We made it to Istanbul. Got us a decent hotel when the AirBnB fell through (our own fault, really. We didnt have mobile data coverage for a couple of hours and in that time, we couldn’t respond to the host and then it was just too late once we got to the city).
But the hotel wasnt the main concern. At the end of the day, Hira’s painful symptoms came back with a vengeance. The pain was debilitating and the swelling at joints so bad that she needed assistance in carrying even a small handbag up to the room. This was our first major challenge on the trip as we struggled to find an English speaking doctor at that time. The next morning, we could talk to a doctor in Pakistan and the medicine he suggested worked wonders to manage the symptoms even within hours of taking the first dose.
Her condition improved very much within the next 3 days that we spent in Istanbul. So much so that we were able to walk around in the city and do the typical things any visitor to Istanbul would do: Boat rides, food and tons of Çay(tea).
If you haven’t been to Istanbul yet, you’d be surprised at how hilly the city really is. One rather enthusiastic taxi driver took us on a ride through the city that felt like a downhill ski attempt on some narrow, winding streets.
Hira’s condition improved so much that my suggestion that she flies to Lahore was off the table. The rest of the way, we’ll take more breaks when driving in case sitting for long stretches was making the symptoms worse (we later found out it wasnt) and not exerting too much on any of the walks we do. This was a less than ideal situation but we thought we had it under control. So the journey continues.
We really lucked out with the last minute hotel choice. It was the ‘Hotel Mercure Istanbul Bomonti’. This wasn’t the peak holiday season so we got a room for roughly 70 Euros per night without breakfast (there is a bakery in front of the hotel with the most delicious fresh pastries stuffed with potato, spinach, meat and cheese and tea). A free shuttle service to Taksim Square is included.
What set this hotel apart from all others we stayed in was the lengths they went to help us out. Our car’s front brakes still had enough on them to do the rest of the distance without replacing the pads but having looked at the route closely, it was clear that pretty much all of it is hilly. So I wanted to have the front brake pads replaced ahead of time, not knowing if we’ll find Mini service workshops the rest of the way. I tried to get some information with the concierge to get a short notice appointment with local BMW dealerships. This was sadly not possible. The following exchange took place:
Me: “So if no official BMW workshops are available, could you please guide me to one that could do the work. Some place that you could trust?”
Concierge: “I wouldnt recommend you going alone. The language barrier might hinder you from making it clear what work you need done as hardly any mechanic would speak English or German (haha, as if!). Also, I dont want anyone trying to charge you double, just because your car has a foreign number plate. I’ll send the doorman with you, he’ll do the talking.”
So, off I went with the 6’6″ gentleman that could play a charismatic Bond villain on his day off.
And it was worth it. We had to drive a bit to find a workshop that he could trust, at a rate that he thought was fair (he told me to google prices of original parts to make sure and negotiated the labour costs). The work was done within minutes, just the same amount of time it took us to enjoy a tea. Once I had done a test drive and was satisfied, only then would he allow me to pay the bill. In all my years of travelling across the world, I have never experienced such care by hotel staff anywhere.
Did I mention the food in Turkey was brilliant? Coz, it was!
One special mention goes to a little rooftop restaurant just 5 minutes walking distance from Hagia Sophia that we just stumbled on: Hanzade Terrace Restaurant.
Stuffed with cheese and herbs 
Auberginious 
Fish of the day. What a catch! 
A halva type dessert. Mucho delicious. 
View from the restaurant terrace 
You kinda had to be there for the full effect.
We didnt have bad food anywhere in Turkey, come to think of it. Except for that one time we tried Burger King. Dont do that.
Entree 
Mains 
Sides
Snack time 
This square has been there since the Roman times. Cant blame them, the view is epic. 
Despite all the visitors, it is a serene place to be. 
We were so lucky with the weather.
The artist formerly suffering from symptoms of arthritis, without actually having arthritis.
All in all, we chalked up Istanbul as a huge success. We had time to rest and recover from the first leg of the journey and the sights, sounds and smells were all very much to our taste. The people had been great to us throughout. We’d have loved to stay here a bit longer (or even move here) but it was now time to get going again.
But Istanbul, we will be back!
MINI Overland 