Day 4 - Istanbul

They say travel broadens the mind - well ours are about to be very much expanded here I think.

Left HK at 1.00 this morning, flew for 12 hours (great service thanks Cathay) to Milan, making a spectacular approach over the Alps still covered in snow. Italian culture took hold immediately. Checked with the :"special transfer service desk" - Yes, sir go up two floors to area 7 and you will find the Turkish check-in. So went up two floors to area 7 - no Turkish. searched the monitors, found Turkish listed as area 3. Go to area 3 - still no Turkish. Check the monitors at area 3 which says go to area 5. Found!!

Flight to Istanbul left on time, was a great flight (they have stewards dressed as chefs which makes it interesting)  - landed and went straight to the ATM to get some Turkish Lira as have to pay for Visa to get in. Line up for a Visa and told "we don't take turkish money, you must pay in either Euro or US Dollars. Which country doesn't accept it's own currency???

Better still, we then joined about 300 others in a queue to have passport checked - emerge 2 hours later to find our bags (by then off-loaded from the carousel) and find our transfer to the hotel. Bit of time this afternoon to wander around the immediate area (we are about 500m from the Blue Mosque) - another world . this is going to be an incredible experience.  Cheers all