A slightly fuzzy head woke me up at the crack of dawn today. Only very slightly fuzzy but it was the first time I'd experienced that in about 50 days. A hangover is definitely something I will be getting less of from now on, not because my body has evolved to cope with alcohol's horrible morning-after side effect, no, I'm still working on that. It is simply because just the odd one has been sufficient enough to enjoy the night or get over a toughie of a day. I hope this continues when I get back and I'm sure being away for so long will have a lasting effect on me in the drinking and consequent hangover department!
Breakfast was the same as yesterday only without the chocolate spread. Just when I fancied a chocolate spread sandwich as well! I spent quite a while writing yesterday's blog at the breakfast table and then a plan of action for the day. I need to get some spokes and then Riza mentioned last night about how good the Princes Islands were and it only cost 5 lira to get there and 5 back. That was me sorted then, spokes, bit of island hopping and a few beers to see in my actual birthday should be a good way to say guly guly (goodbye) to Istanbul.
I said my goodbyes to Marco and Margherita as they were getting a bus to Pamukalle and wouldn't be back for a day or so. We will definitely keep in touch through Facebook and maybe I will bump into them again cycling around the world somewhere! As I returned to my room the 5 German lads that stumbled in after me last night were awake. Three of them were cycle touring as well and they were on a bit of a lads holiday and all aged around 22. We had a good chat and it was one of their birthdays yesterday so we were maybe going to see how the day went with regards to an evening of Istanbul's finest Efes or Tuborg.
I set out toward the cycle street from yesterday but this time going the correct way down the Main Street towards the Galati bridge. I was walking in a bit of a rush because it was already half 11 and i knew the port for the ferry was quite a walk in the complete opposite direction. As i scurried, out of nowhere a rogue cycle shop popped up in the middle of the Guitar street! Talk about stroke of luck! I got 10 extra spokes and a spring in my step and looked to get food before the ferry. I don't want to talk about my food encounter, I turned down multiple places as they were out of my price range and got to the last place at the port, I waited ages for a rubbish kebab and paid nearly 6 times what I could've paid previously because I had extra chips and a drink! Absolute stinker, at least the ferry was cheap!
On the ferry you get to see the enormity of Istanbul (as if cycling through it isn't enough) I took a few good pics while I could and then out of nowhere a load of seagulls came flying alongside the boat and so followed a load of camera wielding people to capture them. What's that all about? Seagulls are everywhere, they're annoying, loud, steal your food and in my friend Craig's case commit mild GBH. The second you travel alongside them at the same speed however, all of a sudden the Jurassic Park theme tune plays and its like they're some glorious species of pterodactyl never seen before. You wouldn't do that if a creature of similar probably more annoyance like a mosquito decided he was going to walk up to you and bite you, you'll still smack him one wouldn't you!
Anyway, whilst all that was going on I made the most of the open side of the boat to take a few more pictures and also noticed a dead ringer for my friend back home so took a picture of her too. I've noticed a lot of Eastern European versions of family and friends back home but this was the best one yet. A. Because she was a girl but looked exactly like my mate who is a lad and B. she was asleep so didn't have a clue when I zoomed into capture her perfectly. Point C. Came later and was a bit more embarrassing when I realised I was sitting next to her friend as I was doing the whole thing. I only realised this when my subject woke up and started talking to her, I think they were talking about the fact I had just sat there and taken a picture of her but luckily at the same time the boat arrived in port and I chose a premature stop to get off at the second island instead of the fourth which was my original plan.
It turned out the second island was lovely. There's never much to do on an island is there so I sun bathed, had a few beers and before I knew it it was 5:30 and I decided to head back to get a good shot of the sunsetting from the ferry.
Here is where my afternoon took a turn for the frustrating. I had planned it brilliantly, got a good seat on the correct side of the ferry for the return trip and there was no way I was getting mobbed by birdwatchers if a flock of pigeons decided to rock up. I knew there were two island stops then a mainland stop and then my stop. Everything was going fine until the first mainland stop where absolutely everybody got off. I kick myself now for not asking where I was, I just thought I was on a different side of the harbour that I left on. I got off with the crowd, massive error Harding, MASSIVE error!
I soon realised I was not in Kabatas where I left from but thought its ok ill walk along the coast and make the most of a bad situation. I bought a beer and had a nice wander taking pictures of the fisherman with the sunsetting behind them etc and thought to myself well that wouldn't of happened if I had stayed on the ferry! I carried on walking for about half an hour and couldn't recognise any of the town names or buildings. I checked my little timetable for the ferries, the ferry I got on ended where I stopped anyway, the ferry that I got on ended on the ASIAN side of Turkey! I was bloomin miles away!!!
If I get a taxi it will cost me a stinking fortune but I had no choice, it would take me 6 months to walk back! I asked a taxi driver how much back to Taksim and he wouldn't even go there it was that far. I thought I'd make the most of it for a bit and walked along the main high street which was a lot more Americanised with high end shops. I saw the Colonel for the first time since England but resisted KFC as I had a small matter of getting back home to deal with. As I stood by the side of the road praying for some inspiration a van taxi gave me a beep and pulled over, I asked if he went to Taksim and the driver said no, wait 5 minutes. I stood waiting and lots of van taxis stopped for me but all going to other places then sure enough, I saw a Taksim one and called him over. In Turkey they have van taxis that run like shuttles and beep at people waiting on the side of the road and people just jump in, pay the driver how much to a certain town on the way to the vans proposed destination and jump out. I was pretty chuffed when a Turkish girl named Natali jumped in and was going to Taksim also. I asked her how much it was and luckily it was only 7lira, lucky boy I thought. The only trouble was I sat in traffic for 2 hours. Trying to always keep positive I thought, well I'm seeing things I wouldn't on my bike! Saw the Fenerbache stadium, some skyscrapers etc only trouble was the taxi driver was bombing it so I couldn't picture any of it!
We got out in Taksim square and the very helpful girl Natali took me as far as she could to my hostel but i knew my way from the square. I felt like a right idiot and I eventually got back at 9pm having left the island at 5:30pm on a ferry trip that should've taken just over an hour to get home. Annoyed and tired, beers were bought and all was smoothed out. I skyped my family as the night turned into the morning of my birthday and after that i celebrated a bit more. Turning 27 will not be forgotten for a whole multitude of reasons. I would very much like to forget the ferry incident though as quickly as possible!
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