Driving a Tacoma around the world

For you guys who travelling the world with their Tacomas.
How are the trucks holding out meaning any breakdowns and how hard to find mechanics to fix them .

 

Anyone hear from @Round the world? It’s been almost 2 months, I hope he’s doing ok.

 

Sorry, everyone. We've come back to the states for a bit to start building our future home. We'll return to our adventures on the 4th of July. Currently, our vehicle is parked in Turkey.

 

No rush! I was a little worried you may have ran into some trouble. Enjoy your time back home and best of luck on building your home. I hear it is it’s own adventure, both good and bad.

 

Around the world or US?

 

We're on a couple of month break back in the US but on the Fourth we head back to Turkey and continue our road east on one of the Silk Road routes to India.

Have to finish pouring our stemwall and garage floor slab of our guest house first though.

 

Copied from Dawn and Andys blog, their planned route and they have stuck pretty close to this.

Amazing adventures, hard to top. I read every word and admire every photo and place.

Yup, was getting concerned not having seen anything for a while, but their blog has updates too -

https://www.roguewanderers.com/

 

Too bad my father was still not alive. He would build the entire home for you, working alone…

Yes, alone. Not kidding. He built a home at Canim lake BC that he started to build when he was 75 years of age.

The only thing he did not do himself, was the plumbing and electrical. He first cleared an acre of land with his chainsaw. Then used his chainsaw and table saws to build lumber from that, built the forms, poured the concrete, did all the framing, windows, roofing, interior floors, built the cabinets, did the drywall, mudding, painting, etc.

Crazy bugger, but crazy skills. Underground miner, carpenter, logger, and commercial fisherman and jack of all trades. Few like that around. He passed at age 85. He and I built his second home back in 1978 and in 1980 the two of us built a 40 foot commercial salmon troller that we fished on the BC west coast.

I have only a smidgen of his skillset.

Really looking forward to your next adventures! Fascinating stuff.

 

this may be quite off-topic etc... but I came across a video you had made explaining some issues while on the road... curious if you have a spare moment to explain more about the bed mounts breaking and the rear leaf spring hanger replacement and how they are holding up? I just noticed my hanger has bent and trying to sort out the repair method, and also curious if any preventative welding to the bed mounts might be a smart move for my bed/camper setup. Thanks in advance and look forward to checking out your tavels on this site!

 

Man, you guys are living the life I want! Very very inspiring.

 

No problem. The replacement rear shackle hangers have been great for the last 80,000 miles. They are not cheap but we're worth it they are made by Archive Garage. The OEM rear shackles are a known weak point if you're carrying a lot of weight or drive on a lot of rough roads.

The front bed mounts have been welded several times while driving in Africa. Here is a picture highlighting in blue where the aftermarket welds occurred. Basically, the entire bracket where it mounts onto the frame has been rewelded. Toyota, only spot welded it. My hand is also showing a gusset that was welded on to further strengthen it.

We've had no more problems in the last 25,000 miles. Hope that helps

 

This is extremely helpful! Thank you very much for taking the time to share, my already bent hanger will likely share a similar replacement history with yours then, and ill look at a preventative gusset/additional welds as well. Cheers!

 

A close-up of our map on the hood. Yes, we're currently in Georgia, no not the state, the country. We're behind on our country write-ups, Greece is almost done and its a big one!

 

Greece - Part 1


Temple to the Goddess Athena (one of many) next to Delphi

Greece was a fantastic place to land and re-group after a year and a half in Africa and the Middle East. We felt a huge sense of comfort in the European familiarity and how easy everything was for us. For the first time in ages we didn’t feel like we stuck out for miles, walking around with a big imagined TOURIST sign floating above our heads. We could (somewhat) blend in to the crowds, we understood the food, the customs, the rules. The similarity of the culture to our own backgrounds was a temporary reprieve. We love pushing ourselves to learn and explore, but sometimes it is a relief to have everything just be simple for a bit. Although we are fortunate and happy to be on this journey to drive around the world, it does take a toll. Every day is different, an unfamiliar assault on the senses, and every day can be a challenge in finding basic resources.

But aside from being a great place for us to feel a sense of ease and relaxation, Greece is just straight up a terrific place to travel. We loved the beaches, the mountains, the food (some of the best in the world!) and, of course, the iconic cultural and historical sites and engaging people.


Our route driving through Greece with a flight to and from Crete and a few island ferries along the way

At first, we were without the truck, waiting for it to arrive on a ship from Israel, so we booked into a hotel in Athens for a few nights then flew over to Crete to explore the island (like a regular tourist not an overland traveler, it was a little disconcerting for us).


View over Athens - immense and dense, with almost no public parks or open space for miles and miles.

Athens felt like a thriving city, alive with art and history, even outside of the old town areas and the Acropolis. During our time in Greece we learned to appreciate and admire the incorporation of art and whimsy into everyday life that seemed to come so easy to the Greek people - probably due to centuries of practice.


Contemporary murals were common in downtown Athens


Alongside architecture incorporating ancient styles


Old Greek Orthodox church surrounded by modern shops


Endless narrow streets with awesome cafes and bars


Making our way through old town up to the Acropolis in the distance

We are convinced that we visited Greece at the very best time - March and April. We enjoyed cool mornings, sunny afternoons and a lack of crowds. As a caveat, we were not laying out on the beach or diving into the ocean to swim, but then that is not usually our favorite pastime anyway.


The Acropolis (name of the hill which towers over Athens with 5th century ruins, including the Parthenon)


It was such a major site, we booked a tour with a guide (Constantine, with the hat and the pointing finger) who was terrific and gave a lot of interesting context

We would put the Acropolis up there with the very best archeological sites we have visited in the world, along with Petra in Jordan, Ephesus in Turkey and Great Zimbabwe. We were so inspired by the sense of history that we could not stop snapping pictures.





Photo op in front of the Parthenon


And then jumping forward in artistic time . . .


Whimsical alley way we wandered into in Athens


Even the vehicles expressed their owner’s personalities

After three days exploring, and resting it up in Athens, we flew to Crete. Still without the truck, we rented a small car to get around the island.


Clay wine urns on display at Palace of Minos at Knossos, outside Heraklion


Although commonly referred to as Crete’s pre-eminent historical site. the Palace at Minos was a disappointment for us. It had been heavily restored. We learned that a lot of the “restoration” was actually completed by British archeologist Sir Arthur Evans who made a lot of questionable choices in his early 1900’s restoration - using modern building materials, repainting frescos without much care for historical accuracy and choosing to paint some of the buildings’ columns a bright red. As a contrast to the Acropolis, we did not feel steeped in ancient history.

But luckily for us, the beautiful island of Crete was not really about archeological sites, but about gorgeous coastline, stunning harbor towns, and craggy (still snowy!) mountains and gorges.


Old fort in the harbor in Heraklion


Leaving Heraklion to explore the northern coast


Venetian Harbor in Chania

We continued our history lessons on Crete - more of the European and Ottoman power plays through time. Crete came under control of Venice in the early 13th century and continued under their ownership until it became their last overseas possession in the 17th century. In 1669 the Venetian Kingdom finally fell to the Ottomans and Crete became part of the Ottoman Empire.


Old Venetian fountain in Chania


Wandering the enchanting side streets of Chania

After being charmed by the architecture in Chania, we continued to the west to the remote coastal area of Elafonissi - beautiful deserted beaches perfect for a spring walk.


Beach at Elafonissi



Our favorite Greek picnic lunch - fresh bread, olive paste and feta cheese.


Andy modelling his lunch at the beach

Traveling with a rental car and staying in hotels was very different for us. It had been a long time since we had to deal with hauling luggage in and out of hotels and we missed endless supplies of cold water and snacks from our fridge. But on the upside, we were able to stretch out in big climate controlled rooms every night and explore the local cuisine in restaurants more than we normally would. Since we were early in the season, hotels were a reasonable $40 USD a night for mid range accommodations. Budget meals were easy to find at $5-9 a person. It also helped that hotels commonly served a huge and filling breakfast which jump started our daily calorie count at no additional cost.


Lighthouse at Chania


The charming harbor at Chania with a mountainous backdrop


Our favorite Greek fast food - gyros (falafal for Dawn, beef for Andy, with Dawn’s wine cheaper than Andy’s Pepsi)

We had intended to hike the famous Samaria Gorge but unfortunately it was not open yet due to weather. No worries, instead we drove south and hiked Imbros Gorge - a lovely day hike.


Heading into Imbros Gorge


Enjoying being back in nature


Heading into the narrowest section


View down to the southern coast of Crete


After hiking the gorge, we ended up enjoying the views on the southern coast of Crete and decided it was time to explore the inner mountains and agrarian plateaus as we wound our way back north.


Remote road through interior Crete - beautiful mountains all around


Back to Venetian Harbors- at Rethimno

Crete was a surprise to us with the variety of experiences it provided - we had not expected the vast expanses of mountains alongside the captivating villages.


Old fort at Rethimno

The island provided a lovely blend of remote hiking and culinary and artistic sites. We loved wandering the old towns and walking the beaches in equal parts.


Old town Rehimno


The pastel color schemes were lovely and soothing

Of course a visit to Crete requires visiting some ancient religious sites - the Cretans staunchly held onto their Greek Orthodox roots despite being occupied by both the Venetians (Catholic) and Ottomans (Muslim).


Arkadi Monastery

We found our exploring rhythm, mixing it up with coastal harbor towns and interior cultural sites and remote roads. But as Google took us on some navigational adventures (love those “short cuts”) we definitely missed our capable 4x4 a few times.


Ancient City of Lato - built in the 3rd and 4th centuries BC

The huge benefit of visiting in April, we were often on our own to explore ancient sites which always adds to the mystery.




Visiting these ancient sites we could always understand why people settled where they did - usually with a magnificent, defensible view and natural resources nearby


A Google “shortcul” Andy pre-walking the road to see if our little rental car is going to make it


Mountain road - most of the roads in Crete were easily driveable with any vehicle


Although not wide or straight

Dawn requested a side trip to Matala Beach - site where notable 60’s artists (Joni Mitchell!) lived and created music in their hippy years.


Caves at Matala Beach - former home to 60’s musicians


Visiting Odigitria Monastery


Not the most descriptive museum sign we have seen . . .


But vaguely accurate


Our last gorge hike before we leave Crete


Our time in Crete was up and it was time to be re-united with our home on wheels. A short flight took us back from Heraklion to Athens, then a taxi ride to the port of Lavrio dropped us off feeling a little anxious and lost.

 

We traveled to Greece for 11 days on our first adventure off the North American continent in 2007. Only had reservations in Athens upon arrival for a couple nights and one night upon return so we could catch our plane. The rest of the trip was by ferry and finding accommodations at the port. It was fantastic! A true trip of a lifetime. Besides Athens, we visited Poros (not Paros - a story in itself), Santorini and Mykonos. The people, the food, the history and whole adventure was truly amazing. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your travels through one of our very favorite places.

 

Having minimal reservations i think is the best way to travel, unless you're visting during high season. i think if you were to visit Santorini and Mykonos in high season now you'd be shocked at the increase in toursits today.

 

Greece - part 2


A little searching and we found the shipping office


And then, the truck!! (We still don’t have a catchy name for it like most overlanders do)

Fully rested after our ten days of hotels and restaurants we set off on what felt like, to us, our “real” exploration of Greece - overlander style. Our first stop was the Peloponnese Peninsula.


The Corinth Canal, splitting the land bridge which connects the Peloponnese Peninsula to mainland Greece, boats have been navigating the canal since 600BC, although most of the excavation was done in the 18th and 20th centuries.

In general, maybe because it was still early in the season, we found Greece to be an easy place to overland. Wild camping was readily available in most areas. An easy going “live and let live” culture meant that people did not mind us overnighting in remote places. We used the iOverlander app to find places to sleep and avoided being in sight of any houses or roads when possible.


River canyon wild spot


Ruins of Ancient Olympia - birthplace of the Olympics

For our Audible books selection in Greece, as we drove we listened to Greek mythology and hero stories. It was amazing how the stories connected the dots with the places we were visiting. (We listened to Stephen Fry’s Mythos and then Heroes, very comprehensive). Listening to the labors of Hercules and then visiting the site where he supposedly started the Olympics definitely brought it all home.


The chaos of time


Andy doing his Herculean pose at the entrance to the first Olympic Field



On our way along the beach to find a remote spot


Got ourselves into trouble - its always at the beach! Maxtrax to the rescue (again)


Settled in for the night on the hard packed sand

The next place on our itinerary (Andy’s very organized spreadsheet which Dawn loves to mess with) was the enchanting village of Monemvasia. A castle town built on the side of a cliff so that it was hidden from the mainland, it was one of our favorite towns to visit in Greece.


Landbridge to Monemvasia


One of the most aesthetically charming places we visited in Greece


Pedestrian streets of Monemvasia







Finding the trail to circumnavigate the small island


Cliff top trail return to the village




Coastal camp in view of the Monemvasia (almost) island - technically a “tied” island as it has a small land bridge


We are just happy to be back in the truck and in our own bed

Our next stop on the Peloponnese Peninsula was an equally magical place, the Byzantine ruins at Mystras - a well deserved World Heritage Unesco site.


Ruins of Mystras - center of Byzantine culture in the 14th and 15th centuries





Built on the side of a hill


Beautifully designed churches








Some of the buildings partially restored





Ancient church fresco


Google maps “shortcut” cutting through an olive grove - a familiar site in Greece


Camp for the night, beautiful view oceanside





Archeological site at Mycenae


Famous lion gate


Vast ruins across the hillside - at its peak the military stronghold for the Greeks had a population of 30,000

We felt like we couldn’t visit Greece without experiencing some idyllic island life. Andy did some careful research and chose four for us: Hydra, Mykonos, Naxos and Tinos. We wanted to visit one iconic tourist one (and chose Mykonos over Santorini, just slightly less upscale which felt like a better fit for us) plus some smaller lesser known ones.

First up was Hydra, which appealed to us as it was vehicle free (although it did mean ditching the truck again). Luckily there was plenty of free, safe parking at the dock.


Waiting dockside for our ferry to Hydra


Incoming ferry to Hydra


Walking the hills and enjoying the views on Hydra


Classic boxy white architecture we found across the Greek islands

Hydra was our favorite of the islands we visited. It had tourism infrastructure but was not crowded. It was easy to walk on trails away from the center. With no cars, pedestrian life was easy, although the hills were steep! It was beautiful and serene, people were welcoming but there was no pressure to engage in tourist activities.


Walking trails out of town


Locals use donkeys for transport


Lots of steps! Also royal blue commonly used as the design accent color throughout the islands


And always, interesting public art


Hiking above the town in Hydra





Main harbor at Hydra, lined with cafes and bars


Donkeys and horses lined up to transport people and goods on an island with no cars (at least on the populated side, we did see some trucks helping with construction on the non touristed side)

We spent a night in Hydra then returned to the mainland where our truck was safely waiting for us.


Beautiful cove wild camp


What excites us these days! The first self service laundromat we had seen in 18 months. Luxury.


Truck packed away in the corner of the ferry to Mykonos

Our next island visit was Mykonos. For us the name evoked celebrity, glamor, and luxury. Luckily it was also a place we could take our truck by ferry. But we quickly found out it was not really a place for self-camping. Highly developed, there was very little open space with roads. Steep empty mountainsides were inaccessible. Coast lines were covered in freshly painted white hotels, homes, pensions and resorts. But the island was stunning with its white and blue architecture and we were glad to have gone - even briefly.


Main harbor at Mykonos Town





Iconic blue and white architecture with grey stone walkways - all freshly painted for the season.





Old windmills above the town





Finding a place for a walk - on the opposite side of the island from the main tourist center


One of two places we found to camp on the island - it looks remote in this photo, and for Mykonos it definitely was


But it was actually the parking lot of a church


Looking down on a beautiful remote beach


Greek independence day parade on Mykonos - March 25 -celebration of the successful revolution against the Ottoman empire


The second place we found to camp on Mykonos - in sight of resorts but they were still closed and no one cared that we were there

The third island we visited was an overnight trip from Mykonos to Naxos. To save on expenses, we left the truck and took the passenger ferry. Although ferry schedules were fairly easy to navigate and book online, they were not cheap. All together for our four island visits (one with the truck) we spent over $600 in ferry tickets.


Main port in Naxos


Walking to the Portara - giant marble arch still standing from an old temple to Apollo


Beautiful beach of Naxos with the classis white Greek island architecture


The Portara or Great Door of Naxos


Wandering the old streets of Naxos - finding art everywhere





Indulging in our favorite lunch again


Our final island was another overnight without the truck - to Tinos. Each island had its own culture and Tinos felt a little older, less prosperous and less touristy than the other islands we went to.


Church of Panagia Megalochari in Chora, Tinos, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it is the most popular pilgrimage site in Greece


Carpet to protect the pilgrim’s knees as they approach the church walking on their knees


Colorful side streets of Tinos - not all white and blue!





Harbor at Chora, island of Tinos


And then once again the truck is tucked into the back of a ferry, our island days are over and we are returning to the main land

We started our central Greece explorations at ancient Delphi - commonly referred to in the Greek myths were were listening to as the site of the famous oracle.


Temple at ancient Delphi


Ancient Greek stone tablets sitting along the walkways








Theatre at Delphi


Then back on the road - snow capped mountains in the distance

Our next stop was Iti National Park with its beautiful rugged mountain vistas and rivers. Local villages had created various art installations along scenic hiking trails - you never knew what you were going to find on the next hilltop.











And in addition to art - lots of swings.


All over the world Andy has stopped to save tortoises slowly crossing busy roads


Waterfall hike in Iti National Park


Camping by a remote religious shrine


With an easy walk to a castle on a hill


It is extraordinary to be the only ones clambering over ancient rocks


Another mountain wild site - Andy escaping to the shade to read


Charming mountain village of Makrinitsa


Admiring the stone architecture of Makrinitsa


Hiking along the coast - Pelion Peninsula





Our last stop in central Greece was a highlight for us - the monasteries of Meteora. The monks built with the intention of avoiding capture by centuries of hostile invaders and occupiers. Initially only accessed by secret tunnels or scaling cliffs, the monasteries now have secure steps, walking paths and rudimentary cable cars used to supply the monks still on site.


Monasteries of Meteora - built atop rock pinnacles.





One of the cable cars bringing supplies





Winding our way up the cliff - grateful for the tourist-friendly safety wall











It was one of those places that we could just not stop taking photos, in awe of the monks who conceived of and built in these locations





Across the valley from the monasteries we found one of our favorite camping spots.


Andy pre-walking the road into what we think will be an epic camping spot


We made it!


View from camp across to the monasteries


And then slowly working our way back out to continue our journey


Wild spot heading to hike at Vikos Gorge


Went for a walk and ran into some Greek vintners having a picnic. We were welcomed to join for wine and gladly did.


Overlook at Vikos Gorge


Hiking down into the gorge


And another wild camping spot





Mount Olympus - also featured in much of the Greek mythology we were listening to. But we did not have any encounters with Zeus or any of his 11 mischievous cohort of gods.


Time for new tires (again!) Last time was Slovenia, now in Thessaloniki


Not much tread left in these BF Goodrich KO2s. They served us well, lasting 52,000 miles. Unfortunately we had to switch to Yokahama Geolander AT as the BFGs weren’t available. So far we like them


Walking the waterfront promenade in Thessaloniki


And exploring the old castle

Our final stop in Greece was the old town of Xanthi. Of course we found river side art, beautiful old architecture and more lively cafes.








And that is a wrap for Greece! Next stop Turkey. Thank you for reading and any questions or comments are welcome. Safe travels out there.

 

Western Turkey


We were so excited to visit Turkey for the first time and Istanbul was a city we had always wanted to explore. But our plans did not pan out as we hoped. Information was somewhat difficult to come by and we got over confident about our ability to navigate borders and customs. Our plan was to leave the truck for two months in Turkey and return home to see family and friends, then return to resume our travels.

Through various on line travel forums we thought we learned that you could easily receive an extension on the standard 3 month temporary import limit for private vehicles. The procedure was to go to customs with a letter stating that the vehicle had been parked and not used and then an extension was granted. Assuming all would be fine we continued with our travel plans to visit western Turkey, then store the truck and return to visit central and eastern Turkey.

The campground where we stored the truck knew about the letter requirements and kindly provided one for us. Unfortunately the key missing piece of information for us was that in actuality, no extensions are granted in any circumstances without a residency permit. Which we lacked. Our big mistake was not fact checking all of this until we actually returned to Turkey after being in the US for two months. As soon as we arrived, we headed to customs at the airport to explain that we needed an extension. The officer kindly looked up our vehicle in their system and then shook his head and said that actually we had to get the truck out of Turkey in a week or else we could be facing huge fees and impounding. But somehow we still did not quite believe it so we drove on our merry way and visited another customs office where others had received extensions. Same story, no residency permit, no extension (we did later hear that the rules had changed on us sometime in the past year or so). The upshot of all of this was that once we returned from the US we had to drive all the way across Turkey in three days to get the truck safely into Georgia. Sadly our central and eastern Turkey itinerary went by the wayside. Hopefully we can return someday. (We had big plans for our first hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia). Although we drove all the way across Turkey, we really only explored the western side so we renamed the blog accordingly.


But we loved the areas of Turkey we were able to visit! And the food, wow, alongside Greek, some of our favorite in the world. We frequented road side stands selling börek - flaky pastries filled with cheese, meat or vegetables, ate a variety of kebap (delicately flavored roasted meat) and sampled lots of pide - Turkish style pizza on scrumptious flat bread. We were amused to learn from local Turkish people that they are bewildered by the proliferation of “donor kebap” being sold all over Europe as “Turkish food.” As they explained to us, donor kebap is basically saying “round round” for meat, not a local food at all, you eat either donor (also called gyro in Greece, large spits of meat from which pieces are shaved off for a variety of sandwiches and plates) or kebap which is round pieces of meat typically barbequed on a skewer. As huge “donor kebap” fans ourselves - one of our favorite fast foods throughout Europe we laughed at ourselves for our ignorance. Perhaps there is some ingenious marketing at play from Turkish expats that we don’t pretend to understand.

The historical sites we were able to visit were fascinating and we learned a lot about the complexities of the Ottoman and Roman empires battling it out in the region. Istanbul lived up to its reputation as a mesmerizing city full of life and culture with visible signs of its transition from Byzantium to Constantinople to Istanbul. The architecture was extraordinary and the streets lively, fun and easy to navigate (at least on foot).


As soon as we crossed the border into Turkey we felt the atmospheric shift back to a Muslim dominated culture. Although much more westernized than the countries we visited on the Arabian peninsula, in Turkey we once again enjoyed hearing the call to prayer and seeing the beautiful domes of mosques and their minarets on the horizons.





Our first historic stop in Turkey was the Gallipoli Peninsula, visiting the battle sites and graveyards related to the famous Turkish victory in WWI. It was eerie, sad and chilling to look out over the sea of graves and try to contemplate the loss of life. We visited the local museum which led us through a series of exhibits and video clips detailing the Turkish victory over the Allied troops. Gazing up at the cliffs where the Allied troops (mostly British, French and Australian) landed it was easy to imagine how impossible it much have been for the Allied troops to try to take the peninsula against the committed and entrenched Turkish troops. The Allied goal was to clear the way for naval ships to take Istanbul but they failed miserably. Over 130,000 men lost their lives in the Gallipoli campaign.









After a sobering day we made our way to a bluff top wild camping site. Finding camping spots in Turkey was easy using both Park4Night and iOverlander. In general, we use the Park4Night app in Europe and iOverlander in Africa and the Americas, but Turkey was a mixed country with both of the apps having a lot of detailed information. We will be interested to see which one of the apps is more populated in Asia.



Next began our tour of some fascinating ancient Greek and Roman sites in Turkey. Our first stop was the city of Troy, which honestly, despite its name figuring hugely in our audible books of Greek mythology, was a disappointing site for us. Much of it was little more than chaotic rubble. We know we were not too enthralled as we didn’t seem to take any pictures - never a good sign. But then Pergamon and Ephesus definitely made up for it with their extraordinary beauty.
















Ephesus was a Turkey highlight for us - we were still pre-season in April so were happy to find the site empty of crowds. We showed up early and hired a private guide to make the city come alive for us - and he definitely did.





Ephesus was an ancient port and at one point one of the most important Greek cities - a trading center for the Mediterranean region and then later part of the Roman Empire. The historic wealth was apparent in the carvings and ornate design of the buildings.





























Our time with the truck was coming to an end again. As we looked at logistics, we realized we could leave it in Izmir at a campground ($3 per day parking) and fly to Istanbul ($50 flight) for much cheaper than we could try to park the truck long term in Istanbul. Our Izmir campground hosts were helpful and kind and we trusted that the truck would be safe in their hands. Leaving the truck in Izmir also meant that it would be easy to continue our planned route (or so we thought). We also don’t like driving the truck in big cities or trying to find parking so not bringing it to Istanbul felt brilliant all around - it was definitely the right choice.







In addition to being excited about visiting iconic Istanbul, we were thrilled that Dawn’s cousin Helen, one of our favorite travel partners, was joining us for the week. She had a past history of doing business in Istanbul so was cued up for both a trip down memory lane and being our unofficial tour guide. We hopped on the plane and made our way to our Airbnb.





The next week was a feast for the senses. Beautiful art, architecture and food everywhere. The city is fast paced but felt safe. We watched our wallets as you do in any big city in the world, but never had any issues.



As we have done in so many big cities in the world, we started our time with a free walking tour, grounding us in the history of the city. The site of the old Roman hippodrome, now Sultanahmet Public Square, is a spacious walking area lined with history and mosques. Ever conscious of our travel budget, we chose the attractions we paid for partly on interest and partly on the length of the line. Most of the mosques were free to enter (with the exception of the famous Hagia Sophia) so we took the time to visit and take in their grandeur and symmetry.



























































We braved the crowds and bought tickets to Topkapi Palace - home to the sultans of the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years. The vast complex showcased art and architecture over the centuries - giving great insight into what life was like for the sultans, their families and even the associated harems.













Because we learned so much on our first free walking tour, we signed up for a second one and took the ferry over to tour Fener Balat, an old multicultural neighborhood known for Greek, Armenian, Jewish and Turkish people living side by side.


















Our time in Istanbul was coming to an end and Dawn was feeling like there was just one outstanding experience that we had overlooked so far - the hamam or iconic “Turkish Bath.” Helen was game, having been before and willing to show Dawn the ropes and Andy was a big fat “no.”









Finally our time was up and we had to (very sadly) say goodbye to Helen to fly back to the US.



And because we only book economy cheap flights, the challenge of the next 36 hours was trying to find places to sleep.





Our time at home with family and friends filled our souls with love and joy. During this time of traveling in the truck, we never see our children enough so being able to gather, relax and work on projects together (more on that later) so it was just what we needed.

The two months flew by and before we knew it we were back on a plane, back in Izmir and booting up truck life again. Of course we returned with an extra duffel full of truck parts for future maintenance. It was surprisingly easy to slide into our past routines, despite having had the luxury of living in a real house for two months. Once we had resupplied with food, water, and gas we were on our way.



Still blissfully unaware that we REALLY did have to leave Turkey in five days, we stopped off to visit Priene, founded in the 4th century BC by the Romans.





Then having visited our second customs office and been told we really did have to leave, we calculated that we could make it to Georgia in three really long driving days with one last stop - the calcite terraces at Pamukkale. A geologic beauty and site of centuries of warm sulfuric baths. (We just put our feet in.)








For our final night in Turkey we found a cool mountain pass (it was heating up by now!)





Well we are fully on our way now, ready to tackle the Silk Road and plot some new adventures. Thank you for reading, hopefully some interesting blogs to come!

And Aside Just In Case You Think We Relax When We Go Home . .

We have started work on a future project (once we are finished driving around the world). Slowly (very) but surely we are building a home in Bend. With LOTS of help from family and friends. A few pictures from our time at home in Oregon:





















So far we have left behind a foundation, slab floor, solar electric system and septic system in place. Huge thanks to all the family and friends who helped over the two months, Trevor, Claire, Nicholas, Duncan, Nick, Eve, Brent, Oliver and of course Gram and Papa for donuts and snacks. To be continued!

 

Armenia


Parked at the top of Selim Pass

Armenia was a surprise to us. We knew shockingly little about this small embattled nation, but from the moment we entered from Georgia through the deep, lush Debed river canyon, we started to fall in love.

The country has vast landscapes of forest, river canyons, agricultural valleys and mountain passes. It is dotted with ancient churches and monasteries, which is appropriate as they were the first official seat of Christianity in 301 AD.

There is also a deep sadness to the country which has not recovered from losing 1.5 million people to genocide in the early 1900’s. Repeatedly invaded and oppressed, Armenia’s history is a story of repression by the nearby Ottoman, Russian and Persian empires. In 1639, the Ottoman Turks and Persians fought over the region and divided Armenia between them. In 1828 the Russian Empire took over the Persian half of the country. Conflicts with the Ottoman Turks and the Russian Empire over control of the region continued into the 20th century. During WW1 the Ottoman Turks systematically killed and displaced 1.5 million Armenians.

Despite their tragic history, the Armenian people exhibit strength, resilience and a deep national pride. They have retained their unique language and faith throughout the centuries. There is a passionate ownership of the diaspora which is widely dispersed due to people escaping during the genocide - as one man told us, “there are more Armenians living outside of Armenia these days than in it.”


Our over 900 km route through Armenia

Christianity plays a deep role in the national history and culture. We were told with national pride that Armenia was the first state to officially adopt Christianity. So we began our learning by visiting some of the oldest and most beautiful sites of worship in Armenia.


Haghpat Monastery, medieval monastery founded in the 10th century


Khachkar - unique Armenian art of carving intricate crosses in stone






Inside of Haghpat Monastery

The hills of Armenia are dotted with religious sites, but these first two monasteries, Haghpat and Sanahin stayed with us as two of the most beautiful, both for their location up remote winding mountain roads and their simple beauty which has withstood the test of time.


Sanahin Monastery




With all the wide open space, Armenia was a country where it was super easy to wild camp. We rarely saw other overlanders or local campers and the sites were spectacular.


Winding up our first dirt road to spend the night


We like getting off the paved road but try to avoid aggressive 4x4 routes (we are just too heavy)- this was our happy medium


Found a site with a view of the valley





And, of course, a beautiful church down below


Andy made friends with the stray dog that adopted us for the night. Luckily this one did not eat Dawn’s bedraggled, jackal chewed camp shoes.


Finding our way out of the mountains the next day


Saghmosavan Monastery, wedding in progress and guests being photographed but we snuck Andy into the background


Perched on the edge of stunning Kasagh Gorge


Selfie in the gorge-another good day on the road!


Hovhannavank Monastery, also gorge side, also hosting a wedding, Andy didn’t photo bomb anyone this time


We appreciated the unique architectural style of the Armenian monasteries and churches, with their cylindrical towers and conical rooves, but now it was time for something different.

We made our way to the capital of Armenia, Yerevan. We had booked an Airbnb with the intention of doing laundry and securing visas for our travels eastward.


View from our Yerevan Airbnb - we were on the outskirts of the city, looking down into the adjacent neighborhood


We found that once we walked into the neighborhood that our instincts would have called “sketchy,” it was actually full of cozy homes and cafes, with lots of intriguing art.

Yerevan, like much of Armenia was a study in contrasts. Old world styles and architecture blended with hip cafes and bars. It is the only place in the world that Dawn has been asked after she ordered a latte “would you like that with plant based or cow milk?” (Keeping in mind that she has spent a LOT of time in California and Oregon.) Broken down Soviet era Ladas shared the streets with fancy Mercedes and street murals shared space with classical art.


Beautiful building front in Yerevan


Republic Square government buildings, young people and families hanging out by the fountains


Opera House


No big city visit is complete without a visit to a real mechanic - Andy took the new brake rotors we carted back from the US (20 lbs each in our luggage) and had our old ones replaced. Really important on all these steep mountain roads. He also replaced the transmission, transaxle, and front and rear differential oils. Huge shout out to our kind Airbnb host, Lilit who took us to her personal mechanic.


Privileged to watch an artist carve a khachkar on a side street


National Museum of Armenian History - a great place to spend a hot afternoon, we learned a lot.


Building mural in Yerevan. We do not know the meaning but know there is tension in the country about where to obtain needed military support in the future. Neighboring Azerbaijan had recently invaded and pushed Armenians out of a disputed area of the country. Younger people we spoke to hoped to align with the EU, a guide we talked with thought there was a greater chance for support with aligning with Russia. We sensed tension, fear and hope in the country.


Armenian Genocide Memorial


Memorializing the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians


Cascade of steps culminating at the statue of Mother Armenia


Enjoying the whimsical public art


And the more classic public art


Beautiful cafe mural


Armenian artist Ervand Kochar - “The Disaster of War”

We found Yerevan to be an easy city to explore on foot, with taxis readily available if we wanted to go farther. We spent a lot of time wandering the city, but one of our main missions there was visas. We had heard that the embassies in Yerevan were easier to work with and quicker in providing visas than those in nearby Tbilisi, Georgia.

We cannot compare to other embassies, but we found the staff at the Chinese and Russian embassies to be professional, courteous and we were able to get each of our visas within two days (with an expedited cost). These were two major visas for us and each one involved multiple visits and leaving our passports for a couple of days so it was a huge relief to secure them.

As an aside, it had not been our original intention to drive through Russia and when the idea was originally floated to us by fellow overlanders we immediately reacted with strong “no’s.” Our personal beliefs aside, we are US citizens traveling in a US plated truck and what we represent to other governments is complicated. In the end we were faced with either, 1) driving through Iran and western Pakistan, or 2) placing our truck on a flatbed to ship it into Azerbaijan (land borders are closed for driving in), fly into the country then pick it up and take the intermittent ferry across the Caspian sea, or finally 3) secure a transit visa to cross a small section of Russia in 3 days. In the end we chose the latter as what we perceived to be the least risky for us. It was not a decision we felt good about, and we definitely harbored some sense of moral slippage, but our choices were limited and we really did not want to give up and go home.

So visas secured in our passports, we left Yerevan to see more of Armenia.


Hiking in Yeghegis Valley


Exploring the deserted Smbataberd Castle


There is nothing like exploring history with no one else around


It is very rare to see women in shorts in these parts so Dawn continues her tradition of hot weather hiking in a dress. Although since we never saw anyone except for two shepherds, it probably didn’t matter


Bumping our way back down the valley


Wild camp along the way - much dryer landscape in the south


Admiring the view at Selim Pass - parked by a Caravanserai from 1332


Caravanserai - old Silk Road trading post and rest stop


Heading back down from Selim Pass - a windy but good paved road

The last area we visited in Armenia was the most touristed - but still intriguing in its history.


Craggy cliffs on the way to Geghard Monastery


Our last monastery! Geghard Monastery was a little different, carved into the rock face


Beautiful old khachkars


A unique stand alone building which connects to chambers carved back into the cliffs


Chambers carved out of the solid rock face


Wild camp along the way


Garni Temple - harkening back to the Greco-Roman days


Andy loved the Ladas

Our last stop in this region was the intricate and fascinating Symphony of Stones with its hanging basalt column along the river - one of the most unique rock formations we have seen (it reminded us a little of a vertical version of Giant’s Causeway in Ireland.)


Walking along the Symphony of Stones


Complete with Lada








Last night in Armenia, more beautiful views

And that was a wrap for Armenia. We appreciated the people who took the time to explain both their history and current fears, we hope for peace for you. Now we are back to Georgia for more mountains then on our way on the Silk Road. Thank you for reading!