Our last destination of the trip, fabulous Istanbul. We arrive at midnight and head straight for the ticketing counter to reconfirm our flight to Cape Town, then take a taxi to a hotel in Fatih, a stone’s throw from the Grand Bazaar.

The following day is the start of Eid, so limited shopping opportunities as the Bazaar is closed. We nevertheless spend a happy day retracing our steps from 2006. So vibrant, so European, and modern – all VERY different to Egypt. Summery weather and we take the tram through the old city, then lunch at the quayside by the Galata Bridge, and take a relaxing cruise on the Bosphorus. At twilight, an invigorating stroll via Topkapi, the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, memories of a fun meal at the Pudding Shop.

We love Istanbul, it has water everywhere, and as far as cities go, this has to be one of the very nicest. It’s a surreal grand finale to the overland journey of a lifetime – an epic road trip, just the two of us, and the Prado, who passed the test with flying colours and never ever let us down. After 18 000km, the travel bug has stopped biting, at least for the remainder of 2013!