I felt so bad for Laird all day long yesterday — he had to take that hideous, brutal trip to the end of Turkey to see Troy, and he FORGOT HIS CAMERA. He rode 450 miles for a one-hour tour! Soooo glad I didn’t go! I went wandering down little streets — luckily it’s fairly hard to get lost in Sultanahmet because you just walk toward the minarets of Blue Mosque or Ayasophia. Went back to our favorite restaurant for couple of glasses of wine and appetizer plate, came back to hotel, went to hamam. Went to a pharmacy, asked for pain medicine that was not anti-inflammatory, he gave me two boxes, I paid and took them — no idea what they are. Laird forgot his meloxicam and he was able to get it at pharmacy, no prescription. Hope my stuff is drugs.
So we have to check out soon, best help Laird pack. Maybe last Turkish breakfast. See you in Russia! Travelingly yours, jm & lg
lairdandjonelle 
Are you flying into Moscow or Kiev?
No, we flew directly to Ekaterinburg — that was why the lay-over in Istanbul. And we’ll fly back there for the day waiting for flight to South Africa. Coming back we fly through Abu Dhabi, but just to change planes.
Very cool to follow along on your adventures. Aleksandr (my Russian guest) sent you an email and copied me so you should have a friend in Siberia when you get there. And, if the Rx packages you describe don’t kick in, at least there will be the vodka in Russia to look forward to! I was in Istanbul about 1-1/2 years ago so you are bringing back some great memories. Leroy