Turkey - Ordu

 1974

Thursday, 4th April

Neil removed the ignition switch and started the engine by manipulating the wires. The only thing is that we won't be able to lock up. We drove the rest of the way to Trabzon along the coast which was quite pretty.  We then drove up a very mountainous route with very good roads considering the conditions they put up with. We went through a high pass into the clouds where it was snowing. Quite a hair-raising journey as the roads were very narrow. Everyone we passed seemed very interested in us, either wanting cigarettes, a lift, a wave and some little boys were throwing stones at us. Passed another English V.W. which was having more difficulty with the pass because it was more loaded up. Spent the night by the road just outside Bayburt. In the night someone stopped and blew their horn for ages, presumably to wake us up. Very mixed weather all day.

2025

Tuesday 17th June

We caught the last flixbus of our journey today which was a bit sad.  We thought taking buses would be a poor substitute to trains but this was not the case in Turkey.  We had a welcome email the day before, then an email to tell us when the bus had arrived at the bus station along with the registration plate number.  We had front seats and were served coffee!  The roads were good and the scenery beautiful.  There is also a handy app which gave all the information we needed.  Ordu is a beautiful!  It is more of a holiday resort whereas Samsun was a port.  We went on the cable car and had dinner in a restaurant at the top overlooking the city.