Good start this morning LD started and is running well. Drove along the coast of Greece toward Turkey. Didn’t think we’d make it today but stopped only 110k’s from Istanbul. The change in people and places in such a short distance was remarkable. The Greek customs seemed keen to know what was being taken out! But Turkish customs didn’t seem interested in what was being taken in!. Stopped night at closed camp site had dinner on Patio with table and chairs (nice caretaker let us stay) till giant flying dung beetles started dive-bombing us . Total running costs from Manchester £44

(Fried Luncheon meat potatoes vino)

Crossing the Bosphorus (Istanbul Strait) Turkey

Crossing the Bosphorus, Blue Mosque in distance.

Pretty calm day after the hectic weekend drove most of the day just stopping for bread, changed another £5 in Samsun the first major port on the Black Sea. Pitched up on the edge of the sea for the night its cold and bleak, the seas choppy and its throwing it down. As cold as home and were nearly in Iran. Had a go at smoking a piece of Hash Bev bought 10 lira. He felt sick and me too and it did nothing,. So that’s me finished with that and smoking. Few dead animals by the roadside Dogs and Cows a fella skinning a horse.

(Corned Beef Beans Potatoes)

Stormy night, seas blowing strong, rain lashing all night, Syl and Bev soaking wet, spent the day drying out bedding. From Samsun we followed the road to Trabzon before turning inland, then we climbed for 3 hours up and up thought we’d never reach the top into clouds then snow 6,600 ft Zigana Pass. Lots of people living on the lower slopes but as we climbed it became less and less populated. Schools at different levels on the pass and women carrying terrific loads on their backs. The land is worked the same as generations past, some working with wooden ploughs pulled by an Ox. Dropped down now on the way to Erzurum, 120 miles.

(Farmhouse stew and rice)

Mount Ararat in the distance, in the 50’s it was claimed a piece of wood from Noahs Ark was found there

Splendid, early start, no bother during the night, LD blowing black smoke, heavy.

Good run from Bayburt all the way to the Iranian border. Snow, rain, blazing  sun.

Had Half hour sun bathe by the roadside after nearly getting LD stuck. Fantastic scenery through thawing snow covered mountains, few eagles soaring, 2 Storks fighting on schoolhouse chimney. Decided to drive all the way to frontier, good sunset on film. And on out of Turkey. Been reasonably cheap diesel 3/- a gallon, had no bother since Istanbul.. Met 6  in a Bedford van at Iranian boarder, students, been all round India. Gave them a pack of bacon, very happy. On tomorrow into Iran.

(Sausage potato and beans)

Sunset across a desert with village in front Turkey