Merzifon - Amasya 50km 30/12/2010

Our host is not an early riser as I had hoped he might be. I am first to wake. After last nights çay my bladder feels like it's ready to explode though my gut like a scene from Alien. Once I stumble out the door all are awake. Stu and I play music (for what will quite possibly be the last time) while Abi prepares breakfast. Possibly my favourite breakfast of the trip so far. Eggs fried with oregano, honey (from his bees), home-made cherry jam (from his tress), molasses, olives and a loaf of bread each.

 We then take a trip down to Abi's local mosque where we sit in on a prayer service. Afterwards we a treated to a trip up inside the minaret and then Stu and I are given a prayer mat as a gift. Pack up the bikes and head down to the bus stop. Treated to a lunch feed by Abi's at his friends restaurant. Over several rounds of çay we are quizzed about our beliefs (or lack there of). It seems the generosity thrown our way over the last day came at the price of some preaching. No problem. I'm interested to learn about Islam – one of the reasons for my chosen route. Dare say I'd even give the Qu'ran a bash if one came my way.

Abi kindly escorts us out of town – we're keen to get on the way, but the delay is no big problem. Stu and I are quite looking forward to one last night of camping before we split, but Abi wants us to stay with his friend – the imam in the next town. We are unable to communicate our wishes. It's all done with the best of intentions – but such insistence can ,at times, be a little tiring.


We finally head off pedalling hard into a headwind. Turn South towards Amasya and from then on the wind is in our back. We surprise ourselves by getting to Amasya at a reasonable time. The kind folks at the petrol station let us pitch up at the back of their property.