Friday, February 14, 2014

Turkey

Yes, yes, yes, it has been a while since the last note. I find it quite hard to write and take the time, now that I’m back in the hurly-burly of everyday life. It’s not the same rhythm, not the same priorities, and the time is running away so quickly... Anyway, you’ll find here a bit about the end of the trip! I’ll try to write a last note in the future (soon? ;)), now that I know how it feels to be back in the normal life and at work!  

Somewhere on the Lycian way, Turkey.

Last time, it was in Uzbekistan. The plan was to finish the trip in Tashkent and fly from there with the bike. I spent a few weeks visiting a bit of the country, first racing for the Turkmen border, and then slowly, when I took the decision to stop the trip. I really enjoyed the time there, the last nights in the nature, the last sunsets when cooking, the last sunrises when boiling the water for coffee, the last passes, the last dogs chasing me, the last kilometres... 

The weather was really hot during the day, and cool at night, quite perfect. I’ll remember the bright sunny blue sky, hot rides in the sun, friendly people, and interesting history and architecture. I particularly enjoyed the time around Boysun and Shahr-e Sabz, land of Timur (thank you Lufti!). 

With Picachu, Totoro and friends, the bike will be in security!
Thank you Nagisa ;) (Tashkent, the day before leaving)
In Tashkent, it was a pain to find a box to put my bike inside for the flight. The administration of Tashkent wants to forbid cycling in the city (http://www.eurasianet.org/node/66864 is worth the read!). The city is apparently too dangerous for cyclists, or the cyclists are too hazardous for the traffic, so why not fine them! Some policemen even tried to extort money from me as I was pushing my bike alongside, once walking in the city: I got quite angry when they wanted to bring me in a dark alley, and made enough noise, that they let me go. This city is known to have more policemen than trees, and I can confirm it. During my stay there, I got to visit the four corners of the city to find all the bike shops definitively closed. I eventually found a box for a pushchair in a bazaar! The box was small but solid, and did exactly the job, after having striped down the bike! With the help of Nagisa, I got the most beautiful box ever ;) 


Nagisa, gently writing to take care of the bike!

Cirali and Olympos. Climbing paradies in Turkey!

We then spent a few weeks with Alina in Turkey. Last time we saw each other was in... May! 

South Turkey is a nice place in autumn. Tourists are away, the sun is shining but not too strongly, sea is still warm… It was such a joy to bath in November, after a whole summer in the mountains, in centre of Asia. We could go swimming nearly every day in the Mediterranean sea! 


Just for us...

We walked some portion of the Lycian way, a beautiful path in nature along the Turkish Riviera, We strongly recommend it!


Lycian way, near Üçagiz, somewhere in paradies!

And it was time to start climbing again… Excitment was there, but it was not so easy ;) We went first in Olympos/Cirali, and then we climb within the beautiful tufas from Geyikbayiri!

If you say it...