As I alluded to yesterday, I was able to convince 2 people to take me to the top of Musa Dagh Mountain. I am very pleased we are going to climb to the spot the Armenians left the mountain from. It was one of my must do tasks on this trip. By this morning word had passed around and the climbing party had grown to 7. I was very pleased. We had a Geologist/Politician, Teacher, Journalist, General Doctor and his son, Specialist Doctor nose and throat, and myself.
I got picked up at 7.00am and we started climbing at 7.30. It was very steep and the going was slow.
After 3 1/2 hours it was agreed we were lost.
The fog had rolled in and it made navigation almost impossible. At times the visiability was down to 2 metres. We had no maps or charts or GPS. These guys were just using their local knowledge. In the Mountains, shepards operate with both sheep and harvesting the vegetation to make charcoal and soap.
These tribes men confirmed we were on the right path and off we went again. The mountain was not how I expected. It is a combination of foothills, plateaus ridges and steep climbs and descents.
The next thing I know we are at the Monument on top of Musa Dagh.
Paul has asked me to bring back a rock. So I picked up one from the Monument and put it in the bag for him.
We made our way back down the Mountain. We got sidetracked again and came out 1 km down the road. By the time I got back to the hotel it had been 12 hours. I am totally wrecked and my feet have blistered badly. Tomorrow Gem is coming to pick me up for my last attempt to find the Izmirians house in the Villages.
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