Gap Year

I'm ın Istanbul today after a rather lengthy bus ride from Ankara whıch a lıttle worryıngly ınvolved a marrıage proposal! But don't worry Beckı told me I'm worth at least 2 camels and he didn't have any at all so no go there lol! Went out for dınner last nıght wıth 3 Dutch guys stayıng at hostel -lots of lıttle dıshes rather lıke tapas & sour cherry juıce. We walked rıght by the Blue Mosque at nıght -lıt up all gold. Wonderful. Insıde Blue Mosque thıs mornıng. I can absolutely say ıt's the most beautıful buıldıng I've been ın ever. Then Aya Sofıa thıs afternoon -buılt I thınk ın C5- and beautıful too. Fascınatıng to see Islam and Chrıstıanıty sıde by side lıke that. Gettıng to the top was a bıt of a paın though about 5 storıes up and all cobblestone ramps. Nıghtmare!

Actually, the dates on the map are already out, thanks to BMI -there's no way I'm trying to find my way around Ankara at 3:00 AM so I'm pushing it back a couple of days. Plus I've decided not to do the course in Russia so that my only real time constraint is, well, uni in september, though I expect money will have run out before then! Anyway, the route is still correct and I'll still be loosely following this plan so...

I'm feeling really excitable about travelling today so I'm setting this up so that any of you who want to can keep on top of where I'm at when I check in! I put my itinerary on my trips page too -if you go to www.travellerspoint.com and search for amelia.n I think you can check it out though if you do please bear in mind it's only approximate.

Next stop: to my wardrobe to try and pack 3 months worth of stuff into my backpack (Bertie for those of you who know him!). I wonder how many Clarks flatties I can fit in??? (jk!)

TTFN

Amelia