Arrival in Turkey

We have arrived in Turkey. Our final country on the first-ever Orient Express Bicycle Tour from Paris to Istanbul. We are all a little tired a little anxious but every night now we come to camp we huge grins on our faces. We know it is only a matter of days to the completion of our adventure.

Last night was our final night in Bulgaria. The town of Malko Turnovo was the perfect little village to end our time in Bulgaria-a small quiet place with friendly people modest houses heated by wood donkeys cows and chickens running all around. And in every front garden grew a wonderful variety of fruit and vegatable.

We stayed at the only hospital in town as no other accomadations were available. Which was an appropriate setting for some of the group who were still feeling the effects of a illness that has hit a number of us.

The town is in no way a tourist town. This was a real Bulgarian country village with real people leading productive and seemingly happy simple lives. Along the Black Sea we had our share of tourisy spots so Malko Turnovo became the perfect finishing touch to our time in Bulgaria.