World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas
Pages:
About | Countries | Tours | Trips | Bucket List – Done | Bucket List – To Do | Airport Lounges | Flight History
Travel Categories:
Flight Reviews | Lounge Reviews | Destinations | Short Breaks | World Trip 1986 | World Trip 1998 | World Trip 1999-2000 | World Trip 2006 | World Trip 2009 | World Trip 2009-10 | World Trip 2010 | World Trip 2011 | World Trip 2012-13 | World Trip 2015 | World Trip 2016 | World Trip 2017 | World Trip 2017-18 | World Trip 2018 | World Trip 2019 | Australia 2022 | World Trip 2023 | World Trip 2024 | World Trip 2024-25 | World Trip 2026-27
Wednesday 07 June 2023
Highlights: The journey home begins, Turkish Airline Business Class Lounge
Today I begin the long journey home with my first flight leaving at 13:30 for Singapore. This is a rare midday international flight for me with means a relaxing morning before leaving for the airport.
(more…)
When visited: 07 June 2023
Time of day: Lunch time
Rating: 4 / 5
SUMMARY
A modern and large Business Class Lounge that allows views of the concourse and the tarmac. Multiple food stations and onsite chefs cooking Turkish and other foods.
Tuesday 06 June 2023
Highlights: Exploring the Hagia Sophia, The Grand Bazaar
My last full day visiting tourist locations before the long journey home had me keen to make the most of today even if my body and mind was drifting back to Melbourne. So after another nice and filling buffet breakfast I set off to explore.
(more…)
Monday 05 June 2023
Highlights: Roaming around Istanbul, Climbing Galata Tower, Spice Market
Another an excellent breakfast at the hotel I was ready to see more of Istanbul. I had decided to walk to Galata Tower, both for its history but also to visit the European side of Istanbul with the added bonus of just roaming around and taking in the city.
(more…)
Sunday 04 June 2023
Highlights: Listening to Türkiye and Syria Earthquake fundraising concert, Exploring Topkapi Palace, recovering (slowly)
After a good nights sleep I was finally feeling a lot better and I had the confidence to enjoy the buffet breakfast that I paid for with this booking. My system hasn’t fully stablished but it is getting there.
During the morning I caught up on some much needed sleep and then listened and watched a Türkiye and Syria Earthquake fundraising concert back in Melbourne organised by a good friend and talented musican in Arzu. It was a bit surreal being in Türkiye listening to a fundraising concert in Melbourne for this very country.
(more…)
Tour Title: The Five Stans of the Silk Road
Tour Company: G Adventures
Tour Leaders: IIyas (days 1 to 9), Rustam (days 9 to 22), Eziz (days 22 to 26)
Cities Visited:
1 Kyrgyzstan – Bishkek, Chong-Kemin, Song Kul, Tamga, Karakol
2 Kazakhstan – Saty Village, Almaty
3 Tajikistan – Dushanbe, Gazza Village, Khŭjand
4 Uzbekistan – Tashkent, Samarkand, Nurata, Kyzylkum Desert, Bukhara, Khiva
5 Turkmenistan – Dashoguz, Darvaza, Ashgabat
Countries Visited: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan
Dates: 09 May 2023 to 03 June 2023
Duration: 26 days
Tour Type: Classic – Tour Itinerary (PDF)
Journal Entries
Saturday 03 June 2023
Highlights: Surviving overnight flight, early check in, exploring the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
With some trepidation and still feeling unwell I joined our group at 00:30 for the transfer to the airport for my international flight to Istanbul. It was a real struggle to get to the airport and not to throw up until after I was checked in and past security.
Friday 02 June 2023
Highlights: Monument of Neutrality, Indoor Ferris wheel, Old Nisa, Gurbansoltan Eje Memorial and Turkmenbashi Mosque, Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, National Museum of Turkmenistan, Independence Monument, Food poisoning
The last full day of the Five Stans tour before my flight back to Türkiye at 3.30 am tomorrow. Today we our small group would explore the marble city of Ashgabat in more detail building on last night’s exploration.
(more…)
Turkish Airlines
Date: 03 June 2023
Gate: 102
Seat: 6B (Economy Class Seat)
Plane: Airbus A321neo
Boarded: 02:45 (early)
Pushback: 03:21 (Scheduled 03:30)
Arrived: 05:10 (Scheduled 05:20)
Duration: 3 hour 49 minutes
Distance: 2,555 kms
This flight was from Ashgabat International Airport to Istanbul International Airport.
Note: I was very unwell before this flight, vomiting from food poisoning but was better by the time of the flight. As a result I did observe as much as I would normally do.
Thursday 01 June 2023
Highlights: The amazing Darvaza Gas Crater (Gates of Hell) at Dawn, Hiking in the Karakum Desert, Exploring Ashgabat at night
Waking up at 5 am I did a short walk from my yurt to the Darvaza Gas Crater for another look at the unique phenomenon.
Nathan's Insights 