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G’Day and welcome to the Fanatics!

This year on the 25th of April you will be one of the thousands of young Australians, Kiwis and Turkish to make the pilgrimage to Gallipoli to commemorate ANZAC Day.

89 years ago our boys made the ultimate sacrifice and went there for us, so now, we’re going there for them!

Everything you ever learned about the 1915 battle on the muddy Turkish peninsula can’t really prepare you for the overwhelming experience of being in Gallipoli for the ANZAC Day services.
There is an intense feeling of loss as you pass grave after grave of faceless soldiers who never made it home.

These were young men who came to Europe on the pretence of adventure but lost their lives on the frontline of a tragic and horrific battle many believe they should never have been involved in.
Some of them teenagers, most barely in their twenties, they were within the same age bracket of the young people who today mostly enjoy a carefree lifestyle and the independence to travel the world.

They could have been your mates...they could have been you!

There is no doubt that visiting Gallipoli to honour the sacrifices our forefathers made will be an overwhelmingly emotional and life-changing experience.

However, travelling to Turkey is definitely not all about tears and tissues.

The Fanatics have been there before and know all the best watering holes and dodgy kebab shops.

Turkey is a truly magical destination with a culture worlds apart from our own.
Turkey’s capital, Istanbul, is not only the oldest city in the world, it also has the boasting rights of being the only city in the world to span two continents.
Turkey not only has an abundance of history and culture it also is home to some of the world’s tastiest cuisine and coolest music.
Oh...and the local beer tastes pretty good too!

There is growing concern the meaning behind the ANZAC Day services at Gallipoli is being lost on a new generation of binge-drinking antipodeans.
Whilst Fanatics tours are all about having fun and partying with like-minded Aussies, we ask that you please refrain from alcohol consumption during the ANZAC Day services.

It all comes down to being responsible and having respect for what happened on the hallowed turf of the Gallipoli peninsula.

By all means get amongst it before and after ANZAC Day but please show some respect on the day.

Trust us, ANZAC Day at Gallipoli is such an amazing and memorable experience the last thing you want to do is get hammered and forget you were even there!

To make the most of your trip to Turkey there are a few essential items you need to wack in you pack.

The dawn service at ANZAC Cove is invariably as cold as a frozen frog’s tit so make sure you bring plenty of warm clothing.
A beenie, scarf and a nice warm sleeping bag will definitely not go astray!

Don’t forget to bring plenty of Aussie paraphernalia including flags, tattoos etc.

For those of you who like to wear your heart on your sleeve may we suggest bringing an extra large hanky or some man-sized tissues.

For those of you who don’t mind a bit of a flutter you might want to brush up on your two-up skills before you leave.

The ladies might also like to attend some introductory belly-dancing classes and throw in a few nice boob tubes.

If you’re not already excited, you bloody well should be!
The Fanatics ANZAC Day tour of Gallipoli will be an experience you will never forget.

We look forward to experiencing it with you.
Andrew Ledger (Ledge)
Your Fanatics tour guide at Gallipoli 2004