Day 5 - Edrine, Turkey to Istanbul, Turkey.

It's looking like it'll be another bright sunny day, there's a few clouds in the distance but not in the direction we're headed - EAST! It shouldn't take too long to get to Istanbul today hopefully as there is sightseeing to be done in a very limited kind of way.

We leave Edrine and head out onto a motorway where we immediately get bamboozled by a toll station with no obvious ways to pay or get a ticket. There are no barriers and no personnel so we decide to crack on regardless and deal with the consequences later (if any). The first stop is for fuel and it transpires that the tolls are all handled by some automated system but you're supposed to have a barcode displayed that gets read as you go through the toll. The service station people advise us we can sort it all out at the next services. We can tell that Slash is slightly concerned over our nonchalance.

The section of motorway is very long, very quiet and very good quality so we collectively decide it's time for a drag race. We had decided the previous evening that this should consist of a rolling start in top gear from about 50mph. It turns out that the Triumph Explorer just has the edge over the GS Adventure but we all have to throttle back somewhere approaching 95mph as the luggage does cause some instability issues at that speed. Apparently there are warning labels in the luggage and owner's manuals to that effect - who knew!

At the next services Warrior and Hawk obviously didn't get the memo about trying to sort out the toll situation and go straight by. Slash however turns in and in a bid to keep Slash from getting completely separated Viper follows him in. We all reconvene back on the motorway as it's the only available option but Slash is still uneasy.

Just to keep our interest levels high a lorry up ahead starts shedding its load of sheet metal roofing and cargo straps. Luckily it falls to the hard shoulder of the motorway rather than to the outside lane where we are.

As we approach the end of the motorway we crest a hill to see Istanbul for the first time. It truly is immense and looks like something out of a science fiction movie. This is where the crazy local driver antics begin as we approach the end of motorway toll stations.

Slash is up front approaching the tolls, and his previous doubts put him into a dilemma, he can't decide whether to go through the tolls. This is hysterical as he coasts towards the concrete lane dividers stuck in 2 minds. Viper takes decisive actions and speeds through the toll on Slashes right followed closely by the other 3. This has the dramatic effect of setting of the toll alarms and we immediately see a local traffic cop heading in our direction from the hard shoulder on foot. He gets within about 20 feet and gets an instant grip of the situation - foreign bikes, foreign people, no idea - and just waves us through.

We are now stuck in traffic. its nose to tail, swelteringly hot and there's a van right by us which seems to be grinding every bit of rotational metal in the vehicle. The sound is horrible and goes right through you. Warrior and Slash attempt a bit of filtering but it doesn't get them far in the mêlée and we're all back together quickly. The next 45 mins requires high concentration as we try to navigate the seemingly un-navigable Istanbul road system. there are bridges and tunnels, loops and bends and without Mr Garmin we'd be stuffed. We eventually emerge right down by the edge of the Bosphorous in front of a mosque where they have just started the call to prayer. High 5's all round and a big sigh of relief before heading off to find the HiltonSA just up the hill.

At the hotel we are given an upgrade due to Vipers Diamond Geezer status and our rooms have views over the Bosphorous. There's no time to spare though and we're swiftly off on the tram system to take in the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofya and some of the surrounding areas. This fills the rest of the afternoon and we reward ourselves with a few beers at a bar where apparently our brothers from another mother are the patrons. There's a couple in there from New Zealand who are very interested in talking about themselves but show little interest in our trip. We're quite glad when they leave. We take a taxi back to the hotel after feigning suitable outrage at the £12 equivalent cost of a 20 minute taxi ride between 4 people. The taxi driver is very skillful which begs the question how his taxi became so mangled and beat up - perhaps he's borrowing it from a friend?

The Executive lounge at the hotel doesn't serve beer so we head out in search of food and drink. We start in the general direction of a 1 mile strip where "it all happens" but never see very much happening at all. Eventually we settle on a small restaurant where we're treated to local cuisine and helped out in our choices by a young local lady who interprets the menu for us. A quick stroll back to the hotel only partially assisted by google maps and that's the end of a very busy day!