TWO adventurers – a Canadian and a Briton – have completed a challenge to follow the Great Menderes River through to its end.

Itto Kornecki, who studied Robotics in Canada, and Laurie Twine, a psychiatrist, came to the region after they read and influenced by the travel book Meander, written by travel writer Jeremy Seal.

Mr Seal’s book covers his exploits in a canoe travelling the 548 kilometre stretch.

This week the two young explorers visited historical places as guests of EKODOSD and received information about the Meander, the lifeblood of the Aegean Region.

They took the same trip from Afyon, where the Meander begins, right through to its conclusion close to Didim.

The 3-day journey included a visit to Lake Bafa where they given further information by the local eco-system. They also visited Miletus and Priene, as well as Kusadasi .

They said: “We came to Aydın to see the power of the Menderes, to listen to the mythological stories, and to get to know the people and villages around it. We also wanted to visit the history of the thousands of years of civilizations shaped around it. 

“After a 3-day trip, we went ashore near the village of Serçin by rowing in an inflatable canoe during the day, staying in a tent at night. Here we visited Akın Karakaya, who is in charge of the Ecotourism Center of Aydın Metropolitan Municipality. 

“The close interest and hospitality of the villagers impressed us a lot. We met EKODOS officials. We visited Miletus and Priene, one of the ancient cities near Menderes. We received information about Kusadasi. 

“We plan to go kayaking from Kusadasi to Samos.”