Life has skipped along quite rapidly. We often exclaim at how often days and events reassert themselves on us, seemingly at odds with the laws of physics and those of time and space: like, 

"Surely we only got the Saturday papers a couple of days ago?" "No, unbelievably, that was last Saturday!" There are numerous examples of this, some truly mind bending. We don't know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, so we'll just roll along with it, I suppose!

As I mentioned previously, I'm less disciplined these days when it comes to photo taking and great swathes of our lives go un-recorded. Somehow, we're still able to function and live normal lives and no one is any the wiser or poorer for our lack of posting on social media! I have managed to scrape together a few shots (above) so I haven't totally ignored the camera. Ironically, I'm now in possession of a phone with a cutting edge camera, so if the whim takes me, I can utilise such!

Recently, I convinced Cass to drive into town for our morning walk, bucking our usual routine, and combine the walk with a viewing of the outdoor sculptures up at Fort Scratchley. The sculptures were terrific, the day shiny and bright and we rounded off the viewing by walking out to the end of the breakwater. Then, everything turned for the worse! The sunny skies quickly gave way to rolling grey, black, then ominous green clouds as we hurried back to the car. Halfway home we were assaulted with the cliched golf-ball sized hail bombs and we crawled along till we dived into the safety of our underground garage. Damage done, the pockmarked Jag is a sorry sight and probably would be written off if we made an insurance claim. Hard to believe our luck!

Other than that, we've had a few celebratory lunches for birthdays (Valerie) and just because we can on other occasions with each other and friends as well as a few regular coffee catchups. We've had dinner with Mark and Mihoko and also Wayne and Josie, but unfortunately, these were other occasions where the camera remained stubbornly in my pocket! We even managed a night of comedy with the irreverent Tom Gleeson at the Newcastle Comedy Club and a Musicaviva concert at the Town Hall with the brilliant Garrick Ohlsson. Cassy was brought to tears when he played her much practised Chopin piece in an impromptu second encore!

We recently caught the train to Sydney, stayed overnight and the next day visited the Art Gallery of NSW. Our secondary purpose was to inspect the brand new, multi million dollar expansion known as the North Wing. It's received it's fair share of criticism and seems to have polarised opinion and we can see why. It has a shopping mall vibe and strangely, despite the obvious quality of its expensive finishes and materials, it still manages to feel both unfinished and slightly cheap. If one was to describe it and the levels and connections within, it would sound great, but the feel of the place just isn't right. Maybe it's "the vibe"?! Put it this way, when we popped next door to the South Wing, the original building, we felt much more embraced in an artistic cocoon and succumbed to that grand feeling of being immersed in beauty, both from what was on the walls and the building itself.

Our main purpose for this lightning visit was to attend cousin-in-law Erin's poetry launch! Erin has been working up to this collection for many years and her training, practice and experience have culminated in a most delicious selection of work compiled in her first volume of poems. There were readings and testimonials from many, including poetry luminary Judith Beveridge, who delivered a magnificent tribute to Erin's particular skill and craft. All this bookended by drinks and canapes and signings and chat at the whimsical Griffith Theatre Company. It was a triumph and a well deserved  celebration of a highly intelligent and accomplished poet: we were so honoured to have been invited!

We've both read a few books recently, but our current ones are John Banville's "The Singularities" (Cass) and Michael Trant's "Wild Dogs" (David). I also finally managed to do my birthday pushups the other day which has been postponed since my bad condition on our return from the Middle East. I'm bizarrely proud of this each time I do it and it's yet another thing that seems to come up quite often!

 Despite the lingering nightmare of an arduous flight back from the Middle East fresh in my memory and a vow never to travel that way again, I found myself ensconced, less than three weeks later, in a packed China Airlines economy class on the way to Taipei. At least it was only nine hours direct!

I'd booked this flight to our old stomping ground some time back, planning to fit in a couple of Friday nights to catch up with Marcus and precious little else, except a good wander round the city and surrounding areas to refamiliarize myself and reminisce a little about our much loved former home of 19 years. It's almost as if something life-changing had happened, such was the sense of urgency and panic with which I'd booked(!). 

The Madison Taipei was a slick, clean and luxurious business hotel in the glamorous Hsin Yi district, the glitzy new heart of the financial and commercial section of the city. I chose it because it wasn't near our old neighbourhood or workplace and I could be independent and incognito and just make plans to see some certain select friends when and where I wanted. 

I travelled almost exclusively on the MRT for the week and walked the city districts each day. The experience was exciting and foreign, yet at the same time, comfortable and familiar. As I expected, the general pulse of the city was easily recognisable and what I expected, but I had some jolting moments when I let my thoughts drift. Sometimes, I was shocked when I realised I didn't live in the city anymore and at other times I had an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and sadness. It was only transitory, however....I quickly readjusted and enjoyed being immersed in this wonderful city and culture.

Apart from two Friday nights drinking beers with Marcus and an arranged mix of guests like Michael, Dan and Matt, I had specific coffee catchups with Ange and Dan on a couple of other days and spent a lot of time with Marcus and Annie and the two boys. They kindly hosted me at their house a few times, we met at my hotel before having a meal and exploring my downtown area or I went hiking in the mountains with Marcus or met the family at a craft market on the weekend. They also put up with me for my final afternoon and evening before being transported back to the airport by the irrepressible Daniel who had greeted me with a hug when I arrived at customs the week before!

I must have been fitter a few years ago too! I was exhausted each day when I returned to the hotel after checking out the city. On different days I did half the thousand steps and Yangminshan ridge line track and the inordinately steep risers at Shangshan stone steps into the viewing forest beyond. My thighs were aching on the following mornings! I saw some awesome artwork at the art museum with various thought provoking displays on at the same time, and some quirky works at the contemporary art museum. Ximending streets were exciting and packed with street performers and the Chungshan district had it's usual busy beat and interesting streetscapes. I made forays into Uniqlo to source some product for Cassy and was courted by gorgeous retail assistants in the rarefied air of Tiffany's in the 101 building while browsing their wares! 

Bittersweet. That sums it up. My life now is different and the days spent living in Taipei were dominated by a busy work/life culture that meant everything was viewed through a different lens. This visit did highlight, however, what a great friendship I have with Marcus and that I miss our regular interactions. It also emphasised what an amazing city Taipei is. We were extremely lucky to live there for nearly two decades and to soak up its beauty and energy. I was really looking forward to getting home to see my darling...just one more plane ride to go!

 The final country in our adventure was Turkey, and we arrived in Istanbul full of anticipation and (slightly waning!) energy. We ended up catching 6 flights into, around and out of Turkey in just 9 days, so we got used to negotiating Turkish airports of all sizes and shapes. We eventually met up with our driver and were driven through the beautifully clean transport corridors on the way to our hotel. We were greeted at the door by a lovely, friendly cat, one of thousands who enjoy a cared-for status on the streets of Istanbul: we love this country already! The love affair didn't end as we went from city vistas to ancient ruins and other-worldly rock formations: this mix of Europe and Asia was a revelation! 

Orchun, our Istanbul guide was a cool dude, a friendly, entertaining and knowledgeable guide and most importantly, all ours! No-one else had booked these exact dates and this exact itinerary, so each of our guides, in three different towns and cities were with us exclusively. Crazily, we also had a driver in each location as well! We travelled around the European side of Istanbul on the first full day and explored the Asian side on the following day. We loved the feel and vibe in Istanbul and the way it flowed and changed depending on what area you were in.

Over a couple of full days we experienced all the Istanbul classics including a wander in the maze of shops and alleys in the Spice Market selling eponymous products and the Grand Bazaar selling this and everything else! We were gently cajoled (despite protestations about our absolute resolve not to buy anything), into attending a carpet weaving demonstration, a pot throwing display and a full-on 80s style catwalk fashion show of leather products by glamorous models. Our credit cards remained steadfastly enclosed in our wallets! 

Highlights included the buildings and displays at both the Topkapi and Beylerbeyi Palaces. At the Topkapi, the full decadence of the Ottoman sultans had to be seen to be believed, from giant gemstones to fine dining and eating equipment, weaponry and armour and even down to the kitchen utensils. The Beylerbeyi overwhelmed us with the opulence of the Byzantine leaders and their perfectly preserved and richly decorated living quarters. We visited each on separate days so as to avoid palace fatigue! We toured the cavernous and spectacular Hagia Sophia which is said to have altered the history of architecture, the Hippodrome nearby and the outside of the Blue Mosque (currently under renovation).

We also enjoyed our cruise on the Bosporus on a beautiful day and drank in the majesty of this unique city from a different perspective. We docked just a hop and a jump away from our special lunch venue where spit-roasted lamb was combined with various Turkish delights including the ubiquitous delicious breads and meze plates with some baklava to finish of course!

Our flight to Kayseri, gateway to Cappadocia, was uneventful and our driver whisked us to our out-of-this-world Gamirasu cave hotel, after travelling through some jaw-dropping scenery. The room was huge, the facilities sleek and modern and the suite itself was a cave carved from the mountain! After walking through this surreal landscape, where the whole village is carved from tuff and volcanic forms, we were sufficiently "wowed" to enjoy a delicious welcoming dinner in the hotel restaurant and get an early night in our (under-floor heated!) cave ready for a dawn wakeup and a trip to the balloon fields!

The picture book beauty and alien-like mystery of Cappadocia's famous "fairy chimneys" is in full view in a burgeoning dawn, and in the presence of 300 huffing and puffing giant hot air balloons. We were virtually speechless from shock at this entire experience. Racing to the balloon and being bundled in just before lift-off, (after an argumentative fellow traveller delayed the driver) was an adrenalin-filled beginning, and not what our already trepidatious feelings needed! We were positioned snugly next to the pilots as they jettisoned the gas burners up into the balloon's belly and they skilfully manoeuvred us slowly up, over and around the gorgeous chimneys, seemingly missing them by centimetres. As we ascended we gazed out at hundreds of other balloons in the pre-dawn clear skies, the soundtrack a blend of pilot's navigation calls and the throaty belches from the giant gas burners. As they spat fire from the burners, the balloons lit up like lanterns displaying their colourful liveries. The skies were filled with dancing lights and dazzling colours as the sun slowly rose from behind the distant hills. Check it here! The experience was quite ethereal as we drifted quietly, so so high, until finally making our way down to the landing spot where the pilots were so expert they actually landed the basket on the back of its trailer. After disembarking we helped trample the billowing canopy, had a toast of bubbly then made it back to the hotel to start the "real" part of the day!

We were guided by Ilife, a quirky young independent artist who supplemented her income by guiding in her home town. She was passionate about the features of the countryside and it was infectious. We visited lookouts with sensational views of the middle fortress, plateaus looking out on the fairy chimneys and the open air museum parks dotted around the town such as Goreme open air museum and Devrent Valley. The cones and peaks were everywhere and we even stopped at a roadside stop where chimneys looked like various creatures and humans. Cassy succumbed to Ilife's offer of both jewellery making and pottery workshops (much to my horror) but escaped with just some earrings and coffee cups respectively. In fact, her pottery throwing skills were pretty good!

Driven back to Kayseri airport we winged it to Izmir enroute to our accommodation in the beautiful coastal city of Kusadasi. Our driver, Erton, was a real character, practicing his English in a booming voice and operating his translating app on his phone with both hands while going 100 kmh on the freeway. Somehow we survived to arrive at our hotel and have a delicious dinner overlooking the setting sun on the liquid fire of the bay, all set to meet the irrepressible Jana and a trip to world heritage listed Hierapolis-Pamukkale the following day and the amazing Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis the day after that.

Jana, all lipstick, designer sunnies and big hair made an odd couple with big, gruff Erton, but they were highly entertaining! We got the "world according to Jana" on the long trip to Pammukkale hot salt springs and the ancient Roman ruins of Hierapolis. We wandered the salt plains landscape, a unique vision in a normal wooded rolling hills area and scoured the grounds of the rambling site of Hierapolis. We didn't see the whole estate, it's huge. We did, however get our fill of ruins, columns, hot spring bath remains and aqueducts as well as preserved amphitheatres and museum-housed sculptures and sarcophaguses. We did demur on the chance to dip in the ancient hot pools when we saw the press of fat foreign flesh indelicately jammed in to the available pools: you could almost see the human oil slick bubbling on the surface! Upon return to Kusadasi we had another wonderful seaside dinner gazing at the setting sun before tackling Ephesus the following day.

Enroute to the little used top entrance to Ephesus (a trick of Jana's to both beat the cruise ship crowds and walk downhill to the main entrance) we stopped briefly at the statue of Mary, mother of Jesus. There's a highly dubious story of Mary's house being situated on the other side of the hill, but we declined the invitation to visit! The stroll through Ephesus did indeed beat the crowds and we were able to drink in the historic ruins and wonders unhindered. The library complex, amphitheatre, living areas, shops and even the public toilets are all still in existence as well as the wide avenues and thoroughfares lined with columns. We made a brief stop to check the remaining ruins of the famous Temple of Artemis nearby as well. The whole complex truly is one of the most amazing historic sites we have visited. On the way back, we detoured to the hillside wine village of Sirince, famous for its fruit wines. We tasted a few, then wandered the shops, stalls and cafes in the winding, undulating cobblestone streets ending up in dirt tracks among crumbling stone houses and one special, very friendly cat who followed us for a while! Cassy let Jana encourage her to go to a famous, high quality leatherware factory on the way back, where we once again endured an excruciating runway fashion show before making our escape.

Surviving a final trip with Erton (!) we started the long haul home from Izmir to Istanbul. One more night in Istanbul, a fond farewell to the "cat greeter" at the door, then on to Abu Dhabi before the transfer to our Sydney bound flight. Luckily, the horrors of this journey home have dissipated with time!

It was a dream trip. A childhood dream for me in a lot of respects. Pages of well-worn books came alive, quite magically and dramatically in some instances, so many years after the seed of the fantasy of visiting these ancient worlds was first planted. Cass was delighted to join the adventure as long as the safety factor of guided tours was included and it was a great choice ultimately, despite my initial misgivings. Thankyou, Middle East! Turkey photo album here.