JEDDAH, 25 June — Two weeks after leaving Jeddah, the intrepid Trevor Woolley, sales manager for Jeddah Today who took the Castrol Challenge ride to the UK, has arrived in Alanyia in southern Turkey.

"There was a real feeling of history in the air in Damascus," he said, referring to his last destination.

Negotiating the Hamedia Souk, surrounded by a jumble of silversmiths and food stalls, his progress was impeded by crowds of people wanting to shake his hand.

Picking his way through the streets, his route took him in part along the banks of the River Fourat, the only source of water available to the city in its earliest years.

"This river has supplied Damascus since before the UK was invaded by the Romans. It gives you a new perspective," he told Arab News.

Approaching Homs, strong side winds made riding particularly difficult, causing him to veer wildly in the occasional gust.

"It became quite nerve-wracking hoping that there wouldn’t be a strong gust as a lorry approached from a

head!" he recalled.

Taking a short break at the roadside, he met a group of Syrian long-distance lorry drivers.

"I spoke not a word of their language, nor they mine," said Trevor, "but we were soon old friends. It’s the people that are making the trip truly memorable."

Skirting Homs, Trevor visited the Krak de Chevaliers, the best preserved of the Crusader castles.

"Well worth the visit. It makes one marvel at the ingenuity and effort of the builders," he said.

From the castle, Trevor made for Lattakia. His route took him through mountains and forests dotted with small villages.

At one point, a cohort of traffic police waved him down. Stern looks were soon replaced with smiles and there was more tea and food by the roadside!

"I cannot recommend Syria enough, it has to be the friendliest place I have been," he said.

After an overnight stop in Lattakia and a touch of roadside maintenance and oil change, the onward journey took him to the border with Turkey. The roads through the mountains with the cool air and heavily forested slopes were reminiscent of Austria, he said.

The Turkish border presented no problems and he continued to Adana for an overnight stop. The following morning, Trevor took the coast road toward Alanyia to meet up with his wife.

"The steep inclines and curves reduced my average 50 kph. However, the scenery was breathtaking," he said. "Even more dramatic than Route 1, California. It’s an undiscovered country."

Trevor now intends a week break in Alanyia. "There’s so much to see in Turkey, I may stay longer," he said.

The next step of the journey begins with a ferry journey from Izmir to southern Italy, beginning the trans-Europe part of the trip.