Balkans! ...no really!

It's with a greater awareness that comes with old age I knew how the week leading up to my trip would eventually pan out...

No fewer than five house guests, a maddening amount of work admin and late nights has meant I've arrived at my destination feeling a little deflated in the energy reserves. Something was watching over me this morning though, I awoke naturally and checked the clock at 6:30am, half an hour later than planned, to find whatever I was attempting to do with the alarmclock before I fell asleep it wasn't setting the alarm!

Long story short, I made it with uncharacteristically low stress and got an hours kip on the plane. Plane was a bit worrying, given the amount of duct tape holding overhead baggage and TVs in place, but it flew ok and I arrived in a now familiar Istanbul.

In the wonderfully basic Hotel Sipahi now considering a duty free bottle of whiskey but knowing food should really be my first thought. The Turks know how to make food look appetising and the walk from the hotel down to the blue mosque has plenty of food and local talent to feast the eyes.

So it's a short post tonight so I can eat, cruise, drink and get a good nights sleep before moving on... 3 weeks, 4 countries and hopefully lots of photo opportunities and stories to tell... Tomorrow Albania, then Macedonia and Bulgaria as I make my way back to Istanbul again before flying home on 6th November...

Stay tuned!