We left The apartment around 6.30 and unfortunately our local baker didn’t open until 7am so we missed our last croissant. The train station was packed with early commuters but we manage to find half a seat and grimly held onto our bags while all the time watching out for pickpockets. There are warnings over the load speakers at every train station and every tourist attraction. We were half way to the airport when the train decided to go a different way so offloaded all the airport traffic. Of course the Turkish air counter just happened to be the further most from the train station so another 15 minute walk and we were booking in. Breakfast in the airport and we were on board. Soon after we saw the familiar sight of technicians coming out to the plane and received the familiar notice from the pilot that there was a technical fault. Not again. Yes another nearly 2 hours on the tarmac and eventually we were off. I asked the hostess if we were likely to make our connection to Pamukkale given our transit had reduced from 2:25 to 30 minutes. No problems she said but what she failed to take into account that probably due to our late arrival time they had trouble finding a spare gate to dock. Our only saving grace was that were were in row 10 only 3 back from business class and quick to get off. Off we ran and even though we were told we would be clearing customs in Denizli (the airport closest to Pamukkale) we had to clear a domestic customs and a transit station. The first corridor we ran along was at least 500mt with about 6 travellators but sometimes people clog these and it’s just easier to run the corridor. We were up elevators, down elevators, through passport control, through security where Danny once again had to take several attempts taking off shoes watch belt phone etc. In desperation he grabbed everything and ran bags open belt dangling holding up his pants from falling down around his ankles, yelling “I feel sick, I think I’ve left my phone behind”. I was not sure if I was going to laugh or cry but I just tried to keep running. Of course gate G9 was right at the further most point. I was still trying to keep it together when I saw Danny about 25 mts ahead of me trying to run the wrong way down a travellator. He somehow had a mental block and forgot the traffic goes on the right hand side in Europe. Just too funny for words. He looked like an old road runner cartoon and he was still holding those trousers up. We made it. They let us on and shut the doors I was a pool of sweat gasping for air and water. I think finally as we came into land an hour later my heart rate had finally settled. We disembarked and were shunted between domestic and international transit to go through customs but the customs officers had all gone home so we walked through. No passport check, no checking our special €60 visas no checking our vaccine certificates, and yes no luggage. There was also no lost baggage claim area so eventually I asked the guy in the duty free shop to take us to the information counter. He simply walked us around the back of the security screen and out into the arrivals hall to the information booth, no screening of our backpacks. They found our luggage in Istanbul – it couldn’t run as fast as we could. We navigated the ATM found our courier who had almost given up on us and jumped in the transport to Pamukkale. We shared the shuttle with two others who informed us they were Russian. I said to Danny “Maybe Olya would say remember the Major in Fawlty Towers”. Olya is our neighbour and she is Ukrainian and the Major in Fawlty Towers was always saying “don’t mention the war”. We had a great hotel in Pamukkale with a nice pool that we didn’t use but a great beer garden and cold beers which we did use. We tried not to think of our alternatives should our luggage not turn up.
Jane treks Lycian Way 2022 