Ashgabat to Istanbul Day 47 June 15th to 16th 2019
The blah days of travel happen. Why spoil the glorious traveller image, and fanstastical stories, with the mediocre?
Spoil I will. Here is a story about a couple of blah (though not too seriously) days
It began when our civilised-daytime-hour flight from Ashgabat to Istanbul was changed to leave at 2.30am in the morning. Not an hour we ever choose to fly at particularly now we are grey-haired and have a choice. Still, 2.30am it was.
A bonus was to approach the bird-shaped airport at night. The contrast of the dark ink night and the shining white marble curves of the bird-shaped airport. Entering the airport another marble extravaganza was overwhelming but efficient.
The flight was uneventful apart from my first experience of sitting in a middle seat with a gentleman next to me taking up a proportion on my space.
As we worked through this, we had also discovered our booking had an overlap – the hotel in Istanbul with our train trip across Turkey. The booking agent, through our credit card, was singularly pain in the arse and would not change the dates. Nor could the lovely hotel squeeze us in for our arrival.
So here we are at 5am – sleepless and without a bed. And slowly unfolding was Chris realising his “unwellness” was more than anticipated. Our plan had always been to spend the morning walking Istanbul as it awoke. Which we set off to do as soon as we had deposited our bags.
After a breakfast – Turkish coffee and a cheese pastry from a small local bakery we wandered towards the Grand Bazaar. Even the Grand Bazaar was still waking up – a perfect time to see it where the buildings take centre stage over the shopping overload. As we wander the early morning air highlights Chris’s increasing unwellness. Back to the hotel we go for advice on a medical clinic – a novel way to fill in time till check-in.
In an instant, we are given the contact for, and a taxi to, a hospital clinic. An astounding ride (what ride isn’t) in Istanbul through the tiniest crowded streets until progress is inhibited by a truck parked in the road. Only a 100 or so metres from our destination so we hop out.
With a little tetchy circular navigating we find the clinic. The visit keeps me wide awake. I should add it to my sightseeing list – love a little hospital tour. Within 1 hour and for under $100AUD Chris is seen twice by a Doctor, given a chest Xray, blood tests and a treatment regime for Pneumonia!!
By now it is check-in time and it is also rest time, big time, for Chris. Back to the hotel we go gratefully armed with treatment and the comfort that comes with a calm, competent, Doctor.
Catchups for me I think while Chris rests. First, I will just fix my Dropbox Sync and update. That process ended with me deleting all my files – hyperventilation, panic and no catnap. Many hours later I use the new Rewind function on Dropbox and fix my oops.
The next day cabin fever was setting in. Our room had a skylight but no windows. The sounds of the city and harbour filtered in but no sights. Leaving Chris resting I went for a walk through our neighbourhood and lunch.
Here I made a bad choice – even though I had the most delicious tuna salad. Several hours later a bout of Gastro laid me low alongside Chris. At least we were together!
The wonderful people at the cruise we had booked for the afternoon (with a no-cancellation policy) gave us a credit which we hope to use when we return to Istanbul.
The night at our first Eatwith and meeting new found friends at the “Living Room” was only marginally marred by our combined ill health.
No real complaints – we have a charmed and lucky existence. Helpful to remind myself the ups happen, and sometimes the minor downs happen. And nothing but nothing can dampen ones love for Istanbul.
