Day 13: Gallipoli to Selcuk via Legendary Troy

Friday 5th October

Out of the campsite by 8.00am and quickly bordering the ferry that will take the bus out of Europe and carry me back into my old history and geography lessons and the evocative land called Asia Minor.

Once on the other side after a pleasant thirty minute crossing we were quickly handing over our ten lira entrance fee into the ruins of the city that launched a thousand ships and gave Brad Pitt immortality. I was surprised, reading one of the information sheets, that the real battle that Homer based his mythical story on was between the inhabitants of Troy and the Persians who were pushing towards Europe. Nothing really seems to change, two thousands years later lads from our final destination attempted a similar operation. I noticed at the museum the epitaph shamelessly inscribed, below the commemorative plaque by lying politicians Lest we forget. However, I enjoyed my glimpse of Troy and found the site interesting and well worth a visit

A little further down the road we were sent off to buy food at a Large Carrefour supermarket and were amazed to find a traditional open air market stretching from the supermarkets car park, a good couple of hundred yards, up to the mosque. If this is a sample of what is to come then we are in for a treat: fruit and veg arranged in pyramids, baskets of peppers and spices surrounding and embracing a smiling, weather beaten face that may also have encaptured the heart of some 20th Centre Paris before the sun and toil took its toll.

Arrived at Atillah’s at 7.00pm and again after much confusion we were upgraded from camping to a chalet with Noreen again. Had no time to wash or dress before a plate of mashed potatoes, salad and barbecued chicken was laid out around the pool area. We had been told by Leighton, on the bus, that tonight is party night and everyone must be in drag or no food and booze. Most people entered in to the spirit, especially the party gang who took the opportunity to expose has much of their bodies as possible skinny dipping in the pool. They eventually told by Atillah to put their clothes on. The evening then went very much as normal with the lads drinking themselves in to unconsciousness and the rest of us have a good time. Good fun later in the pool. Leighton was not happy when Jim threw him in dressed in his drag outfit.