Friday 27th July 2012…….leaving Santorini!!!

This is catching up on Thursday’s activities…

Another great sleep and I had arranged with the owners that I could store my bags and come back tonight use the kitchen, have a shower and then George would drive me to the ferry terminal at 11pm…you do not get any more obliging than that!!!

So I was all packed and left my bag at 10.30am and was packed up for the day as I had pre booked a cruise to the Volcano, swim in the thermal waters and visit a small island.

First I had to walk about 15 minutes to the main town of Fira and then I had to go down the 617 steps to the water and the boat.  Now here I had some options….

the lazy mans way!!!!

the cruel and smelly way!!!

or the Pearson way!!

The stench from the donkeys was really bad they have no catch bags and no one cleans up!!!

The owners waiting for tourists!!!

At the bottom of the hill the boat was just coming in

Just kidding this was moored in the harbor…

this was our boat still nice looking…

There were 7 other boats all doing the same trip and I knew I just had to bite the bullet and except it was going to be a touristy thing!!!

It was nice to see the island from the ocean you always get a different perspective!!

Some information about the trip.

The first site of the volcanic rocks

We arrived at the point where we hike up to the top of the volcano…

me and hundreds more….the hike was about 20 minutes and the views quite lovely and a funny feeling to be standing on top of all this potential movement!!

We had a guide at the top who told us all about the history here and he was very good and informative!!!!

hiked back down back on the boat and around to another bay

Had to be a church on the Island!!!

Here we were allowed to jump overboard and swim into the channels where the hot thermal and smelly I might add, waters were!!!

Then it was back on the boat to another small island for the locals to make money of all the tourists….

lots of food

Not sure what was on the BBQ but I settled for my own sandwich……

The last stop if people wanted to get off was at the town of Oiu where I visited yesterday.  I had read that there is a rough hard hike from here back to Fira, about 6 miles and you go around the rim…so after all the day with elbow to elbow tourists I decided that is what I would do so I got off the boat at 6pm and to climb up all the way to the top to start the hike!!!

I found the path and it was sure beautiful and I saw no one!!!!

Here is where I am headed…

even a church at the top of the peak..

I have not had a contest for a while so it is time and there is also a prize…

to the first person to identify the song I was singing when I took this photo there is a grand prize of a week’s free subscription to the blog!!!!

Are you ready????

The sun was setting behind me

At some parts I was close to the road and the view of the ocean on the other side of the Island!!

Finally the sights of the Fira coming up..

The photo does not really capture just how beautiful that view was!!!

So I finally arrived back at the apartments at 9pm that was a long hard hike!!!

I did shower and make an omelet, also made some sandwiches for the trip and George dropped me off at the ferry terminal at 11pm.

The ferry came in a little late around 1.30am

 

and I am now on board, they have Internet for a nominal fee and I have pulled two nice armchairs facing other and after I post this will get some rest because I am pooped.

Well that was where the plan failed I could not post….so I will continue..

Did manage to get some sleep and you see lots of sunset photos but not many sunrises…here is one from this morning!!

So arrive in Kos at 7am and as I got off the ferry I enquired about ferries to Bodrum and was directed to about three ticket booths that sold them. So for 13 Euro I had a ticket for Bodrum leaving at 9.15am…so just a couple of hours to wait, no problem.

Here we are leaving Kos

This was a small boat and most of these people were just going to Turkey for the day!!

On arrival in Bodrum I was taken into a customs hall where I had to pay 45 Euros for a visa, had my passport stamped and Turkey he were come!!!!

I asked about the location of the bus depot and was told it was about 500 meters away so walked there and on the way past an ATM machine where I got some local money, Liras, they are roughly about 2 Lira to 1 dollar.

I had done some research on the bus terminals and found the better companies to use and to watch out for men trying to get you on their bus.

I asked about a bus to selcuk and as I was walking there an agent on the street told me to come inside s they were the only bus going to Selcuk…they wanted 25 Euro not Lire and the bus was leaving a 3pm…This did not feel right plus it was only 11am so I used the excuse to go to an ATM and found another company a few doors away where they would take me to a town city called Aydin for 20 Lira!!! Big difference and also the bus was leaving now.  I had also read that this might happen and I could get a mini bus from Aydin to selcuk…So I paid my money they put my big pack underneath and I was on the very deluxe bus.  I was given a bottle of water right away and it took till 2pm to get to Aydin….all so easy.

I got off the bus and asked about buses to Selcuk and was directed to the mini buses across the street when I went over there a young kid wanted to know where I was going and after I told him he took me here

The mini bus to selcuk for 7 Lira..this trip took about 40 minutes as he stopped at lots of places..and we arrived in Selcuk at 3pm.

I had also read that the place I had booked was close to the station and after getting directions walked about 300 meters to my apartment!!!

37 dollars per night

 

Not a great room but very adequate some bathroom water on floor problems but nothing I cannot handle..it is in a good location tomorrow for me to visit the Ancient city of Ephesus and the only thing I am missing is no fridge or kitchen I am in tea withdrawals already.

So my first day in Turkey was a breeze….I walked around town about tonight and noticed lots of these

 

and every block has a barber shop and they were all busy.

Had a meal out and now 10pm and after missing a nights sleep ready to go to bed……

Hope you are getting a chance to watch some of the Olympics…

Yashi Koshi