P Ferguson image, September 2025.
The Journey Out
Over the next several days eight records of my return to the Gelibolu (Gallipoli) Peninsula with Peter Hart (Battlefield Tours) will appear. Our journey (there were 21 of us this time) commenced 15 September 2025 and ended 22 September 2025. We stay at the Hotel Artur on the Asian side of Turkey at Çanakkale and take the ferry to the European side of Turkey, to the Gallipoli Peninsula, each day. (This was my second visit, 13 years after my first landing (May 2012) and 110 years after the events of the Great War, known to the Turks as the Battle of Çanakkale.
Each day I scavenged time to scratch down notes – on the ferry, the bus, at lunch, in the hotel…review, edit, markup, read, re-read, change and so on. Some original writings are nearly completely re-written but the base is there from the very day. They are what they are. I have been successful in the challenge of the climb…the days filled with sun…the encouragement to meet each day in partnership with like minded adventurers.
P. Ferguson image, September 2025.
Day One (15 September): Arrival Çanakkale
Sleep a challenge since arrival Thursday. Five hours over three days in all, and up early on this new day of travel – 1:30 am. Good grief. With my familiar aches and pains it is only my excitement that acts as stoker. There is a shortage of fuel…methinks it’s fumes only that pass over the shovel, fanned not scooped, creating my forward movement.
Our group has gathered first at Heathrow Terminal Two. Our flight is graceful and… comfortable and with our approach into Istanbul the phone’s camera becomes engaged albeit with hopefulness more than certainty for grand images. We land….descend the stairs to waiting busses, pass through an extensive crowd (other nationalities) at Control then wait. One more to arrive…
P. Ferguson image, September 2025.
Some time later, and with much chiding of the non-present being, our current conversationalist target arrives. We find our bus and the welcomes begin…as well as…a health and safety review. Hydrate, sun screen…and yes there is a first aid kit…including another of my own.
P. Ferguson image, September 2025.
Thirteen years have passed since I left footprints at Gallipoli. The rolling journey is everything I seek…already I have found the notes to the scale…the letters to the words that make this a fine first day. I smile. We need to find the day’s music..as a crowned mermaid passes by the window. Turkish please…tea first.
From notes written 15 September 2025…~16:00 hours
—SNIP—