A very early start, left boat at 5am! driver even got lost on the way to the airport.Enjoyed Air Turkeys lounge and flight to Istanbul. Met at airport by not 1 but 2 guides. 1 APT and the other a local Turkish guide. Istanbul is HUGE! 15 million people live here and sometimes 3 to 4 million walk around just on Taxsim Square on the weekend. Our hotel the Grand Hyatt is superb, it should be for $440 a night!
We enjoyed a belly dancing cultural show and dinner and visiting huge mosques and bazaars.Had our first rain in a month and boy did it come down. Visited the beautiful Topkapi Palace including a harem and the Grand Bazaar with over 4000 shops. Yes we were able to find a bargain or two.Went to an amazing carpet wholesaler where two of our group bought beautiful carpets.
After Istanbul the highlight of our trip was driving to the Gallipoli Peninsular where we had a superb fish lunch in the fishing village of Gallipoli. It was especially moving visiting ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, Chunick Bair and to hear of the ANZACs surperb bravery. Teaching ANZAC Day will be more special from now on.It was really bleak day which seemed appropriate.People in our group were thrilled to be able to find the graves and names on memorial walls of loved ones that had lost their lives and have the chance to pay their respects.
Visited the ancient site of Troy ( trogan horse) before returning to Istanbul one last time to spend the last of our Turkish Lira. Our farewell dinner was at a wonderful restaurant called Dahill which had fantastic views of the night lights of Istanbul and the Bosphorous Sea.
It was very hard to say goodbye to our new friends of the last 30 days in what has been certainly the trip of a lifetime.
NB: will add photos later
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