End of the road

After 150 days and 14'246 , miles (roughly) I've arrived at the Albert Docks to finish Rolling Back Home. Impossible is nothing.

Stairs in Sofia

My friend Monica lived on the second floor in her apartment block, I took the lift up to the fifth for more of a challenge.

What's this strange place?

After over 8 months out of the country I made it back from France today on the Eurostar (on a free upgrade while drinking wine) to London. I'm thinking of staying in London for a couple of days then heading back up north where the journey will officially end when I reach the Albert Docks. So, so close to the end now...

Catching up with old friends (part deux)

After Istanbul I made another very brief stop this time in Sofia where I caught up with Monica who I've not seen since working in Wildwood, NJ back in '08. Catching up with people after all this time is great but unfortunately my stop was brief with Monica sitting her MA exams and energy levels draining faster all the time, guess this 8 month stint is finally catching up with me, not to worry though should be back in London by the end of the week. Given that nothing exceptional happens...

Catching up with old friends

Leaving T'bilisi and trying to get to the small town I was aiming for in Turkey near the Iranian border took longer than I thought it would and it meant that I had to spend a night in Kars which wasn't so bad as one of the guys working there resembled Manuel from Fawlty Towers, that made me chuckle.

I made it to Diyadin the next day to meet Gokce who I've not seen since we worked together in South Carolina back in '05! It was great to catch up but slightly strange to find a city girl working as a teacher out in the sticks.

After 36 hours sat up on a bus then waiting to check in at the hostel my feet swelled up to a mammoth size which meant I spent the first day in Istanbul in bed. The second day included seeing some sights but after losing my iPod there was some time down at the police station making a report for the insurance. It's a cool city though and I definitely think that I'll go back there in the future.

I'm writing this blog from on board a bus heading to Sofia from Istanbul which means I'm entering country number 13. Almost home!