Millie has now developed a Pavlovian response to the word “ruins”. She immediately crosses her arms, rolls her eyes, and says “harumph”. Luckily today was the last ruins for a while.

After breakfast we packed everything up and drove over to Ephesus. While my attitude is slightly better than Millie’s, I’m definitely getting ruins-blindness. So many columns, statues, and mosaics.

Highlights for me today were seeing the complex early plumbing and the terraced houses’ decor choices (different marbles as wallpaper!)

I took this photo of Nick in his ELEMENT. Reading a sign at an archaeological site. Protected from sun. Feet breathing freely.

It was hot but we soldiered on. Millie’s #1 interest in any set of ruins are how and where the people peed and pooped, and luckily Ephesus delivered. Latrines for days. Can you imagine relieving yourself in a line like this with other people?

We managed to finish seeing the sights before heatstroke kicked in and rested at a cafe inside. I snuck off to go to “the Ephesus experience” solo since kids under 8 weren’t allowed. It was just as bizarre as the Hagia Sophia one, but this one had a smoke machine.

Millie was a good sport considering how many of these we’ve dragged her to now.

We finished at about 1:30 and had time to kill before our 8:50 flight. We started driving to the large market in Izmir, but as we drove in and realized what a massive and hectic city it was, we decided to abort the mission and get to the airport super early. Like 5 hours early.

We returned the rental car, and with it Millie’s new snorkel and sand toys. They just won’t fit in the luggage we have and we have a couple of months again before we’ll be at a beach again. She cried her eyes out and said it was her worst day ever.

Since I don’t have room for my boots in my bag on travel days, I’m dressed like a clown. I look like a man in Portland doing the walk of shame. I haven’t worn makeup in a month. My newfound tan is doing a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to my appearance.

Millie is getting lots of energy out at the airport now.

We have a bit of a hellish night of travel. Our flight lands in Dubai at 2:30AM. Pray for sleep on the plane.