Early Start

Awoke at 0300hrs. To be expected I guess with the change in time zone. Spent the next couple of hours setting up and charging technology. After breakfast it was a walking tour of the Hagi Sofia Mosque via the Hippodrome where the used to race chariots (not hippos). Again, like many places over here it is amazing to see the history. A nice lunch followed - most of the lunches are paid for on the tour. We went to the Blue Mosque after lunch but the crowds were massive and our guide (who will be with us for the entire tour) said it would be better, rather than queuing up for over an hour to get in during the holiday weekend) to visit this on our return to Istanbul at the end of the tour.

Adrian did some swift negotiating on the technology front (not much English spoken in the shop) where for $75 NZ got the following:

1000 local SMS's
300 Mins local calling
4.1Gb of mobile data
100 minutes of calls worldwide
100 texts to worldwide

Pretty happy with that - especially the data and worldwide minutes as Aly is international roaming. The only slight hiccup is that, due to piracy concerns, you are required to register your phone handset over here ($60NZ at the "tax office"). What we can't get a straight answer on is how long it is before the cut your sim off (answers have ranged from 2 weeks to 6 months) .  We may not be so chipper if they decide to cut the sim off in 2 weeks! This may be an ongoing bit of fun..... (Update: I got a text saying the registration requirement is 2 months - so all is well). The motorcycles have been sitting outside the hotel since yesterday. There are a mixture of bikes, mainly Honda TransAlps and Suzuki VStroms. After some amazingly quick paperwork, Adrian has been allocated a 2004 650cc Suzuki VStrom (102,000km) with a top box and Aly has been allocated a nice new 750cc Honda. There was a briefing for about an hour on the do's and don't (not our favourite part of the trip so far) and we set off in the morning on the big adventure!!

 Obelisk at the Hippodrome

 Kaiser's Monument

 Mosaic in the Mosque

Tulips

Aly's Bike - Note The Keep Right Stickers