I was blessed with incredible Turkish hospitability from the day I arrived in this country until the day I left it. Thanks to a perfectly working Turkish SIM I had no problems sending requests to people who didn’t hesitate to host me. I have also started using another social platform for finding a place to stay, called Warmshowers which is mainly used by other cyclists. One of the biggest benefits of staying with locals is that you can feel safe in their company in a completely unknown place. Additionally, local people are usually great guides and they treat you like you were their best friend, at least the Turkish people do. Everything combined I had some wonderful experiences spending the first four days in a row with complete strangers who were genuinely happy to have me at their house.
One of my longest periods without pedaling waited for me at my friend’s house in Istanbul, where I spent almost ten days. Longer breaks have positive and negative effects on a bicycle trip. The most positive is, of course, needed rest for the body and more time for doing tourism. One of the negative sides occurs after the end of the break because it is quite hard to return to the routine of cycling every day. I had an amazing time in Istanbul. I don’t recommend cycling in its chaotic traffic because buses stop every few meters to pick up someone who waves at the driver. I nearly hit the back of the bus countless times on the day I arrived in this lively city. I took an underground railway to get to the Asian side. I had to wait for rush hour to pass because bicycles aren’t allowed on board until 8 pm. I saw all the tourist sites, ate various delicious meals, and got lost in the crowded bazaar.
My journey continued along the Black Sea. The ride along the coast was – thanks to steep climbs and even steeper descents – challenging and proved to be the first real test for my legs. I didn’t regret my decision mainly because of the charming towns along the coast with hospitable people and tasty food. Being able to taste so many different local dishes surprised me as it seemed that every village has its own specialty. Approximately one month after the start of my journey I spent the first night in my tent. It was a significant milestone because of the new independence gained. If I was tired after 50 km I stopped and set up a tent in the middle of nowhere, so that I didn’t have to push my limits and risk any injuries. I have distanced myself from the stress-related search for accommodations and began to enjoy my trip even more. I camped among hazelnut and tea bushes a few times and eventually reached my fifth country on the way, Georgia.
