621andys' Turkey thread

[621andy]

OK, bit of background. I'm working in Turkey as a balloon pilot, specifically in Kapadokya. I ride a '93 Africa Twin which I brought here from Germany.
I'll be working here until the end of october.

Because we work every morning, I only get to do day rides, but I do get about a bit I'll sort them chronologically if I can!

Some of these pics have appeared in other threads, but I thought it was time to get them organised. I'll try and sort them by destination, or general area so you can get some idea of what is what.

If anyone wants more info, or to meet up if you're passing through, then just drop me a line. I check my mails daily usually in the morning, so give me a bit of warning!

Anyway, enjoy, and feel free to comment...constructive or otherwise

[621andy]

I arrived at the end of march in warm sunshine...a week later it was snowing



I took the car out in the snow, and when it cleared through in the afternoon, I put my winter woolies on and took the bike out for a run;



Some of the snow had already melted, but there was still a fair bit around, and more on the way!

[621andy]

In the evening, the snow had cleared through, leaving stunning visibility...so another trip out







Ürgüp;

[621andy]

A few days later it warmed up a bit, so I decided to practice this standing-up lark Never tried it before...

I headed out to our launch site and took the missus and the camera...

















It was actually quite fun, and easier than I thought

[621andy]

There was still a lot of snow on the mountains, so a day out to one of our local extinct volcanoes looked like fun

Hasan mountain is about 3280m high, and is to the south west of Göreme.





At 1100m metres it was pleasantly warm, but as I went higher the temperature dropped dramatically...aided by the bloody strong wind!





At around 2700m, there was still quite a lot of the white stuff.


After freezing my nuts off, I headed back down towards Güzelyurt...







A fun but cold day out

[621andy]

I spent several weeks waiting for my licence to be validated, and my work permit to be approved, which gave me time to go and take some bloony pics!



We try and fly into the valleys as much as possible, but with up to 80 balloons flying here, it can get a bit busy..

[621andy]

My lap top battery is about to die, so I'll post one more set, then jack it in for the day...you'll have to wait until tomorrow for the next thrilling instalment

We actually live in Ürgüp, which unlike Göreme, is a 'working' town. Overlooking the town to the east, is a ridge which is around 500m higher tha´n the town itself. My little 125 struggled up this hill last year, but my AT flies up it the view from the top is spectacular, but again, the wind was howling when we went up..











Anyway, that's all for today folks!

[ghoran]

Very nice pictures!...
I've been in Uchisar in 2006 and we've been on the balloons too!...
You're locky to work in a so nice land!

[ClearwaterBMW]

wow....
very, very nice photography
love the pictures and the words behind them
a balloon pilot in turkey
very, very cool
SUBSCRIBED
can't wait to see more
thanks for sharing

[621andy]

Ok, here is todays instalment

On a hillside to the north of Göreme are some very strange sculptures. They've been built by an Australian artist called Andrew Rogers. Some of the shapes are recognisable...others, well your guess is as good as mine
Anyway, it's possible to ride up to the top of the hill....Actually, the man himself was there, setting up his laetest standing stone(the last got hit by lightning and collapsed!). Only had chance for a quick chat before he rushed off for lunch with the assembled journos..











The shapes are made of stones stacked up in a dry stone wall stylee, and stand about a metre high. They're visible when we fly.


Not a very good pic, but you get the idea



The view from the top of the hill can be spectacular too. It was a bit grey and grotty so I didn't bother with a pic.

[621andy]

About 80km to the east of us is another extinct volcano. Mount Erciyes is 3981m high(+-) and we see it most mornings when we fly. It's possible to drive along the side of it at around 2000m...so I do, often In april there was still a fair amount of snow, but it's disapearing fast as it warms up...

At ground level(around 1000m) the temperature is bearable...



The Anatolian Eagles seem to like it;


...and the cows too;











Higher up, the temperature dropped a tad

[621andy]

The snow plough had been at work;


It would've been fun to try this out


Back down at low level, the view was still stunning



This is theoretically a salt lake






The wildlife was interesting too..



Marmots- lots of these strange looking creatures

[Osadabwa]

Man, I can't believe how much those first few pics look like the area near my hometown in Wyoming, USA. Would love to get to Turkey to do some riding some day. Keep the pics coming.

[621andy]

Ok, got dragged off to a meeting yesterday, so here are a few more pics

When we drove over from Germany, we bumped into Tom, a French guy going to India on his @. We exchanged e-mail addresses and told hilm to drop in on us...he did!

Here are a few pics from the Bulgarian/Turkish border first...









You can follow Tom's adventures here...if you speak French
http://levoyageenbrelouze.over-blog.com/

Anyway, Tom stayed in Mustafapasa, just down the road from us, and had a great time in kapadokya. We managed to meet up for a ride-out with Sureyya, one of our student pilots as tour guide..

We met up at Fuzzys bar in Ürgüp. Actually called Han Ciragan, but the owner got the nickname when he lived in Germany. Highly recommended by the way for food and draught Efes





We met up with these two lovelies in a tiny village, strutting down the middle of the road

They moved like they were glued together

[621andy]

We stopped off in Derinkuyu, the biggest of the underground cities. Not a great place for me as I'm rather tall, and it appears to have been made for Pygmies It descends 7 levels of which 5 are accessible. The other 2 enjoyed it though



I think young Tom was quite taken with Sureyya







On the way back we decided we needed some action photos...

Planning;


A quick bit of posing...




Then off...





I quite like this shot too


A fun afternoon out, and the beer afterwards was welcome too...Tom met up with Sureyya several times whilst he was in town...think they had a good time