Sunday 5th August 2012…..what did I do at 5am this morning?? I felt like Phileas Fogg!!!! The educated amongst you will know who he was……OK..another clue….up up and away!!! Come on …..one more clue….COME FLY WITH ME!!!!!

So the 7 of us in the tour group got a wake up call at 4.30am and we met in the lobby at 5am and a small bus came and picked us up and here we are!!!!

Yes we all paid a really high amount to have this once in a life time experience…130 Euros….but worth every Penny!!!

Our pilot was a funny Englishman and he was excellent.

It really is a cash grab there was approximately 80 balloons flying and in our basket were 25 tourists so go figure the money coming in…..but that does not take away the feeling of lifting off with no noise except when Nigel, the pilot ignites the flame into the balloon…..sit back and enjoy as much as I did!!!

What a beautiful sight!!!

Nigel first took us to tree top level

Then up to 1600 feet

Sun on one side and the moon on the other!!

We were up for over one hour..

This was our landing spot

Not only did Nigel land safely he even deposited right on the trailer!!!

Then it was time for Champagne to toast our first flight then presentation of a certificate… a remarkable and everlasting memory.

We were taken back to the hotel to pack and at 8.30am the mini bus dropped me at the highway and I said a fond farewell to my bus mates…it was a pleasure to meet you al we had a great time.

I had the day before booked tonight's room in Goreme about 4km away and the bus was not going that way so that is why I was dropped off…I was hoping to catch a bus but as soon as I was dropped off a kid about 18 years old was there on a scoter asking me where I was going I told him and he said he would take me for 5 Lira…deal!!!

he put the back pack up front in between his legs and I had the bag and I got on the back and he dropped me right at the door of my hotel…..I wanted to stay in a cave hotel and this one looked good on the Internet.  the owner a young g man was very polite and helpful and I had to wait about one hour for my room but that was no problem because I needed to go to the bus station to find out about a bus to Istanbul.

I had read that the buses only go through the night but I was fortunate to find a bus leaving tomorrow morning at 8.15am arriving in Istanbul at 7.30pm..so I booked a ticket for tomorrow and the cost was 50 Lira!!

So back to the hotel and my room which is carved out of the rock was ready..it is small as most of my rooms have been but delightful with such small touches as towels folded, slippers, shampoo and best of all!!!!!!

Yes kettle and tea bags!!!!!!

The view through my window

and the courtyard where the breakfast is served

All for the remarkable price of 37 dollars!!!!

So Now I knew I had one day here I thought about renting a scooter and went to check the prices and the cheapest I could get for the day was 45 Lira…which I thought was high so decided to do the things I wanted to do the Pearson way by foot and bus.

I first walked to

Which is a lovely complex with many churches built into the caves…I spent a while here most of the churches you were not allowed to take photos of the interesting and intricate art work.

I then walked back to my room for…….YES TEA!!!!!

It was now 2pm and I wanted to see one place and do a hike so after researching I chose to go here

I had to take a small mini bus for the 8km and this is where I wanted to go!!!

The zoom on my camera is so neat!!

It was a fairly easy climb and the view wonderful..

I then Turkish through the small town and stopped and bought a drink and sat by these men who I am sure in their usual loud Turkish ways were solving all the problems of the world!!

Enjoying seeing this sign too…

It took me a little while to find the entrance to the hike I wanted to take to

and it was called this because the locals all those years ago carved small holes in the rocks for the pigeons to land because they collected the dropping for use as a fertilizer!!!

To prove it here are the birds!!!!

This was a fabulous valley surrounding by these volcanic rocks most with caves and whatever carved into them.

The only sign of life I saw….I was really in the middle of nowhere..or so I thought.

I rounded a corned and had to go through some bushes when I heard the sound of barking angry dogs and from a distance of about 70 feet these two big animals came running me their teeth bared and I mean they were mean!!!

I threw off my backpack and put it in front of me and started shouting at the dogs when I heard a mans voice and the dogs stopped and turned around and out popped this old man!!!!

He spoke great English and he said sorry the dogs would not hurt me now and he took me back into the bushes to his place!!!!  he immediately put on the kettle…too funny!!!!

I had some cookies in my back pack that I gave him and we sat and had tea and cookies!!!!

These kind of encounters are the ones which I cherish they are so unexpected and they so typify the meaning of getting to know the locals…this man was so interesting and as we parted I gave him some money just a few Lira and he shook my hand and then kissed me on both cheeks the Turkish way..and the dogs let me pass…shall not forget old Hemet!!!!!

Even though the ground looked barren I was surrounded by apricot and walnut trees and these

The rock formations were quite astonishing

Got back at 6.30pm and you guessed it had more tea!!!!

I am now sitting on the bed writing this the window is open and a lovely breeze blowing through and I see an array of lights in the valley……Had my last package of cup of soup, thanks Janet', packed for tomorrow and just catching up on news and seeing that Andy Murray beat my buddy Federer for the Olympic gold medal in tennis!!!!

So a long day tomorrow

 

but the buses are so good and I have lots to read and plan…..hope your day was a great one too!!!!