| Summary | I have been in Europe three years ago in the latter half of Jun. I choosed Kapadokya, Pamukkale and Istanbul in TURKEY. I hesitated that Istanbul Airport was changed new one at half year before. But I thought it was no big problem. Turkish Airlines has abandoned the flights between Kansai and Istanbul about 3 years ago. There are some transit airports to Istanbul. Narita, Hong Kong, Seoul, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are popular, but I chose to transit in Singapore by Singapore Airlines. Because it was affordable , and the arrival time was suitable to get the domestic flight. |
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| The ways of domestic transfer | I selectde the airlines rather than the buses. It seems the airline costs are not expensive , as the crash of Turkish Lira few years ago. And airplanes are more secure than the buses. |
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| Itinerary | Depart in Kansai Airport around noon, and transit in Singapore then arrive
in Istanbul Airport. I choose the Turkish Airlines for domestic taransfer. The flight from Istanbul to Kayseri is about noon, then three nights in Kapadokya. Balloon Tour, Red Tour and Jeep Safari. After that Pamukkale via Istanbul. Two nights and hole day in Pamukkale. Move to Istanbul, stay three nights and two and half days there. Next day move to airport in morning, get back to Kansai Airport via Singapore. |
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| Transit in Singapore |
I arrived in Singapore at evening. Departure was midnight, so I woud like
to go Singapore. But It was rain at that time, I stayed inside of the airport. If I went to the city, I might catch a cold. It was too bad for travel afterward. |
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| New Istanbul Airport | New airport was under construction. Building was completed, but seems blank inside. | ||
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| Exchange | Accommodation fees by credit card. Balloon and other tours by cash(€),
as extra charge by credit cart. For entrance fees, expenses of buses trains and meal exchanged to Turkish Lira. |
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| Actualy I exchange Japanese Yen for Euro a little more than Tours fees
in Kansai airport. (Only ＄,€ are profitable to exchange in Japan) Exchange yen for minimum Turkish Lira in Istanbul airport, as able to use ＄，€. After came back to Istanbul from Pamukkale, exchange yen for Turkish Lira in down town. |
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| Big shops in airport were very bat rate, I found a small shop with good
rate. But 4% commission, then I took ATM, it cost also 4% fee after all. When I came back to Istanbul, found out good rate shop at Grand Bazaar. |
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| Domestic Airline |
There are two airports around Kapadokya. Nevsehir airport and Kayseri airport are almost same distance to Kapadokya. I chose Kayseri for inbound Nevsehir for out bound as flights schedule. I was bored with e-mail from Turkish Airlines when departures time chaned just 10 or 20 minute. After immigration in domestic check-in, I try to check in by machine,but don't work. A staff helped me, but didn't complete then he told me to go a counter. When I was boading I knew the reason why I could not check in by machine. The fleet was changed to A330-300, when I reserved the confirmation said B737-800 |
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| Kayseri Airport～ Goreme |
I receivde e-mail of several tours and pick-up from the hotel soon after
I have booked accommodation. I requested pick-up from the airport (€8). The car was almost full with about 15 person. The view form the car looked like Biei in Hokkaido, Japan. |
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| Cave Hotel in Goreme |
I selected Goreme from other places of Kapadokya, as center of Kapadokya. I might never stay in cave hotel, if I missed this opportunity. I found and booked a affordable cave hotel when I decided the itinerary six months before. |
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| Booking Balloon Tour |
I received invitation of tours from the hotel when I booked accommodation
six months before. I thought it was too early to book a balloon tour. When about one month before I visit, I sent some inquiry to the hotel. They told me balloon tours was busy this year. There was no opening on next day and day after next of arrival. Only last day was availbe. I tried to check at arrival time.(There might be some cancelation) Actually when I got there, there was no oponing for €１８０, €２２０ less capacity not stuffed was available. I compromise this in addition to the wind got stronger day by day according to the wether forecast. |
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| Balloon Tour |
I waked up 3:00, as pickup came 3:30 on the day. The car came just 3:30, we get the place to have breakfast at 4:00. I heard breakfast was light meal, but it was enough for breakfast. We got together each balloon groups, and took each cars about 4:40. We got the balloon about 5, then took off warming the air. It was dark as before sunrise. |
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| Landed on about one hour later. The name of company was Turkey Ballon.
After that we took Champagne, small balloon model, cap and boarding certification paper. |
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| Red Tour |
After Balloon tour, I got back to the hotel, then took a breakfast. Next Red Tour, the car came to pick me up at 9:30.(Red Tour cost €30) Minivans there were almost Sprinter by Mercedes which had not color painted and all white. I could not find out the car I shoud take, without taking note of the namber plate. |
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| Tour Detail |
At first Uchisar next Goreme Museum after that moved Avanos, visited a
pottery workshop. I saw demonstration there, a craftsman operated potter's wheel by his foots. Sales woman who spoke Japanes language came got closer to me. There were also sales who spoke Chinese language. We had lunch at the huge restaurant specified for group tour costumers, so there were lots of big buses and minivans. After lunch we turned back Avanos and visited a carpet factory. They performed that they threw some carpets horizontally, then the tone of color changed when they falled on the floor. After those visited Love Valley, Imgenation and Pasabag. |
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| Balloon from the ground |
Next daya got up early in the morning, there is the hill which is able to see balloons around the center of Goreme. |
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| Jeep Safari | The main tour on second day was Jeep Safari. We can choose morning tour
or sun set tour. I chose morning tour, car pick up came about 10. Only one costmer that day. The tour has regular places to visit. Though I could request the driver to go over there, as just the driver and me in the car. (€40) |
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| Uchisar | Jeep Safari finished about half past twelve. I decided to go to Uchisar
in the afternoon. I took a bus in the bus turminal which was located center of Goreme. It took about 20 minite from the bus stop of Fortress to the actual Fortress.(Entrance fee TL9) |
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| There were no way. |
I climbed down the hill to find a bus stop, or to walk for Goreme. If could not find a bus stop, it was easy to walk to Goreme as it seems a way to Goreme was downhill . Walking downward roads got narrower by narrower, then crossed field and down stone steps. Climbed the wall of fortress like bouldering, went through caves. I thought it was impossible to turn back, So the only thing I could do was moving forward. |
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| Came back alive |
I did not feel someone around there. I left my mobile at the hotel and
had no food just 500ml water. If I sprained my ankles on paths, I could not return alive. So I walked paths carefully, and softly when I encountered a big cattle. Then I was a steep path, it prevented me to go down. I heard someone shouted when I wondered what to do. The old man call out "there were no way forward." He asked me "where do you want to go" when I approached him. I told him I wanted to back to Goreme. He told me to follow him. Went through rocky places and steep up and down path. I reached road for Goreme. I gave him some money for gratitude. |
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| Last day | It lookde so beatiful to see balloons from the hill yesterday. I got to
the hill half past five, as I got lost. I got up early this morning to reach the top of the hill. Then took many photos. Almost balloons landed about half past six. After that I was heading to the north. |
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| Heading for Denizli |
I checked out of the hotel around noon, and headed to Nevsehir airport.
It was free for airport transfer to book a balloon tour and one more tour. There was no direct flight from Nevsehir to Denizli, so transited at Istanbul airport. I booked a transfer service from the airport to the hotel by internet.(TL50) |
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| Troubles in Airlport |
When we arrived the Denizli airport, I thought it was strange that all passengers headed for the international terminal from boading ramp. But I followed them, then waited for my laggage came out. I hardly found my laggage, at last the carousel stoped. I asked a staff my laggage did not come out, but I was ignored. A kindly man asked me whick airport did I get the airplane. I repled I got Nevsehir and transfer in Isbanbul airport. He told me my laggage might be Domestic terminal. Then My laggage was kept by a staff, few people have same problme. I gessed the people who got in Istanbul airport thir laggage came out the internaional carousel, who transited in Istanbul airport came out the domestic carousel. There was no explanation. The private local rule bothered me so much. |
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| Troubles | After all I took over one hour to go out of airport. I tried to look for a transter minivan, but I could not found it. I went towards a bus station, then asked them when buses depart. They asked me buses for Denizli depart depend on the arrival time of airplanes. Turning back to the airport and checked arrivals of airplanes. There was a arrival after 30 minite. So I returned the bus station and took a ride. Ater 20 or 30 minites of landing, passengers gathered gradually. The the bus was full, it departed for Denizli. Almost of all passenger might get off Denizli twon, 4 Chinese and me chaneged the bus on the way. I could hear the dirver of minivan negotiated their way back from Pamukkale with Chinese. They declined his promotion, as they had a reservation already. But it seemed the driver was pushy. At last the car went his office, then the driver discussed with Chinese. Waiting in the car, finaly they seemed to break down. The driver ordered me to get off the car. I had no choice but to find the hotel by myself. I was supposed to be droped off at the hotel, because the driver asked me my hotel name. (TL35) |
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| Disgusting Handlings in Pamukkale |
I finally reached the hotel. I was asked the approximate arrival time from the hotel by email. So I replied the day before. For the reasons aboe, arrival was late for over one hour. The hotel owner said to me he tried to charge on my credit card but he could not. I happened to change my card as accident about half year ago. I did no chancel and teh result did not show no-show. If he chould charge my card, he might close the entrance and go the bed. Airport Staff, Driver and Owner of the hotel. Disgusting Handling three times in a row in Pamukkale |
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| Traverten | Next day of arrival in Pamukkale, I spent whole day in Pamukkale. It took ten minites from the hotel to gaete. There were not so many people as before noon. Then many buses came around to the parking lot near the theater, it was getting busier and busier. Almost people seemed to take one day bus tour to be here. (Entrance fee TL50) |
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| To Istanbul | After visiting the Traverten, I staied one more night in Pamukkale. I was picked up the car to the airport in the morning, I bookde the transfer previous day. Same as the way to Pamukkale, chenged the car to the big bus on the way to the airport. I arrived the Istanbul airport around noon. There were no rail way from the new airport, so I took a bus. I needed to take the Istanbul Cart, but all ticket machines said Turkish language. I could not buy the card, so I paid by credit card in the bus. Almost places in Istanbul had no English, but only Turkish though tourist destination. After all I could perchase the Istanbul Cart, but I could not charge by myself. Charging machines had only Turkish language and spoke only Turkish. Kind people told me how to charge by chance. Turkish looked like Engligh, but the letters of "S",C" had leg or "U","O" had spots at their above. I had gave up to read them. |
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| First day of Istanbul |
I got off the bus around the Sultanahmet Camii. I tried to find the hotel, it was hard to find the hotel easly as usual. Asked some people, I reached the hotel after all. After check in, walked around there and took pictures. It was hard to take beautiful picturs of mosques, some were under renovation. The buildings around them kept me to take photos in some mosques. I exchaged to Turkish Lira at Grand Bazaar. |
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| Souvenir shops at Grand Bazaar. Beautiful potterys and lamps feel like stained glass. It was free just looking. |
| Second Day |
I walked through by the Blue Mosque, acrossing the Galata Bridge went new
town. Climbed the Galata Tower and went Istiklal street to Taksim.(Galata Tower Fee TL35) Alcohol brought from Japan almost ran out, I hardly found a shop selling alcohol. But I found rather expensive wine and bought yesterda. Way to theTophne Staion from Taksim, I came across a super market. I bought alcohol and Linden Tea which I drunk in Kapadokya. Linden tea had a uneque taste. I drunk the tea at the hotel in Kapadokya. Asked a hotel staff the name of the tea. He said Linden tea was slod everwhere in Turkey. |
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| Third Day |
There was the boarding point of the Bosphorus short cruise in the foot
of Galata Bridge. Boats started every 30 or 60 minites, passed under Bosphorus Bridge and FSM Bridge. And turned back. (€5, USD5 or TL25) |
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| Afternoon | After Bosphorus short cruise, I would like to see some mosques and so. But I got wrong way, so I was lost around Fatih. Next went to the Blue Mosque, I gave up to go inside the day before as crowded. |
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| Summary | Many people talked to me in Istanbul in Japanes Language nearly ten times. I ignored them, because I talked to them few times they seemed shaky. |
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| Currency exchange rate was better than data of few years before by crash
of Turkish Lira. (1Lira≒JPY50 → 1Lira≒JPY18) But almost fees have been rising everywhere caused by inflation. I checked email and compare the latest with half year before. Some company increased the prices. |
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| On the way back home |
Departure of flght was afternoon, I checked out about 9. I took a bus boud for Istanbul airport near the Blue Mosque. I had time in airport, I was strolling there. It was convenient for transit with some nap rooms in airport. I encoutered some rare airplane, for expample AZERBAIJAN, UZBEKISTAN and IRAN. (confer pages of airplne and airport) |
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| Brief stop in Singapore |
Arrived in Singapore in early morning, departure was afternoon. It was sunny, so I tried to go around the mosque in Singapore. There was more mural than I came before. After that I came back to the airport, and departed to Kansai airport in the afternoon. |
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