Amazingly enough we managed to get up at 4.45 am for the balloon ride. Errin has been on one before but this was my first time and it was well worth the early rise and a great way to start the day. Our pilot was very skilled as he maneuvered the balloon down into the canyons but then rising up and clearing the sides making it feel like you could reach out and touch the side of the cliffs, but you really couldn’t. The views were spectacular and Errin did a quick count of the number of balloons in the air – she got at least 45. With 20 people per basket at 150 euros a pop it is a license to print money! We were with a bunch of French and they did not stop talking – they nattered incessantly the entire time and we were at a loss as to what they could possibly be saying every second of the trip! Our landing was well executed even though we had a few potential tips but the ground crew kept us upright. Those guys worked hard as they pulled and pushed the basket on to the truck bed as we floated for just a bit longer to allow this to happen. The wind direction and strength was determined…by tossing dirt into the air and the truck pulled the flatbed to a point that allowed the balloon to collapse safely. We climbed out and were treated to champagne with cherry juice (interesting combination) and cake before we were driven back to our hotel for a much needed breakfast.
The rest of the day was spent checking out different fairy chimney places and we had lunch in one, which was fun, and the food was delicious. We had a couple of hikes throughout the day so we didn’t feel too sloth like. We also visited one of the underground cities in the area used when the people had to hide from the enemy – those folks were much shorter than us as we had to squat quite a few times especially through the connecting tunnels. Very cool.
Airport security in this region defies explanation. Once again we had to put all of our things through the x-ray as we entered the airport. Errin was asked to open her bag and the guy kept pointing to a part of her bag, but they wouldn’t touch it themselves. She pulled the thing apart and showed them all areas they pointed to even though we were both baffled as to what was of such interest in her check-in baggage. It seems that her shampoo and conditioner bottles were the items of interest…..pretty lame so we think they were just bored. We walked the 80m to the check-in desk and I had to ask if some of the stuff in my carry on was okay (you never know over here what is okay or not….but most of it is not acceptable in North America). I had to get it weighed and it was not acceptable so I had to decant to my backpack…..and the guy was happy. So, where is the logic? I was still carrying on the same amount of stuff. Crazy.
Then we sit and wait a bit for the time to go through yet another security check about 30m away…..what on earth could we have picked up in that time? So we go through thinking that this is a breeze. Not so much. Poor Errin was asked to open her bag as they saw something they thought was odd (remember, the dangerous looking shampoo and conditioner bottled were already en route to the airplane). What could it be this time? A couple of mosaic tiles she bought in Egypt which have been through so many security checks by this point that they must surely glow in the dark, but to these Turks they were items of interest. I have a theory. I think Errin was the item of interest and it was their way of keeping her engaged for a bit longer!
To Izmir……
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