm quite content just riding in silence and absorbing the surroundings. I do have a 512M USB key that I use to listen to a small selection of music, often at nights as I nod off.
Q: No punctures, mechanicals yet ! Where is the scorecard.
A: The main mechanical problems have been the pannier mount breaking on the front fork when on the Greek train trip to get out of the EU in the allotted 48hrs. As previously indicated this was rewelded at a Turkish Mazda dealer and is doing well. Punctures are largely a thing of the past if you have good quality touring tyres. I had one when I hit a sharp edge too hard and cut the tube with the rim - pressure down at the time. Since then I've had to change one of my good tyres for a cheap one = and this resulted in the three punctures I had the other day = all at the same time = due to thorns through the cheap tyre. I have a good touring quality folding spare which I could have on the bike but I prefer to fix punctures and know I have a good spare than wear out the good quality spare and rely on a cheap and nasty one to get me out of trouble - also the cheap one wont fold. - Since writing this response the other front pannier mount broke off and it too has been brazed back on at a local car dealer.
Q: Do not know the rough timetable or when this journey ends, if ever.
A: I always anticipated being back in SE Asia in just over 12 months - then its a matter of getting back onto the Aus continent and getting to Melbourne. I do travel more quickly than I planned so weather is really the sole determining factor in the the timetable at the moment. Lets just say mid 2008.
Q: The 'knees' are keeping up the pace so far.
A: Yes. My historically bad knees are enjoying the trip. They've been upset a couple of times in big cities with big hills but sort themselves out on normal roads - as the highways are never as steep as the little roads on the sides of hills in hilly cities.
Q: Isn't it a pain trying to email on holiday !! And download pics, never tried that one.
A: I quite enjoy doing the emails and computer stuff, but it does take up a lot of time. The map stuff was very time consuming and unfortunately now mostly wasted. The photo stuff is remarkably easy using the gallery software that exists on the server I upload to. It enables me to take full resolution photos and only upload a small version of it. It is also very user friendly for rotating where necessary and captioning. So if you are looking for a gallery package to run on a unix like system Gallery is worth a look. I don't keep a track of my Internet expenses - I'd scare myself if I did.
If you have other questions send them in an email with a subject line:
"whereonearthisjeff - Trip 2007 Q & A" or reply to this email and next time I do a Q & A I'll be able to find the questions easily
Jeff
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http://www.whereonearthisjeff.com/
Friday, August 31, 2007
Leaving Erzurum - at last
Well its been a long time - longer than I've ever stayed anywhere on any holiday I think.
Finally I have my Iran Visa, new lastik (tyres) and a good camera - well 1 extra tyre the other one they sent around the world at great expense - to me - was the wrong size. I wish they'd checked as they boxed them - they got 1 right! ). I currently have two spares, but no spare once I need to change the two worn tyres on the bike. (but who knows, if I'm lucky the current ones might hang on)
The Iran Visa was picked up within days of arriving in Erzurum. I eventually gave up on the tyres that were meant to be coming from Istanbul - to be here before I was (ha) and imported some - these took 8 days which was a lot better than the delays from Istanbul. Because I was waiting for the tyres I also asked for the camera bits to be shipped over - but I should have got Canon to ship DHL for 130 dollars - as it would have been cheaper in the long run than waiting here for them as I have been due to other sending delays. In the end it has come to another Friday - I've run out of Side trips to do and staying in Erzurum for the parts as I have just isn't viable anymore. So I now have a new camera and am on my way again. I really never contemplated buying a new camera when the 10 cent part fell off. But in the end that's what it has come to. That's this consumer society we live in. Or more to the point it is the consumer society that the camera and I came from. If only things were made to be repaired Erzurum would be an ideal place to find someone to repair it - craftsmen everywhere
Whilst filling in time in Urzurum I've taken the opportunity to do a couple of side trips and get out of the hotel ($$) and see the surrounds (and get some mountain pass practice)
For anybody that has been looking at my photos since the last update you'll know that I have been doing something.
I've put comments on the photos in the photo section so have a read of those - I apologise for the number of photos since the last update - if you haven't looked since then there are about 10 pages. (I think page 19 was current last update) Sorry !
Around Erzurum
Urzurum is great for watching traditional craftsmen
1. Bağlama's 2.Bağlama being repaired 3. Being made 4.Swiss rider Roli's Seat - split vinyl, now leather front 5.wood fired bakery 6. My hand-ywork.
Palendöken - Coke $24 per litre -and I thought Turkey's petrol was expensive at $2.50/l (for cooking)
Around Erzurum 1. street scene 2.We get rain each afternoon now 3. Ataturk Uni Hospital, incl Giadia + Tennis elbow + skin spot checks
Tortum Side Trip - To Tortum
Tortum Side Trip - To Narman & Peri Bacalari 1.over another hill and down again 2.River or road 3. the rocks 4. flat well drained camp 5. breakfast
Tortum Side Trip - To Oltu then back to Erzurum 1.Oltu castle 2. Roadside Hospitality 3.A rain break 4. my room - after the rain break
At the end of my second side trip (south to Çat)- a roadworks depot office - home for a night - after a few hours of 4 season weather in a 3 season tent
So now its off toward the Iran border - probably about 5 days away.
Jeff
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Erzurum - Turkey
Here I am in Erzurum in Eastern Turkey.
Erzurum is at the base of Palandoken Kayak Merkezi. And for all those that don't know about, kayaking. It is what is often referred to as an adventure sport that often involves getting wet and cold. You know, when you slap a couple of planks on your feet and launch yourself down a snow covered mountain. What? You thought it had something to do with paddling little boats? As a result of its ski resort status it is a bit of a tourist-ey type place - so you just have try that bit harder to get a decent deal and be a bit more selective at the places you frequent.
I wasn't impressed on the day I arrived as I'd got so used to paying 1 YTL per hour (that's about an aussie dollar) for Internet that for the first time in months I sat down at a PC without first asking the price. When I got up to go I had racked up a bill of 8.50. As with the rest of Turkey, most of the Net cafe's charge 1 YTL but not this one. Most of that time I was trying to work my way around the limitations I've hit with the Google Map - Sorry about the route line not working - Things start dissappearing when you add too many points OR too many maps OR too many lines. I tried breaking the map up in many ways but still ended up hitting what appear to be the limits. I think I'm going to have to simplify things and have only a really rough map - so it wont be possible to trace my actual route.
I camped the first night on the edge of town then on my first full day in town rode around looking for a cheap hotel district. I've now got myself a room whilst I await a few organisational things to do with the rest of my trip - like my Iran Visa and some tyres I'm expecting to arrive into Istanbul then on-shipped here.
Once you know that prices can be quite reasonable - as long as you look around Erzurum is a really nice place. The air is a nice temperature - still hot if you spend a long time in the sun without breeze but its really nice for a change from the constant heat. We've even had cloud cover at times - so no sun - now that's a nice change.
After cooking myself the first night camping I dinned a little more up market last night. Serviets (is that the right spelling), and water served out of sealed bottles instead a jug filled form the tap. The main was 8YTL instead 4 that I'd normally want to pay for it, but I thought what the heck, AUD$8 for a main aint real bad and I was out with a group of 6 Italian Motor cycle Tourers who left this morning to Georgia. In the end they insisted on paying Thanks Guys (and Girls). Something about fully loaded bikes of any description that forms a bond. I'd happened upon them during the day as they unpacked in front of their hotel.
The night before Erzurum I spent about 50km away in a place called Aşkale. The ride to Aşkale was another ripper hill day. This one had not only an almost endless uphill struggle but many many km of dry roadworks with visiblity down to a couple of metres at times (when a couple of Buses or trucks went past - and there were plenty of them)
During the uphill I bonded with the unlikely partner of two guys on a harvester. They were travelling up the hill just a bit faster than myself and we ran into each other a couple of times at water stops. Of course the best bit was getting to the top after them and having the pleasure of flying past them on the incredible down that followed. (They were still doing their 20km and I was doing 50 - I flew past unannounced and nice and close to accentuate the effect.
I'm Also hoping Canon Australia will be able to help with a replacement part for my camera and ship whilst I'm here for a little while. They responded to my inititial enquiry and very kindly sent a parts manual for me to identify the part number of the bits I needed but the problem so far is that the exploded view in the parts manual for this camera doesn't show the part - presumably it is classed as a part of the lens not the camera. One of the many hassles of a trip like this. So... If you are wondering about any great white splodges on any of my photos that's the reason. (although I normally dont publish those ones)
My puncture count increased by 3 the other day. The cheapy tyre I'm running on the back wheel why I await the ones from Istanbul decided it didn't like the paddock I'd stayed in on my first night in Erzican (last major place before Erzurum). I took off the next morning to find myself riding on the rim. later investigations revealed 3 thorns all through the tyre and tube. At least all three were fixed in one session - so incvonvenience wise it was like a simgle puncture - but with 3 extra patches on the tube. I could avoid this by using the tyre I'm carrying as a spare which is one of the good puncture proof XRs - but then I'd either have no spare or have to carry this cheapy that I'd rather not trust my life to. (Its comforting to know that your spare will get you out of trouble.)
I mentioned two nights in Erzincan. I was about to head a few km out of town the first evening, but had to hang around town to buy a copy of the "Erzincan.net gazete" the next morning. I got my photo on pages 1 & 9. A page 1 teaser pointing to the article on page 9. I was at a servo having a loo break and a shave when a reported from the paper fronted up to take my photo and write a story on me. I'm not sure if the servo guys called him or how he knew I was there.
I expect to be here ın Erzurum for a couple of weeks getting the tyres Visas etc sorted (and hopefully the camera). Then I have maybe a week worth of travel to the Iran border. All ıs stıll going well. Good to hear from those of you who write or post comments.
Regards
jeff
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Amasya - a former seat of power in the Ottoman empire - note the fortifications---
more of the countryside---
An overnight stay with some roadside fruit vendors meant local cooking and a night out of the tent.---
A couple of days on the route east was along a river valley like this---
There were also a couple of high passes to cross - both were probably larger than Bolu Daği but neither provided the satisfaction of Bolu Daği. Both of these recent ones passed through the mountains as they climbed whereas Bolu Daği was single saddle allowing you to see just how high you were. ---
One of the incredible down hill sections after a climb---
The page one teaser---
Just another camp but stunning
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