Unlike the others, this post will entail two chapters. The reasoning behind this novel structured entry is due to the Backpacking Battlers having had two completely different experiences in Istanbul. You will understand as you read on, if you choose.

Flew into Istanbul airport with nothing but the thoughts of how good the week of sailing was. Melissa organised a shuttle for the five of us to drive us to the apartments we would be living in over the next few days. The trip from the airport was choccas with traffic gridlock for a lot of the way. Horst was in shock as to the way the traffic was flowing and the little remarks he made got Eddie and I chuckling for most of the way.

We were dropped off at Lush Hotel in the new town and after they stuffed us around – the hotel gave the impression we’d be staying somewhere different to where we were – the five of us got two taxis to Lush Apartments, about a fifteen minute drive. The air was thick with frustrated tension and I immaturely couldn’t help but laugh to myself. Was hard to contain. The reason I laugh is because occurrences like this happen to the Battlers daily. A few comments were dropped, my favourite being Horst saying “we’re staying in the boondocks”. Took me half an hour to try to write this down in my journal I was laughing so much.

After walking around, it was discovered that we were staying in a pretty trendy part of town. This area of the new town was like Surry Hills or Paddington. Given, this meant there was a hommo convention taking place every minute of the day, every day of the week. Real arty and musical area though so that was definitely a good change from when the Battlers were last here. Didn’t make us feel like we were doing Istanbul all over again.

Found an indie cafe on the corner of our street we had breaky at every morning. Met up with the Hookway’s and walked around all day. Went to a rooftop bar to have a drink before Daisy, Eddie, Jesse, Bella, Zoe and I walked down the main shopping street towards Taksim Square and went to a pub. Ended up sitting three or four stories high drinking shots, fire lit cocktails, beers and wine. Got pretty drunk and decided that we would control the music. It turned into a massive karaoke session singing the classics of Billy Joel’s ‘The Piano Man’, Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and System of a Down’s ‘Chop Suey’. The bar staff opened up the canopy roof to let a bit of air in. The other Turkish patrons didn’t seem to mind a great deal about our level of noise, in fact some bloke came over and said thankyou for livening up the place.

Went to the Grand Bizarre and walked around the same shops trying to flog the same crap they were selling last time. As Eddie, Horst and I were leaving we ran into Melissa and Daisy as well as the Hookway’s. Horst, Eddie, Daisy, Jesse, Bella, Zoe and myself got the tram back from the old town to the new town. It was on this sardine stacked tram that the men started touching the girls. It was so packed there was nothing we could do but just get off. And so that’s exactly what we did. Ended up walking back the rest of the way.

This really made me change my mind about some of the Turkish men. They see a bit of the girls skin and their eyes are fixed to it for kilometers. I didn’t notice the first time we were here because the Battlers weren’t traveling with female company but this time we were so it made it hard work trying to fend off creepy blokes trying to touch the girls. Ended up having to become real stern with them and look at them with a glance of ‘touch them and I’ll kill you’ otherwise some of the blokes wouldn’t stop trying.

Was old man Perks’ 50th so I FaceTimed dad and was able to be included in the present opening with the whole family. They could see me and I could see them. Makes you appreciate technology and the fact that I can even do what I’m doing here, updating a website of my travels from using just my phone. Unbelievable.

Went out with the Hookway’s for dinner as they were moving onto other European destinations. Had a fairly early night. Was sad saying bye to a family I shared such phenomenal experiences with but I’m sure I’ll see them in only a few months time.

Didn’t do much the next day. Had a real lazy morning. Daisy, Eddie and I got some professional photos taken of us dressed up in old school Turkish militiamen costumes. That was actually real fun. Eddie and Dais did a photo for their parents for their wedding anniversary, I did an individual shot for old mates half century birthday and then the three of us did a combined shot to thank Melissa and Horst for such a breathtaking and outrageously exhilarating experience.

Had a quiet dinner that night and prepared for their departure.

The next morning we all had breaky and then it was time to say goodbye for the second time. Knowing that this family has given me so much and treated me as their sibling and son made it all the more difficult to say not goodbye but ‘see ya next year’. They are also the last people to most recently see my own family that I have come into contact with since I left Sydney so that made it even more special.

For the rest of the day Eddie and I sat around watching YouTube, resting, eating, sleeping. I watched the Wacky Races, something I haven’t seen in years. Keep waiting for someone to walk in the door besides Eddie but it just doesn’t happen. I’m sure that feeling will subdue in no time at all. Eddie finished his third book of the ‘Game of Thrones’ series. I finished ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’, a book I would once again recommend to anybody. Unbelievable tale.

Last night in Istanbul before heading to Munich tomorrow for four days of bier and schnitzel at Oktoberfest !