Best road so far

Breakfast was at 7am. An easy day was planned as we don’t want to spend too much time at the border town before Iran, so I planned a special treat for mothers day at the local spa with hot springs and massage facilities.

The manager wouldn’t give us rooms as I suspect he found one woman with 5 men too morally challenging, and so we were in Pasınler with nothing to do and nowhere to stay. So after going up to the local castle/fort above the slum dwellings on the hill, a joy ride was proposed. Off we went to the hills which are thawing only now 5 weeks before the longest day, what a spectacular road switch-backs and views to die for. We detoured into a natural rock and cave feature to find picnicers who included us in their day out, and so we had tea and sunflower seeds while I joined a group of young women who were skipping fully covered in their full length coats and scarves. What charming people.

Earlier in the day while riding through a very impoverished village I was invited for a cuppa too. Local men will often find it too forward to shake hands with me so a hand on the heart conveys their and my mutual good will. So after a great day we have ended back where we started in Erzurum but at lodgings with hot water. Thunder and lightning rages over us tonight. One of the best mother’s days apart from missing the kids and my mother.

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