Overland in Turkey

Today is one of our last overland

Hanging out at the hotel, waiting for train time.

travel days in Turkey.  Doing the research it looks like the best way to head toward Izmir and Selcuk, which is where Ephesus is, is by train.  Once we were packed up and checked out of the hotel I headed down to find the train station and get our tickets.  I was stunned when the guy informed me the cost was 55 Lira for all four of us for a 3 hour train ride, that’s less than $25 Canadian!  We had a little bit of down time until our train left so we hung out at the hotel until we were close then headed down the long 5 minute walk to the station.

As we waited for the train, Jenna was complaining about the heat, something we were all thinking but just trying to tolerate, when I looked up at the thermometer in the station..... 44C!  Not sure if I’ve ever been in that hot but at least its a dry heat, I’m not completely dripping sweat like I was in Istanbul but wow, we’re not moving too fast, that’s for sure.  We managed to find good seats and throw our packs above us and we were off.  We stopped at all the little towns along the way but it was a great way to see things as we headed for the western coast of Turkey.  At some point during the trip the air conditioning shut off and the train just kept on getting more packed with every stop, people in the isles, squishing onto seats, you name it.  I now know why the tickets were so cheap!

Stork nest.

Our hostel for three nights.

We showed up in Selcuk and took a bit of a roundabout route to the hostel but it does seems cooler here with a nice breeze (I was still dripping sweat by the time we got there).  The hostel is really cool with the whole upper floor a terrace where we eat breakfast and hang out playing chess.  Alyssa and I got back into the chess routine again but she’s a bit rusty after learning all Rich’s tricks from Wales.  The other neat thing about Selcuk is there are stork nests everywhere.  We were welcomed by a flock of storks soaring over the terrace.  The hostels are definitely the way to meet other travellers around here and get all the tips and suggestions.  Turns out tomorrow we can get a free lift up to Ephesus and walk down along a shady walkway back to the hostel.  We were also told to go early as it really heats up.  Selcuk is a pretty little town that’s going to be our last home in Turkey for the next few days.

Not sure what these are?!?