For once we were able to get an earlier start to the day with breakfast at 7.30. Instead of the compulsory omelette we were given a poached egg along with the usual, cheese tomato cucumber olives jams tahini paste bread etc, etc. We were on the road soon after 8am and within 2 minutes trying to make decisions between the guide book, gps, and signs. In the end we were pointed up the road by an old villager who I had notice yesterday on her outside loo contemplating life. She had sent up on the road walking which was longer but easier and probably cut some time as eventually we did see the trek come in and it would have been a difficult scramble up onto the road.
Our first village was Bel about an hour away but we were all stocked up with water and a packed lunch so we walked through and started a walk through a forest. It was difficult even here to define the path at times as there are so many goat and sheep trails. It’s a constant search for markers and in these mountains there wasn’t a phone signal so no GPS. We came across a young German couple who were doing the walk East to West. They assured us that in a few days it gets a bit flatter. Fingers crossed they are right
Soon after the fun began. Downhill on a rocky steep decline for over 2 hours. One again picking our way slowly constantly searching for markers and in hot sun with little shade. We weren’t doing too badly for the first hour, the intensity was mainly in the concentration of looking for markers and watching where each step went as you didn’t know whether the rock would hold or whether it would be slippery. Some dirt footholds looked safe, some had a fine layer of silt that caused a slip. Then Danny had a fall and soon after we took a wrong track and I ended up sliding on scree and Danny behind me also sliding. We gathered ourselves and our belongings under a rock and about 10 mins later I hiked back to our last marker and found the right path. We then had to make our way across to the path slipping and sliding. Another rest. Both of us were spent. We were hot and sweating, our legs feeling like jelly with no strength and our water running out and not any indication of how much further. At one stage we had to climb down a narrow path about 40 cms wide and a steep drop off. It was harrowing but at the bottom it was at least shaded and we had another rest. We figured we had about 500mls of water each and 2 oranges. For the last 2 hours we were not able to pick up a GPS signal either. Around the corner of the ravine we could at last see the valley floor and the village we were heading towards and after another 40 mins finally came out onto level ground and a shop. The family welcomed us in and we both had a sprite, it was that or coke or salty yoghurt. We managed to stock up on another 2 litres of water each and the lady even gave us ice for our bottles along with grapes and pomegranate. We probably were sitting there for 20 mins just willing ourselves to cool down. The next hour or so was mainly road walking, once again with not much shade. We then headed off road towards Pydnai ruins, more rocks and piCking our way along I’ll marked paths. The entrance to the ruins was through a short gate and Danny looked like Pooh Bear visiting Piglet. Then he had too falls. I was worried he was really losing it when he walked off from the second fall without his poles and hat. We stumbled through the ruins and obviously had lost the track again. We could see where we needed to be but there was a large stretch of reeds and a lagoon between us and the main road. We say stepping stones through the reeds and came to the lagoon. We had thought the stones might go all the way but they didn’t. A man saw us from the other side and went and got his paddle and bOat and came and got us. I might say he was in his green undies that weren’t exactly holding everything in but I was more concerned with the fact that Danny fell into the boat and nearly tipped man and me out. He landed on his pack and how he didn’t punch a walking pole through the boat I don’t know. We handed the bloke $10 and he immediately said beer. After walking across a plank around someone’s gate we found the main road and a bus stop, no chair but a piece of cement under a eucalyptus tree where we waited to be picked up. The 20 min wait time stretched into 50 mins and it was all we could do to stem the panic. Our ride came and we were both wet through with sweat and covered in dirt from our falls. Another 30 mins drive and we were at the guest house. Thankfully our suitcases had been delivered to our room as we could hardly get ourselves up the spiral staircase. The house is nice with a pool and dinner and breakfast on the terrace. Nothing like a shower and a gin and tonic to brighten things up.
It took us half a gin and tonic and a check of the temperature for tomorrow (36C) to decide to stay put and rest up and swim tomorrow. We really are in the middle of nowhere. No bus no village so we will be confined to house and pool. Our hosts don’t speak English but their 12 yo grandson has come to stay for the weekend and he speaks impeccable English. Dinner was the usual array of salads dips, vegetables and then meatballs and rice. Danny is even getting to like the eggplant which we get at least 2 ways every meal.
Jane treks Lycian Way 2022 