Ireland-2-Turkey 2024

I’m so glad to be heading home! Starting to make silly little mistakes. My brain is a bit over taxed at present.

At yesterday’s breakfast they had a pianist playing some light music.

After breakfast l went out in search for an old fashioned barber for a hair cut and shave. He even trimmed my nose hairs and set fire to the hairs growing in and around my ears.

I thought l did a pretty good job of keeping them under control. But by the smell if burnt hair l could do a better job.

I then went for a walk to buy another cap and also a Turkish coffee set. Then l arrived back at the hotel in time for the massage, Turkish bath and skin peal I had booked as a treat.

The Turkish bath was an unusual experience laying on a marble slab being covered in warm soap suds and then being scrubbed. Finally there was the rinse off!

This is the final breakfast meal l had at the hotel this morning.

Although the staff were great l wouldn’t recommend staying at the Hotel Zurich. The room l had was facing a venue that played music late at night.

After breakfast it was time to head for the airport on the Asian side of Istanbul. First, we had to weave our way around narrow backstreet.

Then travel through the aqueduct that in ancient times supplied water to the Basilica Cistern l visited on Sunday.

Then one last photo of a Turkish flag on the way out to the airport.

I just realised l also caught a seagull in the photo that was carrying its breakfast in its beak! We drove through a road tunnel that connects the European side where l was staying to the Asian side where the airport is located.

The tunnel went beneath the Bosporus Strait and is quite a few kilometres in length. A photo of the sun rising over Istanbul in the East.

Still a little way to go before we reach the airport.

The airport is named after the first female fighter pilot in Turkey. If, l understand it correctly, she was the daughter of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk!

On the drive to the airport the driver reached for his earphones and plugged them into his mobile phone. I first thought he wanted to call someone and have a private conversation. But no! He wanted to watch his TV show while we were driving along.

He had the phone down near the whipper switch on the steering column. I finally made it to the airport safely despite the few back street diversions.

My first selfie for the day of me waiting to check in for my flight.

I’m now sitting in the business class lounge waiting for boarding. I’m not really overwhelmed by the whole business class lounge experience. The only great part was being able to chat with a husband and wife from New Zealand!

A photo of Iraq airlines at the airport!

I glad l’m not flying with this airline! I’m about to board my flight to Doha!

My seat 1F in business class. I’m next to the window.

Okay! I’m settled in now let’s get this bird in the air!

A quick snap looking through one of my two windows.

A photo showing still at Istanbul airport.

Finally, we’re off ….

A photo looking along one of Istanbul’s many freeways!

One last look back at Istanbul ….

Another photo of somewhere over Turkey.

And another photo …

A photo of my lunch.

And desert …

We’ve made a little progress in our flight to Doha.

Some snow covered mountains on the way.

Another photo showing clouds and snow.

The snow on the mountains was somewhere around here.

A photo of the setting sun on the horizon.

Another photo after the sun had just slipped below the horizon.

On our decent into Doha.

A short video as we come into land.

Finally, we landed at Doha just a little later than the scheduled arrival time.

Now the challenge of finding my connecting flight without spending any money in duty free! Unfortunately, this is where l had to say goodbye to the wonderful New Zealand travellers Peter and Julie. I gave them my contact details and may see them in Australia.