Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas


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  • World Trip 2023: Day 7 – Selçuk to Pamukkale, Türkiye

    World Trip 2023: Day 7 – Selçuk to Pamukkale, Türkiye

    Pamukkale, Türkiye – Hierapolis white travertine terraces

    Friday 05 May 2023
    Highlights: Hierapolis Ruins, White travertine terraces, Cleopatra Antique Pool, Whirling Dervishes Ceremony

    How last big drive day was to take between 3-4 hours and it happened to be in the rain which all things considered is lucky as we are safe inside the mini bus. We had lunch on arrival at Pamukkale, checked in to our hotel and for changed for our visit to the Hierapolis Ruins.

    Hierapolis (Holy City) has been used as a spa since at least the 2nd century BC as a Greek city. The area is famous for the travertine limestone deposited by the hot springs. In 133 BC that area transferred to the control of the Romans. The Hierapolis experience two major earthquakes in 17 and 60 AD leading to being rebuilt into Roman style which today’s ruins represent.

    Pamukkale, Türkiye – Hierapolis white travertine terraces
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  • World Trip 2023: Day 6 – Selçuk, Türkiye

    Şirince Village, Türkiye

    Thursday 04 May 2023
    Highlights: Visiting Şirince Village, Exploring Selçuk, Visiting St John’s Basilica, Enjoying a Wine Sampling afternoon.

    Today was a day of options with no travelling between hotels. Isik started the day with a quick orientation walk around to the key points of Selçuk so we knew were our major options where. From year it was off to the picturesque Şirince Village.

    Şirince Village, Türkiye
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  • World Trip 2023: Day 5 – Bergama to Selçuk, Türkiye

    Ephesus Ruins, Türkiye – The Library of Celsus

    Wednesday 03 May 2023.
    Highlights: Learning about Turkish Carpet making, exploring Izmir, exploring Ephesus ruins in depth, visiting the ancient Library of Celsus

    A very big day started with a visit to Carpet and Kilim Weavers Association based near Bergama. We got a detailed explanation of how Turkish carpets are made starting with the vegetables used to create the colouring, to how the silk is harvested, to how the double knot system works (on Turkish carpets use double knots) and watched some local woman creating new carpets.

    Bergama, Türkiye – explaining how carpets get their colours

    Some of the larger carpets take up to 18 months to create. I was amazed at the craftmanship on display. Several group members purchased some smaller carpets.

    Bergama, Türkiye – learning how carpets are made
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  • World Trip 2023: Day 4 – Çanakkale to Ayvalık, Türkiye

    Troy, Türkiye – City theatre

    Tuesday 02 May 2023.
    Highlights: Exploring the ancient city of Troy, Exploring Ayvalık, Exploring by boat the archipelago of the Ayvalık Islands.

    Today we set out to explore the ancient city of Troy. Isik explained on the way to the site the history of Troy (as called Ilion). While most people know of Troy from the 2004 Troy movie which was based on The Iliad by Homer, Troy has a deep history before and after the story of The Iliad.

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  • World Trip 2023: Day 3 – Istanbul to Çanakkale, Türkiye

    Gallipoli Peninsula, Türkiye – ANZAC Cove

    Monday 01 May 2023.
    Highlights:
    Gallipoli Peninsula – Gabatepe Beach, ANZAC Cove, Ari Burnu Cemetery, Lone Pine Cemetery and Memorial, 57 Piyade Alayi Sehitligi (Turkish 57 Regiment Memorial, Chunk Bair (site New Zealand Memorial)
    Çanakkale – Ferry crossing, exploring the waterfront city.

    Today was the first full day of the G Adventures tour and it saw the group visiting the emotional Gallipoli Peninsula area site of the Allies land invasion of the then Ottoman Empire that began on 25 April 1915 with the full withdrawal on 9 January 1916.

    It’s a site on probably the greatest defeat for Australian and New Zealand armies (ANZACs) but also the site where our countries spirit of sacrifice and mateship was sparked.

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  • World Trip 2023: Day 2 – Singapore to Istanbul, Türkiye

    Istanbul, Türkiye

    Sunday 30 April 2023.
    Highlights: Business Class flight, getting lost in Istanbul, exploring the historic Istanbul (Fatih district), meeting my tour group.

    To effectively started at midnight while transiting in Singapore. I luckily got to use the Singapore Airlines SilverKris (Terminal 3) Lounge (review here) has it was so close to my departure gate. Nothing like a shower to rehydrate you.

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  • Flight Review – SQ392 Singapore to Istanbul

    Singapore Airlines
    Date: Sunday 30 April 2023
    Gate: A1
    Seat: 14A (Business Class Seat | Window)
    Plane: A350-900
    Boarded: 01:50
    Pushback: 02:03 (Scheduled 02:05)
    Departed: 02:25
    Arrived: 07:45 (Scheduled 07:45)
    Scheduled Duration: 11 hour 0 minutes
    Distance: 8,680 kms

    This was the second leg of two flights on two different airplanes to get to my final destination in Istanbul, Türkiye. The first flight was Melbourne to Singapore on SQ208.

    This flight was from Changi (Singapore) Airport to Istanbul Airport (Türkiye).

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  • Lounge Review: Singapore Airlines SilverKris (Business Class) – Singapore Airport (Terminal 3)

    When visited: 30 April 2023
    Time of day: Midnight

    Rating: 4.5 / 5

    SUMMARY

    The Singapore Airlines SilverKris (Business Class) Lounge in Terminal 3 of the Changi Airport is an excellent business class lounge in Singapore Airlines home port.

    The lounge is a huge area with multiple hot and cold food options with an Asian focus but also western style food. A brilliant way to refresh before a long flight.

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  • World Trip 2023: Day 1 – Melbourne to Singapore

    Time to leave Melbourne and Australia.

    Saturday 29 August 2023.
    Highlights: Farewelling the cats, the Air New Zealand Koru (Business Class) Lounge, Business Class flight

    After years of planning, multiple delays due to COVID-19 restrictions and today is the first day of my first international trip since August 2019.

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  • Flight Review – SQ208 Melbourne to Singapore

    Flight Path: Melbourne to Singapore

    Singapore Airlines
    Date: Saturday 29 April 2023
    Gate: 14A
    Seat: 12K (Business Class Seat | Window)
    Plane: B777-300ER
    Boarded: 18:14
    Pushback: 18:56 (Scheduled 18:25)
    Departed: 19:11
    Arrived: 00:17 (Scheduled 00:15)
    Scheduled Duration: 7 hour 50 minutes
    Distance: 6,025 kms

    This was the first leg of two flights on two different airplanes to get to my final destination in Istanbul, Türkiye. The next flight is Singapore to Istanbul after a scheduled 1 hour 50 minute stopover.

    This flight was from Tullamarine (Melbourne) Airport to Changi (Singapore) Airport.

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