Bicycle Touring to Australia: Turkey, Time to leave
My latest bicycle touring update, cycling to Australia: in Istanbul. I checked the weather in Mumbai first thing this morning, and it’s in the 90s! I’m looking forward to that, I’ve had enough of these sub-zero temperatures! Breakfast was a drawn-out event, on purpose! The only thing I had to do today was finish packing my hand luggage, or rather my pannier. Everything else was packed away neatly into one big bag. I was quite proud of the way I’d packed everything away! One pannier as carry-on luggage, one bag to go in the plane’s hold and my bike in its box. In a thousand and one pieces!
After my final bit of packing, I checked out of my room and placed my bags in the left luggage room, and went out for one last look around Istanbul. I like Istanbul. It’s got a good feeling, and I’ll be a bit sad to leave. While I was out in the markets, I managed to get some anti-malaria tablets for India and beyond. One less thing to worry about later on in my trip.
I’m Off
Back at the hotel, I said my final goodbyes to the staff, who had all been so friendly and helpful. It was then into a taxi and off to the airport! I arrived at the airport in plenty of time, just in case there were any problems! Which was just as well! When I checked in, I was handed a piece of paper and sent to the excess baggage desk, where they charged me £380! £380, that’s almost as much as I’d paid for my flight! To say I was surprised is an understatement! But hey, if that’s what it is, that’s what it is!
I went back to check in and gave the girl the receipt. The girl at check-in looked at the receipt and then spoke to a colleague. She then told me to wait while she wandered off to the excess baggage desk. After a few minutes, she returned and said they had overcharged me (dam right, I thought!) They charged me for excess baggage, instead of sports equipment! I got my £380 back and got charged £55 instead! That put a smile back on my face. Next stop, Mumbai!
Tour Information
It’s been years since I took this ride, but the memories (and the data) are all archived:
- Photos: See my photos on Flickr
- The route: View my journey around the world
- Videos: Check out my YouTube videos
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