March 5, 2014
Just Wait (Just A little Bit Longer): Hilltop (above a cutting) down to Marmaris and waiting for ferry
Looking out first thing it is gloomy grey. I even hear nervous foreboding in the birdsong. I breakfast, again a pot of yogurt with muesli and a banana. Then set about writing my diary, neglected yesterday evening again. There's lots I can write about but I'm anxious to get going, even more so on hearing the rain start to drum on the tent material. I'm hoping it'll either just be a little rain before quitting, or I'll get the tent down and everything packed on the bike and get on the road before the rain comes on heavy. And there's a big descent too. It makes me nervous just thinking about it.
It is raining hard as I push the bike back down to the road. Cars pass in a swoosh of spray. Good thing it is a divided highway with a ample shoulder to ride upon. The wooded hill opposite is near invisible in a vail of grey....
-----
Later:
I knew the way would be all downhill to Marmaris, envisaged slopes in the region of ten to twelve per cent gradient; scary in the rain with my weak brakes. But no, the steepest it has been so far is about seven per cent. The brakes slow the bike and no more. I can see Marmaris just ahead as the road is levelling out. It is morning rush hour which isn't made any better by the rain pouring down. A bus is trying to move out, but no car seems willing to oblige by pausing to let the bus in. Instead it sits half across the road and I'm stuck behind it. Then a space opens and its moving again.
It really is difficult with the rain pouring down in this traffic. I've the hood of my jacket up and when I turn my head to see for coming traffic, the hood doesn't turn in unison with the effect that it blocks my rear vision. Then on reaching the town's central square, there's a junction with cars coming from behind on my left side wanting to turn right. And cars coming from the right ahead of me. I choose to get off and use the pedestrian lights to get across safely.
I make my way in beating rain and puddles to the seafront and ride along the street looking out for the ferry terminal. But after almost a kilometre heading away from the town-centre there isn't any sign of a ferry; so I double back, turning left out towards the beach and riding back upon the promenade walkway. The sea is rough and rolling and wind sweeps the tops of palm-trees which line the waterfront.
I ride back to the centre and a little beyond come to a shop-front office with a big sign: Catamaran and ferry for Rhodes. The young woman has just turned up for work as I stand the bike outside. She tells me the next sailing for Rhode is Friday and also gives me a town-plan, marking cheap hotels thereon; telling me a lot of places are shut for Winter.
I make my way as the rain gets heavier to a café I passed a little way along. Here I use the WiFi as well as the preferred morning ritual of coffee. When I've finish what I'm doing, I look out on the rain tipping it down now and put off going out in it again while having a second coffee.
When the rain eases somewhat, I make my way to the nearest hotel marked on the plan. It turns out not to be far; just around the corner in the main square, so don't get much wetter than I am. With its modern apartment block look, it looks expensive from the outside. The young beardy man with blue eyes come out from reception calling off his yapping little white dog. Then returning to the reception desk he tells me the price is forty Liras for a room, which really isn't expensive; so, decide to stay and he seems pleased to have a quest, telling me to take the bike in pass reception and place it in the breakfast room, before showing me the room.
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
In the room I take the tent and sleeping-bag and just about everything out of the panniers and hang them out to dry. I spend the remainder of the morning preparing pages for this journal and in the afternoon read my book. It stops raining about an hour before nightfall by which time I'm hungry.
The receptionist directs me to a place on the seafront, saying, they have just about whatever you want to eat. However I'm not sure where I end up is the place he meant. It looks a posh place but the prices are about normal and the food on the next table looks and smells appetizing. The waiter speaks enough English for me to order without pointing at pictures. I go for pide "The Special"; then say I'll have Cay to drink. The Cay come promptly. But, I'm waiting for the dish, what ends up an awful long time. I pass the time looking over at the table ahead of me. The waiter brings out plate after plate of food to it, including a main coarse of chicken legs. The two young men at the table have enormous appetites. They eat for a long time and when they're finished, I'm still waiting for my food to come out. My tea is long finished and what is happening. When the waiter come out again, I beckon him over and ask, how much longer is it going to be. He replies "Oh, you ordered food?" ...See, I think what happened, when I ordered tea, normally not an accompaniment to food, he took it to mean just tea. He then apologies and I have my pide-special in five minutes.
Back at the hotel the WiFi connection is down, not working when I press save. The night receptionist says its the rain doing it. I think if he would restart the router it may work. Wanting a beer I take myself to the bar next door run by German expats. The WiFi here is dodge too. I lose a paragraph I'd painstakingly formulated when I press save. What a bugger. The woman at the bar sees my frustration and offers to let me use the bar computer. I decline as the connection is working well again and I'm almost there, finished.
Thursday Mar 6 update: Well I've just been back to the ferry office to buy my ticket for Rhodes and the woman behind the desk told me, Friday's sailing is cancelled. The next sailing is Sunday. So, I'm left with two more days here in Marmaris and have had my schedule set back by two days. Not to worry as Marmaris is a pleasant town. A resort town and even now in the low season there are lots of German and English and one Irish. Its a fine sunny day and tomorrow I think I may ride out of town somewhere.
Friday Mar 7: The morning looked like rain, so remain in town. Its well I did as its turned out a real wet afternoon.
Saturday Mar 8: Was awakened early by sun streaming in through hotel room's east facing window. A million brilliant bright ambassadors of morning. Thought about packing up the tent and sleeping-bag, but put it off to later. Will have to pack everything later anyway, ready to leave in the morning as the woman at the ferry office I bought the ticket of said to be there at the ferry, ready for embarkation no later than eight. I'm now back at the same café I took shelter, coffee and used Wifi on arrival day. Sat outside as it is a gorgeous morning. I want to when I've posted this, return to the hotel, give the bike a clean and go for a ride out around the bay. Then on returning later answer two outstanding emails.
Today's ride: 11 km (7 miles)
Total: 11,830 km (7,346 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 2 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |