An early rise the make the most of a long journey. After three hours of driving and two hours of crawling through Izmir, we pull over at Aliaga (click to enlarge photo).

Colourful Izmir

Our Bumble parking spot at Aliaga GPS position N038.806007, E026.971700 

A large bay with an industrial section to the south and a pretty rural area to the north. Surrounded by well trimmed lawns, an attractive lake and plenty pink flamingos. At this time of the year, life seems utterly restful. An old man cradles a cat, whilst his son casts his fishing rod from the nearby beach.

Later that day I fell sick with stomach pains and heaved myself through to the next day.

A rather restless night. In the morning my stomach still felt delicate, but I no longer felt sick. Which is more than can be said for our engine battery. It was dead as a dodo. Craig went in to his zone and started testing all sorts of things to pin point the issue. He checked and double checked nothing had been left on, so as to drain the battery. Then he confirmed the alternator was fine and so on. It was purely down to the fact the battery had come to the end of its life.

Craig jump started us by using one of our leisure batteries. I had a search on line for a garage and jotted down a few options. Unfortunately, it looks like there isn’t a decent town for quite a while, so it maybe a case of jump starting until we wind a decent battery place.

We set off and drove by the potential garages but they weren’t what we were looking for or closed. We drove and drove looking for a garage but either they didn’t supply the right one or they hadn’t got a clue. Think we might have to look out for a commercial or Mercedes garage once we reach Canakkale in a day or two.

At Kucukkoy, we take lunch on a beautiful bay. Over coffee we relax and both opt for a day of rest to put our feet up. We are all feeling a little low, me with my stomach, Craig with his back, Vin and his battery, Mac with a sore paw (bee sting) and Tosh, well he is fine but grumpy. I think we are all feeling down by the fact we only have eight more days in Turkey.

Bumble parking spot at Kucukkoy GPS position N039.300218, E026.663761

Ten minutes in to our feet up and Craig is like a fidget. For once I wish he would just sit bloody still and give his back a rest. I try and read but his constant interruptions make my concentration impossible. He is a creature of habit. So, it should come as no surprise how little time it takes to slip into his routine and commence cleaning…not long and I follow suit.

But, not all cleaning is bad…especially when it feels like paradise.