Home at last

Well, sort of. We spent our first night last night in our new digs in İzmir. Aside from noticing that the neighbours seem like a bunch of noisy nocturnal extraverts (like all Turks) we didn't have any problems at all.

We travelled by bus from İstanbul to İzmir on account of the incredible load of luggage that seems to have attached itself to us. One huge suitcase, two pretty big ones, two small and heavy ones, two small and fairly light ones, and three boxes. The bus loader and unloader seemed to find that highly amusing. But hey, it's a year's worth of stuff after all!

Our new landlady and her family kept an eye out for the arrival of the minibus that brought us into town from the bus terminal and were there with their car within seconds. Between her husband and two strong sons we had stuff up those three flights of stairs and into the apartment in minutes. They're a very nice bunch of people.

Today's job is to get set up and explore the neighbourhood. We have everything unpacked and in its place and like the general effect. We need some silly things like coffee mugs, dinner plates, toılet paper and the like. But I think we've got a home now.

I have to spend some time raving about Turkish transportation some more. The buses are fantastic. There must be a hundred different bus companies, some of them regional and some national. There's a whole range of prices and levels of service. I haven't seen the Mexican chickens-on-the-rooftop type of bus yet, but you get some that go from town to town with people standing or sitting wherever they can for just a few lira. Yesterday's bus was not like that. It was not cheap, but it was top of the line, perfect for an 8-hour trip.

We were picked up by a minibus at the bus company (Varan) office at the end of our friends' street. That took us to Varan's terminal at the south end of İstanbul with 15 minutes to wait for the bus. Everything got loaded into the luggage compartment without a hitch and then we found our pre-assigned seats. They were leather, widely spaced, reclining with an adjustable footrest - at least airline business class. Headphones, music of all sorts to listen to, an in-flıght movie and a steward who bustled back and forth handing out drinks, snacks, hand-wipers, picking up litter, more drinks... just like an airplane without the baggage restrictions.

Halfway through the trip we stopped at one of Varan's own rest stops. They're not just for buses - cars drop in too for a snack and a bit of shopping. Best of all: the cleanest washrooms we've seen anywhere in the world, Germany included. If a drop of water splashed onto the floor from wet hands it was wiped up within 10 seconds. The cubicles were utterly spotless, probably cleaned after each use. What a place! (especially for people still rather more interested in toilets than usual).

The trip took 8 hours - 8 hours of utter comfort. What a way to travel! And then another minibus takes you right to the neighbourhood you want.

So we're a pair of happy travellers ready to settle down and enjoy whatever life may bring in İzmir.