Day Six - Gallipoli & Troy

I had planned to get on the road early this morning but the weather had other ideas, as I woke to very heavy rain.

This morning I knew it was going to be difficult

• Wet, very slippery roads
• Flooding on the roads hiding big potholes
• Hot humid conditions while wearing a one piece oversuit in a city so little cooling air while riding along
• Suicide jockeys masquerading as Taxi drivers
• Rush hour in Istanbul

Once I got going I was fine, and actually started to enjoy the conditions.

As I was leaving Istanbul I pulled into a petrol station for fuel but they had run out, and stopped for a chat with this amazing character in German, now I know what Santa Claus does in the summer, goes touring Turkey on a BMW.
After riding together for a short way we parted company, I wanted to get off the dual carrigways and took the coast road south towards Gallipoli

Unfortunately the tarmac soon disappeared and I did the next 15 miles on a dirt track, who needs a GS anyway.
Thankfully the tarmac returned
I passed the town of Gallipoli and headed down the peninsular to the site of the Dardanelles Campaign. A disastrous First World War campaign that resulted in the loss of 336,000 men from both sides. Here is a Turkish memorial
Soon I see the British graves
Private Luck, aged 19. His luck ran out in a foreign land in a battle that could not be won. I am really starting to hate the futility of war.
The Australians and New Zealanders landed here, the attack on ANZAC beach in a huge blunder it was one of the few places for miles around that was overlooked by steep hills, which the Turks held.
This memorial records the events. You can clearly see the high ground just inland from the beach.


After the battle site I ride to Eceabet and take the 30 min ferry to Çanakkale. This narrow but strategic piece of water has been fought over by countless armies for centuries including Greek and Trojans, the Persian King Xerxes in 500 BC, then by Alexander the Great 330 BC and the Allies and the Turks in 1915.


After landing at Çanakkale I head South to the site of the Siege of Troy, there is not much to see other than a few ruined walls and the tourist board replica of the infamous horse.