We were happy enough with the ferry, the cabin was a 2 berth outside with shower and wc the food on board was very good. We took in a movie followed by a good nights sleep.The highlight on this crossing was the Corinth Canal which was excavated over 100 years ago to link the Aegean and Ionian seas: the purpose was to cut short a dangerous journey of 650 miles subject to prolonged attacks from pirates. Work began on the canal in 1882 and finished in 1894. One of the outstanding engineering achievements of the nineteenth century, the canal is an immensely impressive sight, a straight line hewed out of solid rock, it looks as if it is 100 yards long whereas in reality the distance is four miles!.
We arrived in Cesme at about 6pm then after successfully navigating through the visa’s and passport control it was with great relief to hit the road again. We headed for Izmir then south east towards Antalya, we arrived at Aydin about 9pm where we checked into a hotel for the night, 28 euros,basic but clean.
Set off bright and cheery this morning at 07.30, destination Tasucu, with luck we will get there in time for tonight’s sailing and hopefully bring my ticket forward. I had been told to be careful on the roads when in Turkey but compared to the Italians I found the drivers here as courteous as anywhere else. The journey took us through Denizili then Antalya where we joined the coast road and arrived in Tasucu at about 6pm the views on the journey was at times breathtaking, I never realised how spectacular their mountain ranges were.
We managed to change our ferry ticket,to board the midnight ferry, then walked round the small town, had a meal, at the same time looking for any other British people who may be making the same journey. We met up with John and Christine, a Yorkshire couple, who had bought a house in Yesiltepe about 6 miles from Girne.
We teamed up with John and Christine with the thoughts of 4 heads are better than 2 as nobody here seemed to speak English and it would be just like playing charades trying to get understood. This was an experience to remember, we checked in through the gates and were directed to park up just to the rear of a docked cargo ferry, an ancient looking ship, but were told no more. Eventually we discovered we had to go to the police or were they customs? still not sure who they were, located in a dimly lit office. The one person there looked up from his TV stamped our passports checked some papers told us ‘police’ then he was back to his TV. We then went back to the main office looking for more officials and found some locals who were also waiting; the officials had not yet started work. Eventually after much paper stamping and paying monies, police tax, port tax, export tax and possibly tax tax! we were ready to board.
It was a straight drive on reverse off ferry with a lounge upstairs for passengers, no cabins on this mini cruise, it was so basic. There were 2 ferries I imagine they sail together in case one breaks down.
We eventually left Tasucu at 4am this morning, as Victor Meldrew would say "I Don't Believe It". We should have left at midnight, the ferry was full and ready to go, maybe the captain hadn't turned up. It turned out that the other ferry still had late comers to board. My patience was at last being tested.
We all found it difficult to get any sleep on the lounge chairs, there were kids who were too excited to sleep running about, the TV was on full blast and of course in Turkish. I returned to my car and found a travel blanket and tried to get some sleep on the open deck but could only get 40 winks at a time. Trying to get something positive in my mind I told Michele and the others that this at least, would be the one and only time we would need to use this ferry, Imagine then to my horror when I discovered that I had left a folder which contained all our paperwork apart from car documents and passport at the ferry office in Tasucu. I nearly cried.
On arrival at Girne North Cyprus I was tired, unwashed and unsure if I would get my documents returned and to make matters worse one of the car transporters jack knifed his trailer and was stuck fast so we could not drive off for at least 40 mins. The sun was burning down on us but my mind was on the documents. I asked Michele to drive the car and I walked off the ferry looking for an official to phone the ferry office in Tasucu for me, negative my papers were not there.
What a palaver getting through the customs and police but after our experiences at the previous ports we were becoming seasoned campaigners and eventually were through the gates and making our way up to Donald's Penthouse (with no directions but for what I'd hopefully memorised the previous week as they were in the document folder that I had left in Turkey). Suddenly, I drove over a raised manhole cover in the middle of the road, well a dirt track really, when I got out to check the damage I saw liquid coming from under the car and thought I had damaged the sump. A quick drive to the nearest garage revealed that it was from the air/con. what a relief!!
We had travelled all the way from Dunfermline in Scotland and things only started to go wrong on the last leg of our journey which really tested our patience and I must admit when I hit the manhole cover my patience finally gave way and I ranted and raved on for a while. I blame it on the tiredness.We got to the flat and unpacked the car with help from Brian who lives in the flat below with Jan. By the time we had everything in the flat I must have lost at least 4 kilos, up and down, up and down, you know how it goes.
The day was not finished yet, I still may need to go back to Tasucu myself and try to recover my documents but first we would visit our friend Mehmet at the Manolya Hotel in Lapta and ask for his assistance. It was really good to se him again, he is such a friendly and helpful person. First he arranged for coffee whilst we explained what at happened he then phoned the Tasucu ferry office who, this time confirmed my folder was there. Mehmet arranged for it to be placed in an envelope addressed to the hotel and given to the captain of the next ferry and we would collect it at the port. I could have danced all night, what a bloody relief now we can get down to settling in
This was a day to unpack,get the flat ready for us, do a shop, and have a look at how the house is coming on, this is a good time to show how it has progressed pic1, pic2, pic3, pic4 and pic 5 We had arranged to meet John and Christine tonight down at the old harbour to have a drink and unwind from the recent journey. Must have been a good night, we left Boaters bar at 4 in the morning
This morning spent on the balcony getting some sun and then visited the Pegasos Pub for the market day, expats have stalls there on a Friday to raise funds for various charities, mostly books, trinkets etc but also a bakers stall where we buy a couple of sausage rolls. Normally have a soft drink and a bite of lunch there too
This evening we met up with John and Christine down at boaters for a few drinks and heard about their garden idea's. Christine is a keen gardener, John soon will be.
This is the day Kimberly our daughter arrives for a holiday, Me and Michele were not supposed to arrive here until tomorrow and the arrangements were that Kimberly would be collected by Mehmet and taken to the Manolya for 1 night and we would collect her on Tuesday morning. What a surprise she is going to get when we meet her at the airport.
We had some business to attend to at the builders first so called in to see them on the way to Ercan airport. The wall cost is still £4,600 and the answer is still no.
Kimberly nearly fell down when she walked into me at the airport 'Dad, What are you doing here ? she was overcome for a while. We were so glad to see her, so much to tell her and so much to show her.
On the way home she wanted to see the house so we called in at the site, nearly got her thinking about moving over here.
Tonight we took Kimberly for a walk down town and ended up at Boaters in the old harbour had a few drinks there and a meal. It was another good night had by all. It had been a long day especially for Kimberly she had been awake since waking up on Sunday morning
Another day on the golf course and not a bad round either, left the girls to catch up on each others news.
When I returned in the afternoon I took the girls to the Manolya for a swim, The weather seemed to be getting hotter each day with temperatures over 40 degrees, it was the start of a heat wave.
Tonight we all met up with John and Christine at Boaters, this has now become our 'local' at the harbour, stayed until midnight then home.
