Turkey is a long way from San Diego, let me tell you, especially when one’s routing is SAN-IAH-FRA-IST-Izmir. However, all my flights so far (I’m in Istanbul, where I had a three hour layover) went well and on time. Frankfurt is NOT my favorite airport. It’s about a mile walk from where planes from the US land to where we get to the train to take us to another terminal for European flights. Then, once you get to your gate you are put on a vastly overcrowded bus and driven several miles to the plane. Then we were left in the bus for a while until the cleaning crews finished, breathing the stuffy exhaust fumes. It was too much for my stomach (good thing I didn’t eat breakfast),and let’s just say I am happy there were airsickness bags at the ready. I slept all the way here though, and had an empty seat next to me to boot. On this 2.5 hour flight Lufthansa had a hot meal (I smelled it, though I didn’t partake).

So I arrived in Istanbul and so did my bags, shortly after I’d cleared customs. I had purchased an Evisa online and though I miss the pretty visa stamp from previous years, it was nice not to have to go through two lines to get past customs. The airport was jammed with people, but I got some Lira at an ATM (the US$ is quite strong now), checked in at domestic terminal (another good walk, but I had a cart) and now at am the Turkish Airlines Lounge. It’s nice (unlike domestic US lounges, the food is very good)  and you go though security here, then buses take you to the plane (they aren’t far away). Interestingly, the biggest signs in the domestic terminal for restaurants were for Burger King and Sbarro..it’s a small world.

Tomorrow I’m off to tour, and will add some photos as I can.