Turkey, Spring 2000: “ANZAC Day at Gallipoli”

One of the things that I’ve always wanted to do as a New Zealander was to go to the ANZAC day ceremony at Gallipoli. It would in fact be my first ANZAC day service. I had arranged to meet my friend Andy in Istanbul upon my arrival, but as Andy had been travelling through the middle east for the previous two months, I wasn’t sure if I he would actually be at the Orient hostel where we had agreed to meet. This trip was not too well planned, as the Gallipoli peninsular is not anywhere halfway to the anywhere, but ANZAC day fell exactly halfway through the 15 days I had available.

Wednesday 19^th April

Arrived in Istanbul on the 17^th using my English passport – not realising that NZ gets free entry, and therefore paid 10 quid for the privilege. Got to the Orient hostel at about 18:00 after arriving at 15:00 and met Andy – then proceeded to head out for a couple of beers with him and Leah (who I had met on the

The Aya Spohia

plane) and out for food and a shisha. Saw some belly dancing (briefly) before bed. The next day we were in sightseeing mode in Istanbul and saw the Aya Spophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar and Hippodrome. I accidentally purchased a shisha at the bazaar and went out to drink beer and practice for when I get it back to London. Today was Istanbul to Cannakle on a bus with tea, cake, water and some hand freshener stuff; very civilised. We had mussels and a beer for £1 before watching a documentary on Gallopoli where I will be doing a tour tomorrow. Highlights: banana guy, and no money after buying tobacco and tea.

Thursday 20^th April

Today I did the tour around Gallipoli peninsula. I saw the museum, ANZAC cove, the beach where they first landed, Lone Pine, the Turkish memorial and Cunnuk Bair where the New Zealand memorial is. The tour left later than anticipated meaning a 9:30 arrival in Ayvalik where we found some food in the middle of the return Leeds vs Galatasaray UEFA cup football match. (this match was very passion fuelled, as two Leeds supporters had been stabbed in the first match) Luckily for us, Leeds were losing, but we ate well and are now awaiting dawn to see what the place we are staying in for the next few days actually looks like!

ANZAC Cove

Friday 21^st April

Last night the celebration by the victorious Galatasaray supporters was unbelievable!! Massive fireworks were like bombs going off outside our window, being in the middle of town didn’t help. It was very lucky that we got home before full time.

Andy and Ryan by the waterfont on Cunda after Dinner

Saturday 22^nd April

Yesterday we went out for a stroll around Ayvalik. We decided to stay in our current pension (even though there is no hot water and the cold is dodgy) so we went across to Cunda (an island joined to the mainland by a causeway) on the bus. Spent the afternoon drinking by the seaside in the rain and managed to score a full fish meal for 2,500,000 (£2.50) each down from 4million, including a beer! Carried on back in town, and tried Raki for the first and last time (aniseed!!!). Today started well, weather wise - despite the hangover, but it is slowly fading from its former clear blue-skied beginnings. Perhaps things will change when I get out of bed, we will have a look at Samamsakli Beach.

Saturday 23^rd April

Awoke this morning with the best hangover yet! Yesterday turned out to be a corker. Saramsakli Beach is 10-15kms long and we virtually had it to ourselves. Drank beer, swam and got sunburnt, then came back into town, had some kebabs and drank again with Adam at X-bar and then to Deep Blue where Andy met a nice Turkish girl. Today is overcast, we managed to clamber up to the top of a hill overlooking Ayvalik and get a photo. No electricity in the pension may prove difficult for an early start tomorrow morning.

Tuesday 25^th April - ANZAC day

Sunday night was interesting! We watched Galatasaray play Deneslisport, then went for a beer on the waterfront and as we were wandering toward Deep Blue when we met a 60 year old man who came with us. Met a Turkish girl there and got more hammered on the old fella’s tab! Up at 7:00 the next morning, for our ride back to Istanbul. We got to the Orient and the debacle began. They didn’t know that we were on the bus because we expected to be on the 8:00pm (actually 9:00) bus and they had put us on the 12:00. That worked out okay, but then we had to cope with a slow minibus and we got into Ecgabat at 02:00 and ANZAC cove at 4-ish. We missed the ceremonies (the view of) at 5:20 because of lack of space, but the NZ effort at Cunnuck Bair was excellent and well worth it. We sat in the first broken and then fixed bus with Jason, Adelle and Michelle for 3 hours and then finally (after 2-3 hours) sorted the bus for Selcuk. We drank until 1:00-ish in the morning to calm down and then off to a very welcome sleep.

Friday 28^th April

On Wednesday, I got up at 9:00 which was a lot earlier than most others, at the Kiwi Pension – to find it bucketing down with rain. After the rain had subsided somewhat, I got taken to the Kiwi carpet shop where I had to wait while they realised that I was not in the market for a rug and then it was off to Epheses.

The ruins of Epheses

The weather stayed good for most of the wander around the ruins until the last bit where I tried to get a photo down Arcadia way back to the amphitheatre. It was heavy, nasty rain that prevented me!! In the afternoon, we made a plan for the rest of the trip, booked a bus and went to the pub. Played hacky with a small child and two other blokes, and went off to the pension’s bbq where Andy made an arse of himself. Got up in the morning to find that there was no one with keys to open the safe which contained Andy’s stuff and the problem was only resolved five minutes after the bus was supposed to leave (they held the bus for us which was some consolation). It was six hours before we arrived in the  Ferah pension in Fetheyie and went for a wander around the waterfront with Leah (from airport bus in Istanbul) and had a beer in a café opposite some boat yards, then back to the pension where we met Scottish Vickey and Kiwi Michelle and went out for dinner. We went out for some more drinks after that on the Pension’s boat.

Monday 1^st May

The Lagoon at Oludeniz

We hung out around town on Friday morning and then for the afternoon went to Oludeniz for some sun and and swim in the beautiful lagoon that features on many of the tourism brochures for Turkey. This was followed by (as usual) beer. Bought some pants and a plastic bag for £27. Saturday was the 12 island boat cruise – we left late as a result of Michelle, Jason and Adele who appeared again, and met Jennifer et al. There were four stops and lunch for £7.50 (bargin!!) and we also spent a tenner each on booze resulting in a free drink for Andy (but not me!) who had previously been driving the boat! We went back to the pension and got our bags, skulled a bottle of red (Andy dealt to some raki) and caught out 12 hour bus ride back to Istanbul. After some initial rowdyness, we both slept most of the way. Istanbul was quiet on our return, the Grand Bazaar was closed, so no cheap jeans. We hung out with a kiwi bloke and got hammered!! Went to bed, leaving the sultana bar at 2:00 to get up for my 6:00 airport shuttle. Slept through the first alarm – so very lucky (or is that prepared!) to get the airport shuttle. Back to grey London now, and drinking!