Part 23 : Galatasaray vs Kayserispor

Koh Phangan > Surat Thani > Bangkok > Kuala Lumpur > Istanbul = 30 Hours

Getting through customs in Turkey I would have to say is the easiest so far. Literally give passport and pay 15 Euros, stamp and your through. The line was massive but I ended up chatting to some Aussie girls which made the time pass and ended up sharing a driver into Sultanamhet saving me a good 50 euro.

I arrived in Sultanamhet literally with no place to stay. Silly me should have realised that it was ANZAC day and that the place would be booked out with Aussies and kiwis, I had checked a few days ago and there were still places so I thought I would be fine. I get in at 8am and start with a few of the places I read in the lonely planet I borrowed from the girls at the airport. Bahaus and Big Red Apple were all solidly booked out, then I moved on to Sultans and New Backpackers but still nothing. Next I headed into The Orient. No the said but they did offer me a bed on the floor if I didnt manage to find accomodation anywhere else. I thought that this had been the best offer I had so far so I chilled out there for an hour or 2 chatting away to paul and getting info on the blue cruise down south.

After 2 hours the manager offered me either a bed in the 30 dorm room or a mattress on the floor of the 24 bed dorm. I cashed in my 30 dorm bed and within a few hours I had been upgraded from homeless to having a rood above my head. nb. I highly recommend the hot apple teas you get around this area. soo good.

I decided to get breakfast and started chatting to 2 Aussie guys, Ritchie and Rosco. Both you guys on a 1 year travel trip around europe. They had also just come from Bangkok but had a extra day on me in Istanbul. The boys I planned on meeting later and after a few hours of sleep I found they had teamed up with paul who I had met earlier, damo his friend and Max the chick Paul was waiting for coming from England.

We had all set our sites on checking out the local Football match playing that night Galatasaray vs Kayserispor. Galatasaray being the local team but also the team with Aussie players Kewell and Neill playing for them. We ventured out into the night and embarked on a journey through the Istanbul tram and train system that eventually after 4 trains led us to the Telekom Stadium. You could hear the crowd so very loud outside the stadium while we walked towards the game.

We eventually got in the game and found our seats, and despite the fact that Galatasaray was coming 14th in the league, they were the local team and the fans were out. After the trains and a delay at one station we actually ended up being 25 mins late and missing the first 2 goals. Guess what the final score was 1:1. Yeah missed em.

By the time we got back to Sultanamhet it was time for one last beer and then bed. Everyone was up early the next day to go to Gallipoli.

Song: Not original music of my creation.
Some FIFA song "Ole ole ole ole"
please purchase if you enjoy it.
cheers