Tolls in Turkey

Trying to figure out Turkish tolls

 
Driving in Turkey was a breeze, right up until we ran into our first toll road.  We thought that it would be like any other toll road with a cashier or at least a machine for coins.  Nope!  At the ramp onto the highway we arrived at the toll plaza only to find a sensor with a picture of a card and no other explanation.  Good thing there wasn't an arm, because we rolled on through.

So then we found ourselves on the highway, with no idea how we were going to get off.  That's when things really started getting interesting.  As we neared the exit, we had our fingers and toes crossed that there would be a cashier.  No such luck.  And to make matters worse, this time there were arms to keep us from passing through.

Not knowing what else to do, I pulled the car over to the side of the road and walked up to a little house.  There were two guys inside playing computer games.  In broken English, they were able to explain to me that I needed a "KGS card" and that the only place to get one was at a Shell station seven kilometers down another highway.  And the only way to get to that other highway was to make a U-turn across oncoming traffic, drive a few hundred feet in the wrong direction, and cross over the median.  With no other options, that's just what we did.  We made that U-turn, braved oncoming traffic, found that Shell station, and now we are the proud new owners of our very own KGS card!

-David