Lycian Way- ‘Like’

We have been in Turkey for a week, so here’s a little story about what we got up to.

We come here a lot to visit my (Jim) Mum, she’s lived here with Terry in Antalya for 7 years. Mum writes a column in a English language national newspaper and is a Primary school teacher too. Terry is a travel writer and Archaeological Tour Guide.

A few years ago Terry was part of a team that way marked and wrote a book about the Lycian way, a 509 km way-marked footpath around the coast of Lycia in southern Turkey, from Fethiye to Antalya. We have been meaning to walk a stretch ever since and as I still can’t cycle since I killed a car door with my chest we couldn’t complete the cycle tour in Turkey we had planned.

So we took a bus from Antalya and after a couple of changes were in Olympos, an ancient city that once housed Romans, pirates and Greeks. There are also some rather more recent dwellings, treehouses, which are home to a new generation of travellers- the backpackers! It is now a well established destination on the ‘packers circuit of Turkey. We chose to stay at Bayrams on my sisters recommendation and guess what? She was right as usual, a lovely little place that had a fire in the evening that everyone gathered round and enjoyed dinner and cold beers together, it’s 35tl each including breakfast and dinner!

But back to the Lycian Way, we did the leg that starts in the Ruins of Olympos and heads west up a steep valley. It is clearly marked with red and white stripes. We hiked for a couple of hours until we reached some more ruins where we sat and downed our water. We were drenched in sweat, I can see why they don’t recommend you do it in summer, a cloudy spring morning is hot enough. The four bottles of Efes the night before had not helped our hydration levels.

We ‘liked’ the Lycian Way and if you like walking you will too. Especially if you, like us, enjoy hiking away from the crowds of the Alps and such places. We didn’t see anyone all day but we’re sure we heard something big in the woods. Although we had just watched the Liam Neeson film about wolves 2 nights before.

Oh I almost forgot, there is a beach to read (sleep) on and a sea to swim in!

Back on the road!

I can’t tell you how good it feels to be back in the saddle again and “free”.
I have for the last two months been bike-less, due to it being stolen then finding it hard to replace, due to lack of money, choice and time.

I have now been loaned a a bike from my auntie until the trip to get some well needed training in and to avoid the hellish bus journeys I have been experiencing.

It felt great to be able to get on my bike this morning in the freezing cold and cycle all the way to work, without having to wait ages at the bus stop, squeeze next to someone on the bus, listen to their awful songs on loudspeaker on their phones, wait at traffic lights and, pay, ACTUALLY pay!
I just hopped on my bike and 15 minutes later no traffic lights or screaming kids and I was there, very quick compared to the hour on a bus!
Suffice to say I am very happy to have my bike back again with an expensive Kryptonite lock to secure it I may add.

So I returned home from work today (by 5:15) to find a lovely printed training programme pinned to my wall…. Jimi has been busy devising a programme to help me get even more fitter for our trip in the not too distant future. To be precise,only 190 days!

So off I go to do my tricep dips, dorsal raises, press ups and a jog down the road before my lovely healthy dinner which Jimi is making as I speak.

Watch this space for updates of our fundraising events to come and updates on how the training is going.

Charity Poker night

Our first fundraising event took place last month in the form of a poker night.

So off to the wholesalers I go to purchase food and beers, with the plan to sell the refreshments at a small mark up and the profits going to the Oxfam fund. The invitations went out, we did have one guest arrive 4 weeks early due to idiocy, but everyone turned up on the night including guests from as far a field as London, Shrewsbury and New Zealand.

So me being the only girl among a room full of men ready to play poker, I do admit to feeling a little intimidated by the talent (or what I though was talent) in the room.

After a couple of hours I was still in with a chance with a nice pile of chips. I wasn’t even the first or second, or third out of the game which I was very proud of and at least I wasn’t as bad as Jimi “Fold” Davies!

The next day with a few empty beer bottles and dirty pizza plates, the poker money tin had £82 in it and a good start for our fundraising.

Our only regret was inviting “The Andy’s”, a couple of well known poker sharks just back from the World Series, they went home with (small) handfuls of cash. (Gritted teeth) “Well done lads”.

Watch this space for more events; were planning a gig, a sports tournament, a huge raffle, charity bike wash, a race night with pies an peas …. also open to ideas.

After the christmas period of food, drink, friends, family and a spot of illness we will get into training for the trip and get our fundraising heads into gear.

Thanks all and hope to see you at the next one.