After the completion of our Turkish tour we booked into the 'Best Island Hostel' for a weeks RnR as over the previous three months (four for Jac) we had covered three continents and twelve countries. The Best Island was, and is likely still, a hovel. I am sure everyone has stayed in a place like this. They cooked the books on their feedback with my favourite fact being the bar keeper sleeping in the dining room/bar and his kids hogging the internet most of the day.

Istanbul itself is beautiful. Set on the Bosphorus it is very easy to find your way around. We visit the Aya Sofya, Spice Bazaar, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, sailed the Bosphorus, walked about Topkapi Palace there was plenty to do about town and we lapped it had having kebabs everyday. Sold as Asia meets Europe it felt more like the East turning quickly into the West - a largely cosmopolitan city. This was particularly true when we would cross the Galata Bridge dodging the fisherman that always seemed to be on it. Beyond the bridge was Taksim Square which Vince had discovered on one of his nightly wanderings. We visit many times with the masses of good looking locals, many times due to its thriving evening scene (not drinking, just people socialising in the streets and cafes). We say goodbye to our mate Mark the Melbournian on one such night - at trooper who put up with sharing a hotel room with me the night I had food poisoning from a dodgy kebab or double cheese crepe.

One day I can't convince Vince or Jac to come to the Museum of Modern Art. The only thing that they missed was the exhibition of futuristic clothing; I will be waiting for the waist vest to hit the shops. The following day it rains; the first we had seen in two months and so we decided to head to one of the Hamams, a traditional Turkish bath. Inside we are separated from the females, instructed to de-robe and dress in only the tea-towel provided. Vince and I are left lying on the thermal-spring-heated marble floor for over 20 minutes, the only males that afternoon. In our state of dehydration I start to think that back in Egypt we had got this for free. The bathing assistant (for lack of a better description) eventually arrives and takes Vince off as he is feeling the heat. Lying on my back I scratch my belly, revealing grime which is a combination of lime from Pamukkale, filth from the Nile and dust from the Serengeti. I wear it a travellers' badge of honour and my reminiscing is interrupted by flip flopping across the bathing complex to see Vince and that the treatment at some point doesn't involve the tea-towel. The assisted bathing is interesting with stretching, thermal water bucketed upon you and even a thoracic and cervical manipulation. I felt comfortable enough in the handling but consent or even a warning would have been nice. Lying on my back, the assistant provides me with a hamstring stretch. I am comfortable in the knowledge that he must see more c*** and balls in a day then I would see in three months at work. The treatment ends with a nude splash down to remove the soap before a very cold bucket with no warming. I am lead out of the sauna, still in shock from the cold water, to have an oil massage. I cross Jac being lead to a different massage area; she looks a little apprehensive. Maybe because it was only my second ever massage but I was becoming all too comfortable wearing only a tea towel. It didn't really worry me that the massage room door was open, "We're in Europe after all" I told myself.

Whilst at the hostel we were befriended by Greg, an Australian engineer living in Spain. He celebrates our last night together by sharing an expensive bottle of Spanish wine he had been carting about. We wander down to the bay and after breaking a cork in the bottle we enjoy Greg's fine wine. This is followed by our not so fine peach and then raspberry favoured wines before headed back to our pack at our dodgy hostel.

My lasting memories of Turkey will be eating my weights worth of kebabs, having massive breakfasts of feta, cold meats, pastries, fruit, eggs; and feeling clean - really clean for the first time in months.

Next stop Italia.