Ankara

It's a hole. Rows of similar medium high rise houses - half of them crumbling. The metro is lovely, but too small and overpriced ($1.25 per ride). The roads are wide but congested, mostly by empty taxis cruising around looking for customers (and yes, every second car is a taxi).

I got in at 9 pm to find be completely desorientated at the massive 3 storey bus station. Quickest way to get to where I wanted in town: flagging down a dolmuş in pouring rain on the other side of the highway in the middle of nowhere. Slowest dolmuş ride ever, as the guy kept slowing down and beeping at passersby (potential customers).

First dodgy hotel was full. The second was half-full with dirty (literally) old men. Reason was simple, as a room with a shower costs $5 extra. Hot water only at night (provided by a gas cylinder chained to a pole in the toilet. Not surprising that the LP doesn't recommend the place for single women.

By morning, the rain had turned to snow. 2 degree snow - the kind where the moisture and cold seep in gradually and don't want to leave. The one tourist thing I did was a visit to the Atatürk mausoleum. What can I say? They really love the guy; the personality cult beats that of any I've seen to date. Every place I've stayed at has had a portrait of the man hanging inside. The mausolem itself is monumental (in the Soviet sense of the word).

Spent most of the day sorting bureaucracy. Naturally, it turned out that every single embassy had moved since the last edition of the LP. The woman at tourist info was lovely though and gave me a map, directions and phone numbers.

The Iranian Embassy was not evil enough. No leaflets about the 'Truth of Christianity'... just travel literature and free tea/coffee and a clean toilet. Had to show my passport 3 times, but in the end submitted the application. 2 week wait as it gets sent to Tehran.

The others:

Turkmenistan - the woman didn't know anything about issuing visas to a Polish national and had to call Ashabad. I need a letter from my embassy detailing what I am doing, and then the whole thing will need to be sent to Ashabad.

China - I need a letter from my embassy verifying my identity. Then we can talk (for $30).

Uzbekistan - I need to rock up with my invitation, $80 and it will be done in 15 minutes. So, inshallah, that's what I'm doing tomorrow, then hopping on the overnight bus to Tatvan and backtracking during the next two weeks through Kurdistan.