Turkey is expensive, .. fuel is £1.40 per litre, but the hospitality and friendliness of the Turkish people is second to none.
Last night we arrived in the small coastal village of Koccalli on the Black Sea in search of a free place to pitch our tents. Seeking out what looked like the nicest piece of seafront real estate, I cheekily suggested to the guard at the complex gate that it would be an honour for us to camp here. Unfortunately, although the guard seemed more than willing to allow us access to his beautiful beach, ... access for the Tigers would be impossible for riders with our ability, ... we haven't mastered 'Sand' yet.
From behind us, .. we see the beaming smile of Ali, the Chief of Police for Ankara. His holiday home is on the complex, .... we must camp in his garden. We pitch tents and meet Ali's wife and father for more Chai and strawberries dipped in honey, .. delicious.
This morning we woke on our fourth beach, on the fourth different sea in four consecutive days, on two separate continents, .... this is traveling at its ultimate best. We said farewell to Ali and his father and headed off, .. East towards Trabzum and eventually the ferry across to Sochi in Russia. A few kilometers on we stopped the bikes and from nowhere 'Urzal' appeared and invited us for 'Chai'. Within minutes we were sitting under a constructed sun shelter with Urzal and his Father drinking Chai and eating the most amazing bread that I for one have ever tasted. Urzal spoke no English and only a little Arabic, ... but we talked and ate for about an hour about his life as a baker in Turkey. He would accept no money but wished us well as we headed on along the Black Sea coast.
From here on communications may become difficult as we're unsure of Internet access in Russia. However, given that with the exception of Italy we have found everything that we need freely available in the strangest of places, ......... perhaps even more pleasant surprises await us.
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