Istanbul

Hello,

I know i've not updated for a while, but internet is pretty sparse in Kenya.

First I've got to think back to Sofia, which seems like ages ago, but in reality was only about 2 weeks ago. It was pretty boring, I found a nice hotel and wandered in to get a map and other freebies, standard practise by now. I walked to a few of the churches and other sites, quickly tired of the place and went to an internet cafe and did the last big blog post. Got the train out of Sofia at about 7 pm of the same day that I got there. By this point I'd decided it was a good idea not to reserve places on night trains, but instead sit in the ordinary seats, which were often the same as a couchette (the awful train ride from Amsterdam to Berlin) but without curtains, and usually with no one else in them, so you can spread yourself out a bit. This seemed to have worked well again, untill I was awoken by a ticket inspector who told me I had to move to another carriage. I asked where the other seating carriages were and got the response "No". Not in the mood to make him elaborate I just got on the next carriage, a sleeper, and found another ticket inspector. He spoke better English, or was less ignorant, hard to tell with the first guy, and told me that they didn't have anymore seating carriages, but would pick one up at the border, 30 mins away, untill then I should stand in the corridor. I wandered down the train a little until the corridor got warmer and then waited. Through the window I saw Brandon, an American that me, Michael and Paris had met on the boozy night train from Brasov to Varna. Brandon and Jeff had stayed on the train to Sofia, while we had changed to Varna. I chatted with them and some guys from Singapore, who I had also met on one of the trains from Brasov to Varna. At the border we all had to get off the train for passport control, it took ages, and I forgot I'd have to buy a visa, luckily Jeff saved me from a lonely walk back to Bulgaria and paid for mine as I had no money, it cost $20 US. Then I got back on the train, found an empty bed and lay in it, they hadn't added a seating carriage. 30 seconds later a man came and asked for my reservation. I just moaned at him for 5 minutes and he eventually just went away.

In the morning I met up with Jeff, Brandon and the guys from Singapore (Singaporeans?), as the Singaporeans (I'll just run with it and wait for the comments to correct me) had a map with all our hostels on, and they were all very close together. I also paid Jeff back with dollars that I realised I had in my bag all along from my Grandma at the airport. We all met up for lunch and then went to the Blue Mosque, an Underground Cistern thing (I know, culture vulture or what!) and the palace. They were quite good, the underground thing had fish in it, which was a nice surprise, as far as I can make out it used to be a reservoir, don't know why its a tourist attraction. That night we ate and drank, and drank, in a bar near the hostels.

I woke up the next morning and realised that I had spent way too much the day and night before, so I took most of the day off and just wandered around a bit. Michael had decided that he too was coming to Istanbul, so I met him and a guy called Nick from his hostel, and we went for a beer. Then me and Michael met Jeff and Brandon and went to a Turkish Baths, it was pretty weird, you wear nothing but a towel, and then lie on the floor of a big sauna type thing and then you lie on a slab of marble and a turkish guy cracks all of your joints and gives you a painful massage then you lie on the floor again. Afterwards we got some kebabs and went for a couple of drinks.

The next day the four of us went to Asia, it takes about 20 mins on a boat from Europe. The asian side was a lot less touristy than the Europe side, which has the blue mosque etc. We just had a wander around. That night we had a few beers in the bar below Brandon and Jeffs hostel. A girl reminded me how to play backgammon, then I beat her 2-1. I got some lucky rolls but I'll take the victory. A Turkish guy then tried to teach me some more basic strategys and I beat him in that game, although technically he was playing himself, because he told me what moves to make, but i'll take that win aswell. We said fairwell to Jeff and Brandon, they were leaving early in the morning.

The next day Michael and I went to the only bit of Istanbul that we hadn't seen. We went up something big, can't remember what it was. Then we walked to the main area with all the bars and shops. We got lost on the way back until eventually a guy from a sports club guided us to where to get the bus from, but I could see where to go from there so we walked. On the way back we stopped and got a fish sandwich next to the river, everyone was eating at patio furniture. After a while a big boat came and caused a wave to come up onto the side where everyone was sat. It was awesome, everyone screamed, picked up their backs and ran away from the edge.

I said goodbye (again) to Michael the day after and got a bus to the airport. Something I haven't mentioned yet is that my uncle sent two suitcases to Istanbul for me to take to Kenya, mainly full of clothes and books etc. for the kids at the orphanage, but also with sun cream and other things. I'd managed to cram everything into one suitcase and my rucksack. At checkin the woman said my suitcase was 15kg over the limit, and my rucksack was 5 over the limit, and that each kg over would cost an extra 39 euros. I smiled and said "I'll be right back". I went to some seats and sorted through everything, putting slightly less necessary stuff in plastic bags. Sun Creams, some toiletries, sweets and biscuits. I went back to the check in, knowing I would still be over weight. The woman that looked like the boss had gone, so I went to the same girl I went to earlier, she seemed nice. Before putting my stuff on the belt thing I explained where I was going, helpeing kids in a orphanage etc. Talked about how little they had. I also tried to be as charming as possible, something I struggle with in normal life. Eventually I put my suitcase onto the belt, 8.5kg over "That's ok" she said smiling. Get in! Next my hand luggage. 2.5kg over. "That's fine too". I could tell I could still get more out of her. I carried on talking and smiling, there wasn't a queue. I offered her some of the Jammie Dogers that I had taken out of the suitcase, she laughed but declined, then looking around for the boss woman she said "but maybe you can add one box of sweets and biscuits when you leave this desk" she said winking. I thanked her and walked around the corner, then crammed as many in as I could and pulled the straps on my rucksack to make it appear smaller. The woman from the front desk met me again at the gate. "Did you get much more in your rucksack?" "Just the one packet of biscuits" I said, and winked back. She smiled, and I got on the plane feeling like James Bond or something, it was great.

I had to change planes at Doha, Qatar. From the plane it looked awesome, very flat and dusty, but I couldn't explore because I didnt have a visa. I got a free meal, but otherwise it was a very boring 14 hour change over.


I may try my best to use the limited internet at the orphanage later to do a bit on Kenya, but we have to leave the internet cafe soon to get back to the orphanage.


More to come.....