Saray, Turkey

... we were both greeted with much joy and tea. Some sign language later, we established what I wanted doing and we begun with Turkey's answer to Nicky Clarke giving me the most thorough and detailed hair-cut I have ever known. Then it was cut-throat blade ...

... ! Nipping over the border I passed through acres of empty forest, with the occasional wild tortoise wandering by. Bliss. The locals in Turkey instantly seem to take to a cyclist. Free coffees and teas at every stop. The landscape is hills galore - legs ...

We left Istanbul on the Sunday to travel to the Black Sea coast and the town of Kiyikoy. Our primary source of knowledge of Turkey, Ilker, had never even heard of the place, but off we went to Istanbul bus station, a place of such utter bedlam that it ...

... up steep switchbacks to the border. The border crossing was snowy and involved the usual delays, including having to buy a visa for Turkey which I hadn't prepared for - for some reason you have to pay in GBP or EURO not Turkish Liras. Luckily I had changed ...