This morning we were up early and away heading to the WW1 battlefields on the Gallipoli Peninsular. We stopped off for a BBQ lunch on the way then continued on to the site. We parked up in a long queue of buses where we had to wait for a few hours in line before getting into the service area - you have to go through a security check like you would at the airport. So we left our stuff in a heap and wondered over the small hill to a beautiful beach - it was a site I will always remember with a big smile - hundreds of Aussies and Kiwis standing on the bank in awe of the sandy beach before us and almost simultaneously everyone took off their shoes and ran onto the beach, splashing in the water, chucking a rugby ball around (who packs a rugby ball fro Anzac day? Of course our culture does!) and on top of this Logan and I bumped into another friend form uni!!!! Pretty crazy, we also saw Sarah and Christian again (they were on a different bus) so we all got to sit together in the stands for the service. My favourite thing about travelling is the fact that you can meet perfect strangers from NZ and Aus and just bond immediately - Sarah and I were sitting together all night, arms around each other keeping warm and chatting away to everyone like we had been friends for years - were all away from home and you can't help but feel homesick when you are surrounded by Aussies and Kiwis and watching documentaries all night on these young, innocent lads that lost their lives in such an unnecessary, pointless war. We saw letters written to loved ones, re-enactments of families being told their sons weren't coming home and when your away from home yourself its even harder - it was one of the best experiences of my life though and we all supported each other - we were just so proud to be there representing our countries and paying respects to all the brave men that perished on the very hill we were sitting on - and the ones that survived. Anyone who survived the horrific circumstances of that war would never be the same again.
I was one of the only ones from my bus that stayed awake the entire night. I thought, how often do you get a chance to come to Gallipoli for Anzac day? Its a once in a lifetime event and I didn't want to miss a minute of it. I got to see the sunrise on my birthday, in Gallipoli and its something I will never ever forget. After 12 hours the dawn service commenced and it was really something to see. When it finished we began our 6.2km walk up hill (even at 7am the day was really warming up so we had to stop a few times to remove all our layers!) to where the Kiwi service was being held and again this was something special. We got to sing our national anthem twice in one morning and it meant so much for me to be able to do this. I'm so glad that I did Gallipoli this year - last year I wouldn't have appreciated being surrounded by my fellow Kiwis and Aussies - we are truly such a unique group of people and really come together to support each other no matter where we are in the world.
After the service there is up to a 4 hour wait for the bus to come but somehow our cheeky tour leader managed to arrive in under an hour after the service! We were all exhausted so got on the bus and headed off to Ayvalik where you would think we would have an early night - but since it was mine and Logans birthday it didn't quite turn out that way!!
Anzac Day in Gallipoli was definitely the highlight of my trip. Every single Kiwi and Aussie should experience this remarkable service and pay their respects at least once in their lives. I feel its something I will go back and do again when I am older. I had no idea of the true story behind Anzac Day and over 120,000 soldiers lost their lives. One out of every three that came off the boats on arrival were instantly shot dead and the next 8 months were spent in trenches through the coldest winters and hottest summers - they advanced just 200 meters up the hill in 8 months. We watched a documentary on the bus a few days later and the exact details and actual photos from the event will never leave my memory. Over the past year I have seen such disturbing imagery and learnt of some the most inhumane events that have occurred throughout history - as well as visiting the sites where they all actually happened - but I have made myself watch and learn because if human beings just like you and I actually went through these unthinkable times the least we can do is learn about what happened and help ensure that it never happens again.
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