Up at first light and on the road for 7.20, it was a lot cooler and we both had to put extra layers on. We followed the coast round the bay then turned for the mountains. The sky was a heavy slate grey colour and then the rain started but fortunately only a small shower.
We made the ferry port in Canakkele for 10.00 to be told the next ferry for Eceabeat would not leave until 11.00 . Rather than hang around we caught the next one to leave , it was going to Kilitbahir but as long as it got us across the sea of Marmara 2 or 3 km didn't make any difference to me so we jumped on. It's only a very short ferry trip and inside 10 minutes we docked on the Gallipoli peninsula .
Riding along the peninsula the weather lifted and it warmed a little.
We pulled into the border crossing around 1.00pm, it was nice and quiet without any queues so we thought it would be a quick crossing, however we hadn't allowed for Angie's emergency passport ! The first check was to look at my passport and and the bike papers so no problem. Second check wanted both passports and when he looked at Angie's he asked for "passport" we tried to explain and the in limited English he said " police paper" we tried to explain that the passport was lost and not stolen so we did not file a police report but he could not understand. He gave me my passport back, held on to Angie's and pointed to her saying " you come " he then walked out of the cubicle heading for the main office. I told Angie to hold on and started to park the bike up when he shouts across the yard " you come " so she's followed after him. Before Angie could get to the door of the office he came back out and said with a wink " OK you go" and gave Angie the passport back. It was all over in ten minutes but it still makes you think oh crap here we go! Next Turkish check and this time they just asked for passports and gave Angie's a funny look, another guy shone a little torch gadget on the passport and said OK, great we were out of Turkey, now all we had to do is get into Greece. Greece was the place that the British Embassy said may be a problem getting into with the emergency passport. We needn't have worried as the Greek officer just looked smiled and said thank you. The barrier lifted up and we entered Greece. That should be the last passport check until we get to France and the euro tunnel so I relaxed a bit.
From here to the campsite is a short twenty minute ride along the motorway. We chatted about Turkey and how much of it we had seen but then we realised its such a big country we had only just scratched the surface. We would be back that's for sure.
We pulled onto the campsite in Alexanroupoli at 2.00 pm. This is the only time we would visit a site twice on the trip, the revised route has taken us in a large figure of eight and this is the crossing point.
We pitched up and popped into the town to pick up supplies for supper but ended up walking along the beach and eating in a little taverna. On the way back we stopped and chatted to a couple in their seventies. They were on the way to Turkey for the first time in a long wheel base VW camper. We exchanged stories and when they heard of the lost passport they got a load of maps and camping site books out of the van and helped us plan a route home. A nice couple who we agreed reminded us of ourselves, we hoped, in a few years to come !
Miles to day - 232
Hours in the saddle - 5.5
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