7 June 2011: Arrival in Istanbul

Our first day in Istanbul we had free time to explore the colourful area around our hotel, the Sirkeci Konak Hotel. We walked around the area as the location offers the Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern within 300 metres, the Blue Mosque 350 metres and the Topkapi 400 metres away. On Wednesday we enjoyed one of the free cultural experiences offered by this charming hotel, a guided walking tour of the Fatih area of Istanbul including a tram ride, a visit to the former Greek quarter and a return ride on the ferry from where walked back to our hotel. What a lovely idea and makes this hotel so distinctive.

9 June 2011: Istanbul / Adana / Antioch

Today was the start of our driving holiday. Our driving party consisted of four people, us and our wonderful Turkish friends who had organised the itinerary. This morning we took an early morning flight to Adana (TK2458 at 08:30). When we arrived we picked up our rental car from AVIS, a very comfortable 4 wheel drive vehicle suitable for 4 people with luggage. And here we started a fantastic driving holiday in eastern Turkey. Some of this followed the route of the Footsteps of St Paul, for example we drove to Tarsus to visit the dwelling which used to be in the courtyard of the house where St. Paul was born. We returned to Adana for a wander in the old city. Then it was on to Antioch an ancient city believed to have been founded in 300BC. In the 7th century it was one of five patriarchal centres of the Christian Church alongside Rome, Alexandra, Jerusalem and Constantinople. In Antioch, now called Hatay, we spent quite some time in the Museum of Archeology also known as the Mosaic Museum. Hatay Museum is the second largest Mosaic Museum in Turkey and the collection of Roman mosaics both floor and wall mosaics is truly breathtaking. We spent the night at Hotel Liwan a cute boutique hotel in a renovated Ottoman building.

10 June 2011: Antioch / Gaziantep

Above the city is a cave known as the Grotto of St Peter or the Church of St Peter and is believed to be the place where the Apostle Peter preached when he visited Antioch, and where the name “Christian” was first used to describe believers. This is a designated place of pilgrimage by the papacy and is a revered Christian site. Then it was back on the road for the long drive to Gaziantep where we spent the night at the Anadolu Evleri Hotel. Gaziantep, the biggest city in southeastern Turkey, and the sixth biggest in Turkey, is one of the first settlements of Anatolia.

11 June 2011: Gaziantep / Adiyaman

Our hotel had great charm as each room has its original ceiling, flooring, wood panels, colored windows and even water wells, and therefore a character of its own. Breakfast takes place in the stone courtyard which links each of the four ‘Anatolian Houses’, each older than 100 years and located in the heart of the Old City After a morning walk through the old city of Gaziantep we set off for the new Zeugma Museum to see the largest and best collection of mosaics in Turkey, mostly saved before flooding due to dam construction. Having been blown away by the mosaics in Hatay already it is hard to imagine an even more impressive collection. However when we got there the brand new museum was closed awaiting an “official opening”. The security guards were deaf to the pleas of a coach load of tourists who have arrived in Gaziantep only to see the museum, but it is definitely a no and we have to make do with buying a book of pictures of the mosaics.

Disappointed at missing what promises to be a most fabulous museum our next stop was at Birecik to see some of 300 “Bald Ibis” birds living in a nature sanctuary there. The Bald Ibis, Kelaynak in Turkish, is a large black bird with a featherless head and neck and a long curved red beak. This a threatened species and these birds are almost extinct. In Turkey for example it can be seen only in the Birecik district of Sanliurfa. In Birecik they are successfully trying to save and populate these birds in captivity. Our next drive is down a winding road to see the enormous Birecik Dam. The road leads to Halfeti, a small farming district on the east bank of the river Euphrates in Sanliurfa Province in Turkey. Most of the villages were submerged in the 1990s by the dam on the Euphrates. The new town is now complete, the old one can be partially seen on a boat trip to discover the village under the water of Euphrates. But first our friend negotiates with one of the boat owners waiting for tourists to take us to a fish restaurant near the submerged former mosque. Sitting on a rocking pontoon in the open our lunch consists of an excellent mezze followed by grilled fish. A sudden downpour forces us to finish our meal under cover but does not detract from our enjoyment. Then onto our little boat covered in Turkish rugs to explore the dam. Finally we retraced our drive along the winding road back to the excellent highway and drove on to Adiyaman to spend the night at the Bozdogan Hotel, an impersonal modest high rise with a pool, which makes an adequate stop for tackling Mt Nemrut the following morning. Our dinner was included and was, as most Turkish meals are, quite delicious.

12 June 2011: Adiyaman / Nemrut / Urfa

We left Adiyaman at 3.30am for the drive to Mt Nemrut and dawn was breaking when we arrived at the parking lot for the climb. Before the actual sunrise we walked in the biting cold and wind for about 30 minutes slowed down by the altitude and cold. When we arrive at the summit we saw revealed the breathtaking statues of the gods of the Commagene civilization. King Antiochus I built this tomb sanctuary on the peak in 62 BC, and surrounded it with 24- to 30-foot statues of animals and Greek gods. The heads, now detached thanks to earthquakes and possible defacement, appear to be sentinels guarding the king’s tomb which has never been excavated. An enterprising local is selling hot tea on top of the mountain which we consume gratefully while the rising sun appears turning the mountain top and its statues a deep gold. Although very remote this experience is definitely a highlight of the tour in eastern Turkey with the statues as impressive as anything we have seen in Egypt. At about 8.00am we left – fortunately the path down the mountain was a little easier and the drive back to the hotel took about an hour once we reached the main road. After breakfast and a rest we departed in the late morning for the drive to Urfa, also known as Sanliurfa. It has had many names through the centuries including the former name Edessa as it was called prior to Turkish rule. Along the way to Urfa we had great views of the mighty Ataturk Dam. The old town is romantic and pretty with pleasant gardens filled with mosques venerating the alleged birthplace of Abraham in a cave by the lake, and the pools of holy carp. There is a bazaar with a middle eastern character and traditionally dressed Turks and Kurds and people of Arab descent. In the late afternoon we drove down a peaceful agricultural road from Urfa to Harran known for its mud-brick “beehive” like dwellings. First as were so close we drove to the Syrian border crossing, however despite daily news reports about fleeing Syrian refugees we could see nothing. The beehives closely resemble the “trulli” found in Puglia in Italy. After an amazing day we spent a night at El Ruha Hotel in Urfa.

13 June 2011: Urfa / Mardin

Our first stop this morning was to drive to Gobeklitepe (pronounced Go-beckly Tepp-ay) about 15 kilometres (6 miles) from Urfa believed by some to be the most important archeological site in the world. The site of Gobekli Tepe is simple consisting of oblong stones, or T-shaped megaliths arising from the sand carved with animal figures including lions, birds and snakes. Imagine carved and slender versions of the stones of Avebury or Stonehenge. The site, which is now regarded as the oldest temple or man made place of worship in the world, has caused great excitement, and National Geographic comments that “We used to think agriculture gave rise to cities and later to writing, art, and religion. Now the world’s oldest temple suggests the urge to worship sparked civilization.” The site is variously dated as anything from 10,000 to 11,600 years old.

From here we took the long straight road to Mardin, known for its golden stone houses as well as the Monastery of Darulzafeyran and Medresa of Kasimiye. The road in some parts ran directly alongside the Syrian border yet the peaceful agricultural landscape on the Turkish side gave no hint as to the horrors being carried out on the other side of the border. We spent the night at the Artuklu Kervansarayi Hotel which was quite pleasant in another restored Ottoman house. Mardin has a rambling bazaar which we had a wander through but most people come to visit the Saffron Monastery (Deyrul Zafaran), 6 km (4 miles) to the east. This was a holy place even in pre-Christian times. The monastery has been here since 495 AD and some of its existing floor mosaics are 1500 years old. This was a beautiful and tranquil place where were escorted by a young guide who gave explanations in English. Deyrul Zafaran was once the seat of the Assyrian patriarch (who now resides in Damascus. Church services are still chanted in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke.

14 June 2011: Mardin / Hasankeyf / Diyarbakir

Mardin is perched at the edge of a plateau in southeastern Turkey overlooking the Mesopotamian plain 95 km (59 miles) south of Diyarbakir.However we did not take the direct route on on D950 but the long circle route via Midyat and Hasankeyf. Midyat is a small town in southeastern Turkey, just an hour’s drive from better-known Mardin. The steeples of nine Syrian Orthodox churches peep up above the houses, although services are no longer held in most of them. 20 km (12.5 miles) to the east is Mor Gabriel the oldest surviving Syrian Orthodox monastery in the world where church services are still held in Aramaic, the language of Jesus. The monastery was founded in 397 AD. Continuing our road trip we push on to Hasankeyf an ancient city by the Tigris River which will be completely lost beneath the water of the new dam planned for this site. This dam is quite controversial and has been the centre of international campaigns to stop construction. Climb up the hill to see the caves where people lived until recently. We covered a lot of territory on this day, 59 kilometres from Mardin to Midyat, then 39 kilometres to Hasankeyf, and another 117 kilometres to Diyabakir. Quite tired by the end of the day we spent the night at the Dedeman Hotel, one of the Dedeman chain in Turkey.

15, 16, 17 June 2011: Diyarbakir / Antalya

This morning we returned our car and took a taxi to the airport. We flew to Istanbul and then to Antalya but this proved to have been unnecessary as there were direct flights from Diyarbakir to Antalya. Then it was off to Antalya for three nights of leisure staying in the old town (the Kaleici) in a gorgeous renovated Ottoman house called Tuvana Hotel. With a divine fine dining restaurant located in the romantic courtyard (we ate there twice) and beautifully decorated albeit small rooms we had a wonderful time in Antalya exploring the bazaar, the splendid museum and the local trams. We also enjoyed the small pool at the Tuvana although not the beach which was very uninspiring by Australian standards.

After one night at the end we left Istanbul full of overwhelming impressions of Turkey. How much cleaner and more prosperous everything is looking than when we first visited many years ago. Above all we were impressed by the huge investment in infrastructure which has clearly taken place. The roads overall were excellent with many fine highways taking the strain out of driving and where they were not excellent almost all the roads were in the process of being upgraded. A fabulous experience.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

The author of this article is the Managing Director and Owner of www.webcarhire.com, one of the largest independent car hire brokers on the web offering car hire in 4000 locations across 52 countries.

Recently, we attended a wedding in Glasgow, Scotland. Despite cool and windy summer weather, we managed to enjoy the time in Glasgow, and in particular, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum near the University, and walking through the beautiful Botanic Gardens adjacent to our hotel, the Hilton Grosvenor. The gardens were blooming with rhododendron blooms and the walking tour varied from flower beds to river walks where the country met the city.

Day 1-2: Edinburgh

The day after the wedding, we picked up our car from Avis, a Volkswagen Passat wagon, very suitable for touring for 4 people with luggage. One reason I love a rental car is that you can choose the vehicle to suit the driving and number of passengers. Our first drive took us on the motorway M8 to Edinburgh for 2 nights. Quick as our trip to Edinburgh was, the time to reach our hotel, The Scotsman on North Bridge, took as long again once we reached Edinburgh. Finding North Bridge, when we had no idea that Edinburgh has a lower and upper level was a challenge in itself but 2 policemen, and several locals gave advice and finally we arrived at the front of the hotel only to find that there was absolutely nowhere to park at that entrance. We had to unload our luggage and run to obtain a porter’s assistance while we stopped at a busy bus lane. Mercifully, once this was done and the porter had told us where we could park legally, we did not touch the car again until our departure which was 2 days later. The hotel was brilliantly located just off the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and the hop-on hop-off tourist buses, which we used to get an overview of this lovely city. We celebrated our wedding anniversary in Edinburgh with a fabulous dinner at the funky designer Missoni Hotel restaurant Cucina, which was also just a short walk from our hotel.

Day 3: Edinburgh to Inverness

We left Edinburgh on M90 crossing the Firth of Forth and a quick stop at Dunfermline, ancient capital of Scotland and famed for its abbey and the resting place of Robert, the Bruce. The church was closed but we saw the grave of St. Margaret, an ancestor of the friend we were travelling with. Our next stop was at Scone. Once the crowning place of the Kings of Scots, Scone Palace is full of significance for the Scots being the rightful home of the celebrated Stone of Scone – also known as the Stone of Destiny. Macbeth and Robert the Bruce were both crowned at Scone. The grounds have beautiful gardens with masses of azaleas and rhododendrons in bloom. Continuing on the M90, we headed for Blair Castle and Garden, the ancestral home of Stewarts and Murrays. The Castle has beautiful grounds and we wander through more rhododendrons and towering trees. From here, the road continues through the Grampian Mountains and through Glen Garry to Inverness, where we arrived in the late afternoon. One night at Inverness, it was a great experience in a delightful boutique hotel the Rocpool Reserve Hotel high on the hill overlooking Inverness. As it is light until nearly 10.00 pm, we still had time to enjoy the hotel and dinner as well as a walk down to the river and back.

Day 4: Inverness to Skye

This is our Loch Ness day. Luckily, the sun was shining on the water as we drove admiring the stunning views and greenery contrasted with inky blue water. Of course, we have to stop and take a lake cruise to search for Nessie. We can only manage an hour boat trip. From the boat, we saw the ruins of Urquhart Castle then back to the car and on to Eilean Donan Castle on the A87 quite close to where we had to cross the bridge to the Isle of Skye. Eilean Donan is situated by the picturesque village of Dornie on the main tourist route to the Isle of Skye The Castle is approached on a walkway where you can appreciate the magnificent island location at the junction of three lochs. This is one of Scotland’s most iconic visitor sights and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit and the fabulous scenery. But, we need to reach Skye tonight and this is one of our longest driving days (113 miles from Inverness to Portree, Skye) so back to the car and onwards. We were headed for the bridge crossing the Kyle of Lochalsh then along the winding road to Portree where we have booked into the Cuillin Hills Hotel. We chose it for the spectacular views from the lawns overlooking the multi-coloured houses in the village and the mountain range beyond. Having made our reservation for 2 rooms via Booking.com it was very disappointing on arrival to be told there was no booking. However, the efficient receptionist was able to sort out 2 rooms for us so disaster was avoided as Skye was heavily booked that weekend. We ate at quite a nice pub in Portree then back to the hotel and bed.

Day 5: Skye

Another sunny day, with only intermittent drizzle so, we started with a lovely walk directly from the hotel. This circuit walk takes you along the shore of Portree Bay with gorgeous views then up a hill with a clearly marked path and finally through woodland back to the hotel. Mildly strenuous, but it is well worth the effort. Then back to our trusty car rental and a circuit drive up to Flodigarry and across the mountains on a twisty road down to Uig and back to Portree with many more of those stunning sea views en route. Dinner tonight was at the Sea Breezes Restaurant located in the quaintest stretch of pastel coloured buildings right on the water where a cute seal face suddenly surfaced then disappeared. This restaurant specialises in sea food and we had a delicious meal.

Day 6: Skye to Fort William

This morning we retrace our drive on the A87 back over the bridge, by Eilean Donan Castle, and following a series of smaller Lochs to Invergarry. Turning on to the A82 takes us alongside Loch Lochy through Spean Bridge and on past Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest peak, to our destination Inverlochy Castle for one night of living like Scottish lords. The hotel was really enticing and the lovely grounds that we took only a short walk in Fort William before retreating to our spacious rooms then dinner in the hotel restaurant with a sampling of fine Scots whiskey.

Day 7: Fort William to Comrie

Luckily, we have friends with a house in the village of Comrie, roughly an hour and a quarter from Glasgow. Our last long drive on the A82 took us there passing through Glen Coa and the moors to Loch Earn and densely wooded villages full of bluebells a sight I wanted to see since childhood. Comrie is as pretty as we had imagined although the weather has turned very cold. We took another lovely walk, where we skirted the village and then to the local for an excellent meal, our last dinner in Scotland.

Day 8: Comrie to Glasgow Airport

It was an easy drive back to Glasgow, a quick stop for shopping at the Stuart and Waterford Crystal Factory Shop en route. We reconnect with the M9 and then M80 to Glasgow and beyond to the airport near Paisley. We had no GPS but good roads and signage made it unnecessary. Once more allow plenty of time to return your car, we had to find a petrol station near the airport and then had to circle it again to find the rental car return area. The Avis section was poorly signposted and we finally spotted it behind the Europcar signs. A fabulous driving holiday, only sorry for not having longer to explore Scotland.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

The author of this article is the Managing Director and Owner of www.webcarhire.com, one of the largest independent car hire brokers on the web offering car hire in 4000 locations across 52 countries.

Recently we have had a couple of fabulous driving holidays. The first trip was in Israel in April this year. We spent a few days in the racy, bustling Tel Aviv where we spent a lot of time walking to see the sights – amazing Bauhaus architecture especially Rothschild Boulevard, renovated and trendy Neve Zedek, just about a walking distance off Old Jaffa where we heard a marvellous concert given by the Israeli Philharmonic. Then followed Jerusalem which although a bit cold and rainy never fails to enthral and impress. One hint if like us you are getting on in years, take your seniors card with you – all the museum entrances would then cost half.

Finally our road trip began. The reason for our trip was to attend the wedding of our dear friend’s daughter to her Kibbutz born fiancée who comes from Kibbutz Yahel. Down south, we picked up our Avis car in Jerusalem and confidently set off to take the road to the Dead Sea and then down south all the way to Kibbutz Yahel 70 kilometres north of Eilat. All went well as we left Jerusalem following the road which Avis had advised us to use.

Ten minutes later we noticed that Hebrew was becoming scarce – a few minutes later all traces of Israel were gone and we were in Ramallah, solidly Palestinian territory. This was somewhat unnerving as we had crossed no borders or checkpoints. We high-tailed it out of there and on the road back to Jerusalem we suddenly spotted the sign to Ma’ale Adumim which leads down to the Dead Sea.
Suddenly the sun came out, temperature went up at least 5 degrees Celsius and all was well. Very impressed with the Israeli road network where good highways now criss-cross the country from north to south and east to west. All the relevant road signs are in Hebrew, English and Arabic. Route 90 gives you a fast run south with great views of the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert. The Jordanian side is also clearly visible.

Kibbutz Yahel is located in the southern Arava and its date palm fields form the official border with Jordan. As the kibbutz says it is nothing less than an oasis in the heart of the desert, enfolded by the hills of the Negev highlands to the west and facing the majestic splendour of the red and purple Jordanian mountains of Edom to the east. The economy is primarily based on agriculture although it has expanded into tourism with simple but comfortable rooms that can be the base for your Negev stay.

As we discovered, Eilat is a relatively short drive away on the highway and we spent a morning there ogling the ever burgeoning number of resort hotels and swimming at one of the public beaches where you can snorkel off the beach.

We were overwhelmed by the amazing Kibbutz hospitality of the family whose wedding was the reason for our trip. The wedding itself was not at Kibbutz so again we needed our Avis car to travel the 40 kilometres south to Timna Park and Solomons Pillars. The chuppah (wedding canopy) and ceremony took place at sunset in this inspiring and ravishing outdoor setting with lots of emotion and food as befits a good Jewish wedding.

Reluctantly, but in brilliant sunshine we left the morning after the wedding after yet another amazing Kibbutz breakfast with our hosts. Once again we started off to Kibbutz Lahav via the Arava on another fantastic road (Route 40) with wonderful views from the lookout at Mizpe Ramon and then straight to Lahav slightly north of Be’er Sheva. We had a wonderful family time here and a lovely ramble through the Lahav Forest.

Finally on our last day when we drove straight to Ben Gurion Airport from the Kibbutz, we drove on the new cross-Israel Highway 6, a short drive of 45 minutes on a superb road with the route to the airport well signposted a short distance off the highway. As always as all airports differ in the rental car locations allow plenty of time to return the car and check-in, especially in Israel. The Avis drop-off was quite far from the terminal from where a shuttle bus would take you to the terminal; so there was some milling around and a minor confusion to be dealt with.

But, it was a brilliant driving holiday as long as you stay in Israel proper. Next driving trip – Scotland!!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

The author of this article is the Managing Director and Owner of www.webcarhire.com, one of the largest independent car hire brokers on the web offering car hire in 4000 locations across 52 countries.

The Rugby World Cup is one of the largest international sporting competitions in the world. This tournament is the premier international rugby union competition. The event is organized by the sport’s governing body, the International Rugby Board (IRB), and is contested by the men’s national teams. The inaugural tournament was held in 1987, hosted by both Australia and New Zealand, and is contested every four years.

This year the 7th Rugby World Cup comes to New Zealand in September much to the delight of rugby-loving New  Zealanders the world over. The tournament will be contested by teams from 20 countries split into 4 pools of 5 teams each. The tournament kicks off on Friday 9 September at Eden Park in Auckland with the host nation taking on Tonga and finishes at the same venue on Sunday 23 October. New Zealand will celebrate its role as host of the Rugby World Cup 2011 by staging a nationwide festival showcasing the real New Zealand to the world.

Tourists coming to New Zealand following the rugby will have a chance to experience the length and breadth of the country, as pool matches will be played in 13 different venues across New Zealand.

Car hire is already in high demand so make sure you book your car hire early.

Guy Robinson, Travel Sales Manager for Avis/Budget in NZ says “Book now so that your car can be secured!”

We have some information from some of our suppliers with respect to their Christchurch locations.

HERTZ

Christchurch Airport is open and fully operational. The downtown location in Lichfield St is closed. Any rentals due to be returned to this location must be taken to the airport.

AVIS

Avis is open at Christchurch Airport Domestic Terminal only. For existing reservations we cannot confirm vehicle type – it is transport only at this stage. We are assisting the Emergency Services and providing vehicles to them as a priority. Downtown Locations are closed until further notice, as they are in the cordoned off area of the central city. If you have an existing rental and the drop-off location was Christchurch City – please return the car to our Christchurch Airport location.

BUDGET

Budget is open at Christchurch Airport Domestic Terminal only. For existing reservations we cannot confirm vehicle type – it is transport only at this stage. We are assisting the Emergency Services and providing vehicles to them as a priority. Downtown Locations are closed until further notice, as they are in the cordoned off area of the central city. If you have an existing rental and the drop-off location was Christchurch City – please return the car to our Christchurch Airport location.

EUROPCAR

If you have an existing booking that is picking up from Christchurch Airport, there are no changes to your booking, please proceed as normal. If you were due to pick up a vehicle from 848 Colombo Street, please call 0800 800 115 as this branch is closed for an unspecified period. Our friendly staff will make alternative arrangements for you from a nearby branch at 517 Wairaki Rd Burnside or by delivery.

THRIFTY

Our rental desk at Christchurch Airport is operating as normal as long as the Airport remains open for commercial flights. We are attempting to supply customers with existing bookings with as little inconvenience as possible as well as the vehicle booked. Our levels of supply are being restricted by both the number of vehicles currently inaccessible in central Christchurch City and also vehicles that were to be dropped off in Christchurch being dropped off at our other locations around the South Island.

We will advise any further updates as we receive them.

This information is brought to you by car hire specialist, Webcarhire.com.

In trying to determine what the New Year will hold, our team has put together a few premonitions we believe will affect the way people hire cars in 2010.

So, here goes:

1. Summer in Europe: Beautiful when you plan early

It is pretty much a running theme in our blog so far, but the message to book early is an important one – we really don’t enjoy the disappointment customers experience when no cars are available. The European summer is shaping up to be busier than ever, which means rental cars will move fast. Our advice is simple: book your hire car as soon as you book your flight.

2. World Cup: the results will be in by February

Though the players won’t hit the pitch until June, we predict availability of car hire in South Africa will be  running low by February. The excitement of the Cup will mean fans looking to travel from match to match will limit the supply available, making it imperative to secure your car hire way before the Cup commences.  Pre and post the World Cup are also likely to have limited availability.

3. Croatia and Turkey: Hot hot heat

Over the past years we’ve seen a trend in tourists flocking to Croatia and Turkey for their self-drive holidays. We see this continuing in 2010 as word spreads of the affordable adventures one can have in these holiday hot spots.

We wish all our customers a prosperous 2010. Thanks for your patronage and we look forward to helping you with your car hire needs again in the New Year.

Image by @sxc