Intrepid traveller… Limestone walking is an endurance sport

We’re now five days into our 29-day tour of the Middle East. Four of our eight group members have been hit with the flu – thanks to air-conditioned buses and a cultural phenomenon of no one covering their mouth when they sneeze or cough – and we’ve spent more than half the money that Boyfriend and I budgeted for the entire trip. But we’re still smiling (sort of).

Remains of the gymnasium, Hierapolis

Today we find ourselves in Pamukkale, a tiny town in south-western Turkey and the site of the ancient city of Hierapolis, where hot springs and calcium pools have been used as a natural spa since the 2nd century BC.

Formed millions of years ago when earthquakes gave rise to very hot springs, the brilliant white colour is a mix of limestone and chalk. Pamukkale means, “cotton castle” in Turkish. While naturally extraordinary, the ruins of the city of Hierapolis are just as magnificent. Spread across such a large area it’s easy to imagine how inspiring it would have seemed during the city’s peak in the 1st century BC.

Boyfriend (right) looking out from the top of the amphitheatre

But where earthquakes create they also devastate, and much of the great city was completely destroyed following earthquakes in 17 CE and 60 CE. It was later rebuilt in Roman style, although successive earthquakes saw it ruined and rebuilt a number of times in the subsequent centuries.

This afternoon we hitched a ride up to the top to explore the old city before slipping off our shoes and making our way precariously down the limestone. As we’re travelling in the “off season” we’ve been lucky to avoid big crowds at each of the sites we’ve visited, and Pamukkale is no different. In saying that, there was still a hoard of people dipping their feet into the shallow, calcium-rich pools. But Boyfriend decided we had to go one step further (pun intended), so we began to make our way barefoot down the 525-foot slope.

With no clear path and certainly no handrails I queried the level of safety of this, his latest challenge. But in the spirit of the gladiators and Who Dares Wins, I accepted. I learned fairly quickly that the soles of my feet are dainty, pretty things that do not take kindly to jagged edged limestone and an abundance of pebbles: my squeals and squeaks amusing Boyfriend greatly.

It’s clear that Boyfriend and I are a rare breed of a sadomasochistic couple.

* Top pic: 'Less than impressed' (Mission complete, now bend and tie your laces).