Premier's Spirit of Anzac Prize 2013: Day 3 – Lone Pine, the Nek, Bigali and more

Ice-creams at Bigali

This morning we were woken at 7:30am, being a nice late start (haha jokes) we got straight onto the bus after another European breakfast, which was amazing. We all first went to 4^th Battalion where we went on an incredible hike, through the rough and sharp land of Gallipoli. It offered an insight to what the soldiers could have gone through, and also a heap of chances to fall over.

After that we met the Consul, Nick Sergi, who showed us around the Lone Pine cemetery including the interior of the Lone Pine memorial. Then we witnessed Bayley’s and Luke’s adopt a digger commemorations, after which we went back to the Kum hotel for lunch, some type Turkish beef casserole.

Bayley commemorates a family member

On the balcony at Ataturk's HQ in
the village of Bigali

Then we attended the 57^th regiment commemorative , which was a very deep experience, hearing the story touched us all and is something we will never forget. A bunch of Turkish people asked for a photo, which we all jumped at the opportunity to be celebrities in the eyes of the Turks. After lunch we went to the Nek, where we experienced the beautiful scenery, nothing unusual for Turkey.

Anne and Michelle at ANZAC

Then we attened “Chunky Bear” (well at least according to Professor Bruce Scates of Monash University) - Chanuk Bair was the correct name Bruce - and we learnt sthe acrifices that the New Zealanders made and the pure horror of mass slaughtering. After being promised “a famous Turkish ice cream” - again by Professor Bruce Scates - we all boarded the bus again to travel to the renowned town of Bigali that Mustafa Ataturk spent his time in for great war.

All round it was another incredible day we will never forget.