Welcome back to backpacker land! Again I am surrounded with hippy types with bracelets all over, scruffy hair and oversized rucksacks. Such a nice vibe and its made for a very chilled out week after such a wild and busy summer in Scotland.
Olympos is a really beautiful village on the south coast of Turkey where jungley hills reach right down to the sea just leaving space for a stoney beach. Even in the 5 years since I came here first though, the place has changed. The river through the village is more filled with rubbish, the always-pumping music is more and more western and prices have almost doubled for everything! The hippy feel is still here but its gradually becoming more of a tourist resort. Still, Kadirs, where I'm staying manages to keep the friendliest atmosphere I've ever felt in a tourist resort!
There's lots of friendly faces here, Sonar the music man and Kadir himself "Hello Crazy Girl!!" and lots and lots of Germans. One pack in particular have welcomed me along on their adventures this week. A lads-on-tour gang who are banterful and daft. There's also a middle-aged turk named Ali (a NASA scientist) who seems to think my life is very interesting, and a californian with a drool-worthy camera who smokes something that smells wonderful...
The bar and my bedroom. Possibly the coolest in the whole place and i have cameras pointed in my direction all the time. "Hannah Montana, put your head out the window for my picture pleeeaaase?" Kadirs is entirely wooden houses on stilts, in trees and tucked into nooks and crannies. There are waggon wheels everywhere and it seems that visitors since it first opened have all left some mark - mad colours, pictures and a very homely feel.
Chimera Fires. Natural flames coming from the rock. An hours forest walk from the next village to Olympos. Amazing to see!
I didn't actually bring my climbing kit this time having got only hand luggage but there are always many helpful gear junkies! One highlight of my week was meeting German-Turk Mustafa and being taken along climbing on my last day. We spent a most jolly morning climbing with an American couple. AWESOME limestone sport climbing. Lots of very very gnarly turkish climbers too...
I really can't complain about this beach. Though we do find ourselves bimbling down, finding a patch of shade, playing uno and falling asleep for most of the day. After a week in outrageous temperatures and cloudless skies, I am very untanned! One evening on this beach had us dipping our toes in phosphorecence filled water, listening to rowdy turkish folk songs on an awful sounding guitar and almost giving in to the pleasant smelling joint being passed around...
My week finished with a bit of a bang when I managed to forget entirely what day it was and almost managed to stay too long! Totally should have stayed... However, Mustafa insisted on getting me some dinner so I wouldn't be hungry on the flight, Ali was on call in case I missed the bus and (sadly) I made it to the airport and onto the plane. There are SUCH NICE PEOPLE in the world!!! I am so lucky to keep getting the chance to meet all these people and I am always astounded by how much time and effort people lend me to help me on my bumbling way. I will miss this place and these people a lot. Until next time...
So now back to Kendal to work at the wall for next few months. Hopefully a few trad climbing days out with the old Lancastrian crew and the Lakelanders. I still feel smug about West Scotland getting the best of the weather this summer but lets hope autumn has something to offer... For anyone who knows about my leg, the latest xray has given it a tentative all clear. Happy days!!
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