Ankara - Day three!

Today is our third day in Ankara because we have had our Pakistan visas delayed. We hope to be able to pick them up today at 2pm (Originally we wanted to get them completed on Monday!)

Ankara has surprised me. It a lot bigger than I expected and very westernised! It feels a little like an American city with yellow taxis flying around and one-way streets.

On the first Monday we discovered Starbucks (carrot cake and hot chocolate was an excellent start to the day!). We were unsure how things were going to work as we needed to get letters from our embassies introducing us to the Pakistan embassy. But once we were not needed a few of us went for lunch at a small little Mexican. Before having a wander and coming across a 'normal' shopping centre complete with Body Shop and Zara! That night about 10 of the group stayed in the city whilst the rest returned to the same bush camp as the previous night. It was actually quite cool to have a smaller group as we all sat around the fire chatting together rather than in smaller groups.

Next morning (Tuesday) four of us woke early with an attack of delhi belly! I think from the Mexican the day before but we were all very poorly! Luckily it passed quite quickly and we were all better by the afternoon. We headed in to town early about 8 of us wanted to have another Turkish bath so headed down to a hotel that had been recommended in the guidebook. The opening times in the book were wrong and the spa wouldn't be open until 2pm. The doorman took pity on us and ushered us through (I think we were making the lobby look untidy! We all needed a wash!) There was a plunge pool and a hot shower so we all showered and were happy! We then had lunch at a 'posh' kebab chain. Still having a bit of a dodgy stomach I opted for a Turkish style cheese pizza, which was massive. It is amazing the amount of food that you can get for 10 lire, which works out at about 4 pounds! After lunch Sarah and I got a cab back up to the top of town and had another wander in the shopping centre where we stumbled across a nail bar! Having left Dave and Grant who wanted to walk all the way back we indulged in ultimate girliness and each had a manicure (only 15 lire), Our hands look so pretty and clean! Unfortunately the visas were not completed so we had to head back to the same bush camp again. By the third night it was really starting to feel like home! We had out first real down poor last night, which called for people to get out their wet weather gear but it passed fairly quickly.

We had a lie in this morning although it is hard not to wake up early now that I am used to 5.30 or 6am starts by body seems to just wake up. Hopefully today will be the last day in Ankara and we will be able to pick up our visas at 2pm! (Fingers crossed!)

Oh and we found peanut butter that almost tastes like it does at home! Anything else that we have found has shed loads of sugar in it and only goes with Jam!

Love from Nicole xxx