19 June 2008
Kristina’s Highway to Hell tour day 7
Today we managed to get away on time for our long trip to Goreme. About half an hour out of Egirdir we get stopped by the police for our papers, something which should not take 45 minutes. Day 7 is all about timing any other days don’t matter too much but if you don’t get in on time for Turkish night, they lock you out! We get moving again and the driver decides to make another stop to have tea and a cigarette. Putting us even further behind time. Before we get to Konya the passengers need a 10-minute toilet break which the driver turns into a half hour toilet break.
We get into Konya and the driver can’t find the Mevlana museum, I think he is kidding because it’s just about the biggest thing in Konya and is right in front of us! I point at it furiously not wanting to lose more time.
I only had three girls today, which is kind of nice, Erin, Karla and Sam, they went into the Mevlana museum for about half an hour and then we had kebabs a bit down the road. The driver gave me the keys to unlock the bus and then went off to get his shoes polished and to buy souvenirs, losing us even more time.
We finally get going and start along the Silk Road, I tell the crew they are now on the Silk Road, they are thrilled to bits as they didn’t know they would get to travel it. Happy crew means happy captain (Me). We get to the largest Caravanserai of the Silk Road and I stop the bus and we have a 20 minute look around. The place always seems to be deserted so exploring it made for a good break from driving and tea stops. We then got back on the road, and I stopped the bus and took pictures of my crew on the Silk Road. I then got the driver to take a picture of the four of us on the road which was really cool.
We began driving again to Goreme and stopped several times as the window rubber on the bus was flapping around and the driver was trying to fix it. Annoying. Time is getting along andalong,s nearly 7:30pm, we are supposed to have arrived at the hotel ages ago! We are about 15 minutes away from Goreme and the driver stops for yet another smoke break! “Hiya! Hi Digi Dillem! Goreme! Late!” I yell frantically pointing at my watch. He ignores me and keeps on smoking. We get into the hotel with about half an hour to spare and I tell the girls to hurry up and get ready.
We leave for Turkish Night and get there on time…I feel as if a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Turkish night is great, the girls really enjoy all the folk lore and the whirling dervish show. They especially enjoy it when I get chosen, yet again out of a crowd of hundreds to get up and belly dance. We end up leaving about midnight, bring on Pacha Bar!