The patter of little feet in the room above had us awake at 400am waiting for the 5 o’clock alarm so we could head off to airport bound for Cappadocia.

Driver arrived early and we were away in a Mercedes and with no traffic at all and in the airport terminal at 630.

Several layers of security later we were sipping coffee waiting for our flight with Pegasus Air, humming away the Ross Ryan song I am Pegasus.

Had the front row seats and a smooth flight over more mountainous country with farmers making most of the flat spots. There was a remarkable number of large lakes and dams which looked pretty full. One significant thing was the distinct lack of trees.

A big left turn around a snow capped mountain and we landed at Kayseri airport which is equivalent of maybe Hobart. Two luggage carousels probably illustrates the size. The cats never disappear with one into and out of the carousel feeder. 

Kayseri was again a city dominated by high rise units – mainly 8-10 stories- and mosques. 

It had a mixture of industry and agricultural. With the latter dominant, it was mainly cropping, with little or no hothouses which had been the case closer to the coast. Looked to be pretty rich volcanic soil and plenty of irrigation.

Within an hour the landscape changed remarkably as we entered the hills and rock formations for which the Cappadocia region is famous. We were staying in Urgur which was  almost abandoned up until the 60’s. It’s now a thriving tourist spot famous for its hotels built into the mountain side.

Ours was amazing with a bath you could do laps in and generally beautifully decorated. Their little Golden Retriever pup got plenty of practice sharpening his teeth on your hand and later in the afternoon became the hotel sweeper.

Wasted no time organising our programme, with a tour  in our own taxi hastily arranged and bookings made for hot air balloon tomorrow, plus a hiking tour.

Our taxi driver was great and we visited the  Fairies ,which are three remarkable structures with delicately balanced stones. Then off to an outdoor museum with a myriad of churches and dwellings carved  in to the rocks, including pigeon houses which were integral to living as food source, fertilizer source and they even used there droppings to create the base for Fresco’s painted on the walls of the churches. Next we were off to the Uchisar Castle which was the main fortress in the area. It was a rambling area leading up to a  castle perched on a rocky outcrop with views as far as the eye could see.

Up more than 300 stairs to the top and it was a postcard panorama. 

I don’t think it matters how many snaps you take here  – it’s a matter of embracing the moment.

Then we headed off to a horse farm where the owner ,who is Turkey’s endurance riding champion, takes in retired racehorses and uses them  for his own eventing, plus a trail riding business. It used to be a home to wild horses, but they have slowly disappeared. He even stables his horses in caves during the winter.

Off to some more panoramic spots where the landscape changed as you looked in different directions, with huge craggy spires, dug  out houses, pigeon houses, huge stone boulders and the occasional flat spot.

After 5 hours we headed home to soak in the atmosphere of our room, try out the bath and enjoy a taste of the local wine and a cheese plate, which we found out was gratis when we tried to pay on the last day.

Went for a stroll through the steep and winding cobblestone streets later in the evening and found a superb restaurant tucked below a floodlit mountainside pockmarked with caves. Won best food on tour mantle.

Early to bed in preparation for our much awaited hot air balloon ride on Turkey’s 99th birthday.