Day 89: Crossing from the East to the West, Ipsala

Last night, we ate out at Rose Cafe. It may not win any gastronomic medals but it was tasty, filling and unforgettable.  The ingredients include perfect weather, amazing night sky, light breeze, great hubby and the end of an amazing journey across Turkey.  

As we bed down for the night, the perfect weather breaks. A vigorous north westerly rips down the Dardanelles. A sudden and almost shocking change rocks Vin senseless. A reminder that winter is here and this wind is just a taste for what lies ahead. 

In the morning, the weather remained cold and gusty. We rapped up and set off along our 130km drive to the border.  With just one day left of our visa it is time to head back west. Along the way we stopped at a Migros 5M store and stocked up with all our Turkish favourite goodies. Plus a bit of Christmas shopping before we filled up with LPG and diesel. 

At the border the road peters out in an open assembly area, full of trucks. Patiently waiting to present the enormous amount of documents and jump the hurdles of red tape. Beyond the truck grey border boxes and barriers. Suddenly loudspeakers blare out, the final wail before we head back to the west.

We entered Greece via the border just outside Ipsala in Turkey.  The queues were minimum and overall it took about 75 minutes to proceed through all the different check points. A slow but painless process. There are several lanes but only two open, one for trucks and one for cars and other vehicles.

Border Check Points & Procedure 

1. The first Turkish booth and barrier is to purely log your vehicle in to the customs area. A vehicle recognition camera transmits your details on to a system.
2. Passport control – here the police check your passport (not interested in your visa). Once again, they log everything on to the system and check you against your photo. 
3. Customs control – no questions asked but they wanted to see ownership evidence of our motorbike. We produced the V5 registration which they checked on the system.  They also checked for speeding fines and violations!
4. Check out Vehicle Registration. Another small police booth were a vehicle recognition camera reads your number plate, the police check on the system that everything is complete and you are then free to leave. He did ask to see in the motorhome but when we opened the door he literally stuck his head in for two seconds?
5. We then drove into ‘no mans land’. This area is heavily guarded with military police and no one is allowed to walk in this zone but trucks are allowed to park up? 
6. Greek passport control – quick glance at our passport but no interest once they realised we held EU passport. 
7. No one at Greek customs

*** the dogs passport and titre certificate were not even sniffed at. 

Greece, ah the land of bumpy roads, blue sea and beach life.  Onwards to Alexandroupolis and the first thing we notice are the trendy bars and humble tavernas and a LIDL. Whoa! Whoa! Handbrake turn! We skid on to Lidl car park and in a jiffy Craig is out the motorhome and is giddy drooling down each aisle. Basket filled with wine, pork, wine, bacon, wine, cheddar cheese, lurpak butter, wine, salmon, gin, unbruised fruit & vegetable, tonic, sweet potato, sausages, wine, Italian & German hams, wine, sugared donuts. A clear indication of what we’ve missed.

Our Bumble parking spot at Alexandroupolis GPS position N040.163436, E025.869546

We parked up at the back of Lidl and pigged out on the things we’ve missed. Then on to a few glasses of wine followed by lots of laughter, a few tears and lots of fond memories of Turkey & the wonderful Turkish people.

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