VW Kamper Van has been returned to us... bestowed with many new parts... and ready to withstand another trial of driving the chaotic Turkish roads in search of tranquility and escape... from the city... from work... and all that comes from teaching or being taught to in the unique and mentally challenging environment of an international school.....

We just arrived back in Istanbul after our last stop in Turkey--Safranbolu. It was the perfect end to the trip because it was a cute town that local Turkish people go to vacation. It really is just a nice little town in the mountains with lots of old Ottoman houses and buildings and lots of little kitchy shops. Oh, and they sell Turkish Delight ...

What an enchanting place! Martin and I caught a late morning bus to Safranbolu, east of Istanbul. Travelling by bus is the way to go in Turkey as buses are clean, comfortable, travel to almost anywhere and are very inexpensive - we paid about $18 CDN each for a six hour trip! Bus depots or "otogars" are never in the centre of towns here; rather,...