Gallipoli Peninsula

October 10th - We did it...we woke up early to catch the ferry to Ecebat. It was only a 30 minute ride. When we got off the ferry we realized how cold it was. The wind was strong and we were going to walk to each of the places...I was a wuss and was complaining about the cold winds and that I was hungry...but I am always hungry Amanda tells me. So we went to a small bakery across the road and had yummy bread..I bought extra just incase I got hungry on our travels. As we waited on the mini bus to take us to the information booth we noticed T.J Tours and Amanda said..they are in the Lonely Planet book for giving good tours here. "What I said they have a tour on this island and we didn't look into it. I think we should. Its cold and I don't want to walk." So while I waited on the bus...she ran to check out how much it would cost. (Keep in mind it is still 8:00am). She came back and said nobody was there but that she agreed we should look into going on a tour.

We found out that the next tour would begin at 12:30...but we had to go back on the ferry at 3:30....SO after alot of discussing with the tour agency they convinced us to go on their tour and not go on the ferry to Istanbul ...to take the bus. We had already been on the ferry it would be the same just longer. So we agreed. We hopped on the ferry to go back to Canakkale to get our bags. Then we went on the ferry a different way back to the Peninsula to go on the tour of Gallipoli. So we went on the ferry a total of 3 times!!....I guess we didn't need to get up early after all.

The tour gave us lunch too...there were only about 15 people all together on the bus...most of them from Australia.
We started at the Gallipoli Historical Museum and looked at all the artifacts that were recovered from the war of 1915. This war was during World War I. It was a battle between the Turks ands the Anzac (Australians and New Zealanders). We went to cemeteries/memorial sites. We saw where the war took place on the beach. I even walked on the Anzac beach where the Anzac's landed and picked seashells. We went to the highest point where the war reached. It was really amazing. This was probably my favorite part of the trip and I could go on and on. I learned alot about this war.. because I didn't know anything before about it. Never even knew it took place...guess I wasn't paying much attention in history class. oops.

After the tour we had supper(buffet) because we didn't have much time before our bus came. We jumped on the bus and headed directly to Istanbul. We met a nice couple who had already been to Istanbul and was heading back to catch their flight home so they told us they would help us get to our hostel because they knew the area...which was really nice of them because it turns out Istanbul is HUGE! I don't think I would've figured out how to leave the bus station. We got on a little bus that was going to take us to sultanahmet (this is where our hostel was). When we got there we were so tired..it was almost 1am! We paid for one night. When I saw what we would be staying in ...I had a little panic attack. It was nothing like our private room in Bodrum. We were sharing with 2 other people..with the potential of 4. The room itself was nice and clean...just I wasn't expecting to be sharing with other people. I know that is what a hostel is...I just had never experienced it before. I told Amanda I couldn't stay here more than 1 night. She gave me a sleeping pill but I was so worked up that it didn't work.

I hate bathrooms...especially showers that other people who are not your family use. Aggh. But as I closed my eyes trying to sleep I realized the only thing I was actually worried about in the hostel was someone steeling my bags.

October 11 - But non the less Amanda and I decided to try and get a private room in the morning. Lucky for us they had an apartment room next to the hostel that they would rent to us...so instead of paying 68lira ...we would be paying 90lira. We got a kitchen, fridge, shower and toilet, nice beds etc. It was perfect! The day couldn't start out better.