#5: [20-Oct-10]

#4: [26-Nov-09]

#3: [30-Aug-06]

#2: [20-Jun-04]

25-Apr-2004 -- I usually check the nearest confluence points before going somewhere farther than 100 km. This time my main plan was a short trip to Amasra (41º 44.773'N 32º 22.938'E), which is a small village in northern Turkey. 23 April is celebrated in Turkey as Children's Day. The founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk dedicated the day of establishment of the Turkish Parliament to the world's children. Since that time, 23 April is celebrated as a national holiday in Turkey. So we had one additional day for the weekend.

On the map, the confluence point seemed about 5 km away from our route. We were two families in a two cars' convoy and I said to my friend in the other car that I am planning to visit a Confluence, and if we can pass close enough, I will take a walk for it. While we were on the way to our final destination, I felt disappointed because my GPS was pointing to a mountainous area, which seemed unreachable to me. There were two difficulties: First, we were at the first day of the journey, and second, I was travelling with my 14 months old daughter Derya Nur, and I wanted to reach the confluence point together with her to make her maybe the youngest conqueror of a Confluence. We passed by the Confluence still with a hope left.

The weekend was joyful but all my concentration was on the Confluence. On Sunday I asked my wife if we can drive back early after breakfast; I needed time for my search. We left Amasra at noon and drove about an hour. I was coming from north; the Confluence was west according to my position. After I passed about 2 km, I found a way toward west, which was a way to the National Park Yedigöller ("Seven Lakes"). The stabilized road was taking us straight to our destination. At last we were 150 m away from the Confluence but my GPS was pointing uphill. First I took a straight climbing with our Dalmatian friend Ali. After I reached the Confluence, I searched an alternative easy way to come back with my daughter. Then I found a small river down the hill. I walked that way and got at equal level with my daughter and my wife. Then I took Derya Nur, and followed the river upward. We were at the Confluence together. I could not take good landscape pictures; we were already in the forest, only the west and south views were a bit clear. My wife Saynur took some photographs of us.

We contribute this expedition to the world's children like Mustafa Kemal Atatürk did 81 years ago.