Day 16

G'day cobbers, today we headed down to the lobby after having breakfast on the 7th floor of our hotel. We headed off to Topkapi Palace where we waited for Mr Croft to get our tickets, only to find out after half an hour that we couldn't get in. After a small discussion we then decided to go to the Grand Bazaar early. We then put on our bartering hats, with the side challenge of getting a gift for Courtney McKnight's birthday.

At the Bazaar, we split off into our small groups to experience the culture of Istanbul. The Bazaar felt like large, winding tunnels, with over 2500 different stalls, there was a huge variety of goods to choose from. The stalls ranged from carpets to scarves to jewellery and even swords. The Grand Bazaar was definitely an experience different to what most of us are used to, as we were unable to explore everything it has to offer in the three hours we had to shop. Lucas' experience with the locals was somewhat humorous as Mr Washbourne and he were in what felt like a shifty deal after nearly being charged 24,000 lira for a watch. Everyone enjoyed the experience as many of us came away with little money to spare.

After making our way back to the hotel, we had a few hours to spare before heading back for a second attempt at getting into Topkapi Palace. After a struggle at the gate once again, we finally made it through. The palace displayed unique artefacts from as early as the 13th century BC and also showcased a 86 carat diamond as well as hundreds of other priceless gems. There was a room containing weapons and armour with swords up to at least 2 metres long. 

We had dinner at the Hatay, which was around the corner from our hotel. Everyone enjoyed their dinner with friendly banter between the adults who had chosen the previous restaurants and Mr Washbourne and Mr Bylund, who had chosen tonight's restaurant. They ended up with a score of 50 out of 70, beating previous winners, Mrs Hanns and Lisa, by 13 points. Everyone sang happy birthday to Courtney and gave her their presents, finishing off a great night:)

By Lucas and Braydee

For more pictures of the tour please visit Mr Bylund's photo blog at jebx4.tumblr.com