2nd June. Topdeck- turkey explorer Day one. It is finally time to check out of my second home after 9 night in this hotel. Ran into some people from airier intrepid tour that has returned from there trip around turkey. I meet them before they left for there tour... That shows how long I have been in this hotel. Today I am going to princes island by ferry. It is beautiful sunny day which has attracted a lot of people to the ferry. Lucky was at the ferry port a...

1st June. Spent the morning repacking and going through my shopping and bag to work out what isnt needed anymore... What to send home and what to bin. Made two trips to the post office, meet some other Aussie there mailing things back and they had worked out that going to the letters window rather than the parcel window for small boxes was cheaper... Thanks for that tip. Was also very impressed with the amount of tape used to secure the boxes... But they aren't ...

31st May. Small breakfast this morning as I am taking a cooking class over lunch so don't want to spoil my appetite. Finally gathered up my washing and walked it over to the express laundry. Then it was time to head to the haghia Sophia. I lined up as it wasn't open yet but was closeish the front which was good as there wasn't too many people inside and crowding it up. Entered into the main building and it was an interesting mix of mosque and church. There are ...

30th May. Was up early, not sure why as I am doing a walking food tour today which doesn't start till 930am and we have breakfast on that so don't need to have the hotel breakfast. Left the hotel a bit to early to walk to the meeting point and was there in about 5 mins so had so time to sit in the morning sun and watch people starting there day. The shoe men, who are busy setting up there stands ready to polish the footwear of Istanbul's men mostly I think. They...

29th May, Enjoyed a good nights sleep after changing to a different room in the same hotel. It is higher up so less street and reception noise and no street light shining in like a flood light. Also the breakfast this morning was fantastic, they had mountains of food, really fresh and heaps of variety but only a couple of people in the hotel.... All the more for me ( also was super cheap and grabbed a couple of things to take for my lunch as they were so tasty) ...