The overnight bus from Denizli to Cannakkale was good but long and not much sleep was had. Due to it being low tourist season some places we go there are little or no fellow tourist for example we were the only non turkish people at the bus station and on the bus which is good as it gives us more of a real feeling about the country and the people. We arrived at Cannakkale just before 7am and only had about 40mins to gather ourselves before starting our day. Firstly we went to Troy and as I was saying before we were the only tour there which consisted of us 5 and and a NZ couple. Our tour guide was fanastic and very knowledgable as he has written a book about Troy and Gallipoli which we bought and he signed it for us. After Troy we headed off to Gallipoli. This place is mind blowing to see and be there. Once again we were mostly the only people at the sites. The only time there were other people were Turkish tourist at the Turkish memorials. Just image this, I was standing on the landing beach at Anzac Cove on my own, very eerie. James and I walked the length of the beach and back again soaking up the place and experience. After James went on ahead back up to the bus I was standing in this historical place on my own. People said we were mad going this time of year but we think it is great as we are seeing these places without the crowds and throngs of people. We spent a long time at Lone Pine also looking at the memorial and names of the soilders. We walked through the trenches and the boys were looking for shrapnel. Ben found a piece and a friendly old turkish lady who had a stall at one of the sites took a interest in James and gave him a piece of shrapnel and a piece of bone. In the evening Bruce and James collapsed in a heap and Robert, Ben and myself went to a Hamam which is a turkish bath where for 30 lire (approximately $A28) you got almost naked except for a sorong type piece of material and laid on a hot marble slab and when you are hot and sweaty and almost sizzling a turkish man or woman in my case who spoke not a word of english washed, scrubbed,massaged, cracked, stretched your body for over an hour, in many different positions. Afterwards we felt extremely clean and rejuvenated but totally exhuasted at the same time.
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