Awake and eager to go, the camp crew served breakfast al fresco – every meal from now on would be eaten in the same fashion. Picnic lunches while breakfast and dinner would be in the open since there was no dining tent. This would not be fun if the weather turned. When you trek, each day is pretty much the same as the previous day with the exception of a few sights. Think “Groundhog Day” and put one foot in front of the other…View image…

The remainder of the Kackar, Turkey trek will primarily be pictorial with a few comments since nobody really cares how many feet in elevation we gained or lost. But, this first day was extremely hot.

breakfast along the Barhal Suyu River, Turkey
Water bottles filled from the river, iodine tablets added, the group set off along the river through Olgunlar Mini-Park with “Willkommen” written on the side. Well-needed shade before continuing along uphill through the meadows, small villages with friendly locals sitting on their roofs. Why? I have no idea but this was common throughout the trek.

ex-Marine and Deborah taking a rest in Olgunlar, Turkey 

family on roof in the Kackar Alps of Turkey 

Kackar settlement in Turkey
We kept drinking, refilling from streams, adding more iodine, walking with sweat streaming in all directions and ex-Marine had already gone into survival mode pouring water over his head, and concocting a French Foreign Legion appearance. Suddenly, Ruth just collapsed on the trail from dehydration. Been there, done it…read about my fainting spell in France. That called for a lengthy rest under some trees and even more water before starting off again. We all took turns dragging Ruth’s pack up the trail, worried that she would faint again. The crew had gone on way ahead of us otherwise it could have been plopped on a mule.

ex-Marine and his French Foreign Legion protection from the sun in Turkey 

a short rest in the shade, Kackar Alps, Turkey 

Barbara and Jack dragging a backpack up the mountain in TurkeyLonely Planet Discover eBook Travel Guides for your iPad