Gates of hospitality

Saturday 28th September

Today began and continued with a struggle. Having got into a small routine of not having anything to do and enjoying the free time, I was then thrown into the pit of organisation and effort. My body was ready to go but mentally I had to leave another "home" and say my goodbyes to people I had pretty much lived with for 3 days. Marco and Margherita were back early in the morning from their bus tour so another awkward second goodbye ensued and I said goodbye to the Germans that I roomed with as well as the rest of the hostel occupants.

Cycling wise it took me some time to get back into the groove as far as open road is concerned. I still had a lot of town to get out of and there wasn't an ideal coastal road to get onto as I had to go inland to take the one bridge that links European Turkey with Asian Turkey. Getting to the bridge involved a few up and downs that made it very apparent my legs were soon fed up and they decided to give up very early doors. I got within 50m of the bridge and the road turned into a "bad" green road, I knew I couldn't go on it but with the traffic at pretty much a standstill and this being the only way I thought I would go for it.

I got no more than 25m away and I spotted a police car that was dealing with another car. Blinkers on and make no noise and ill be fine I thought, Blinkers on and make no...Crash! Bump! Bang! At the worst possible time my stupid water bottle decided to slip from under the Bungy cords and bounce along the road. I briefly thought about just carrying on, I lost one in Italy, I can lose another! I didnt though, i stopped, and got caught. My second meeting with European police (once at the start and once annoyingly only metres from the end of Europe) involved an officer called Talha wandering over to me and telling me that "crossing the bridge is forbidden by bicycle" I said "really? But how else do I get over to the otherside?" The only way a bike can cross is in a shuttle bus and that would involve going back the wrong way up a highway and waiting at a stop. I told Talha what I was doing and he replied with, "to Africa? But they have guns there!" I wasn't going to deny that, "yes they do, but they also have lots of good people, and I have met lots of good people so far, you're a good person too aren't you Talha?" He knew as much as I did, it would be a right pain to send me back the other way. "Please Talha, the bridge is only 200 metres or so!" "Ok, but stay to the right and don't crash." I was happy that we shared the same intentions for what I was going to do on the bridge. I gave him my blog and rolled very slowly past the almost stationary traffic. Near the end of the bridge I picked up a little pace and the water bottle thought it would be funny to attempt suicide again, this time I left him, I wasn't stopping for him again as he had already caused me too much hassle.

The difference between the two sides of Turkey can be noticed almost immediately. I felt less claustrophobic, I felt I could look around without either getting beeped or having to avoid someone cutting me up or walking in front of me. I eventually got to the cycle path that follows the coast for a few miles. Thanks to my ferry trip a couple of days ago, I knew where I was and I knew my surroundings which was a rare feeling compared to the usual cycling into the unknown.

After a few miles of nice coastline cycling with lots of people keeping fit in parks, sunbathing and fishing etc My ride turned into the most boring, dockyard and construction site infested, undesirable ride of the trip so far. This day's blog would've painfully gone into detail about it as well if it wasn't for what happened at 5:30. So luckily you don't have to drag yourself through the dustiness like i did, you can arrive at the entrance of a nice gated community.

I noticed these gated communities in Greece firstly and I always wondered from then if I could get myself into one. The first one I tried was a no go, the security lady had no English in her whatsoever. The second one I had more luck with and the security guard Mustapha called over a few residents and together we understood and agreed that I could stay, but only for one night. I was well happy, I had a little plot on the grass between the sea saw and the slide in the kids park. Tamasz who was the main spokesman and immediately the most hospitable and friendly said, "here you sleep, and I show you where the toilet is" it's as if he could read my mind!!!!

I found out that the gated communities aren't yearlong housing residencies, they are actually just holiday apartments for 3 months. The same people travel from all over Turkey every year to holiday for 3 months and so the fact that they let me in makes it all the more surprising. There were people of all ages, families or just friends and Tamasz took it upon himself to take me around the site and introduce me to all the residents who were all sat outside enjoying the weather and playing games etc.

I went back to my tent as I didn't really want to encroach on people's holiday even more than I have done and so i cooked up my pasta and relaxed. 5 minutes after tucking into my pasta and Tamasz came by my tent again, "Chris! You want food?" "No no, I have pasta here thankyou" "ahhhhh no good, come with me" I put my pasta down and walked around to where everyone was setting up tables for multiple BBQs. Tamasz introduced me to his family and friends Oktay and Gulsum. The whole resort had such a safe community feel despite everyone coming from all over Turkey and only speaking to each other for 3 months a year.

I sat down at the family table along with two other families and tucked into some kofte, pork chops, rice and salad. A little better than my spaghetti mess tin for sure and on top of that, they had a projector screen outside with the football on. Galatasaray were playing and there was a clear difference between fans and non-fans but all joking together. Word soon seemed to get around to everyone that the stranger was cycling to South Africa and so I felt a little like the flavour of the week. People would come up to me and Tamasz would show me off in a way and tell them what I was doing etc. I would then have a broken conversation with each person as they were all very interested in why I was doing what I was doing!

A lady named Zeynep was also holidaying there and she happened to be an English teacher. She was a great help with all the different conversations and she told me that what I was doing was very hard to fathom for the Turkish man as their life consists of get married, get kids and work hard. I told her that that was the same for England also but I don't fit into that mould, I don't think I fit into any mould really and that's just the way I like it!

Throughout the night different groups of people were coming by and giving me food from their tables, some fruit some traditional etc. Unlike Galatasaray, I finished everything thrown at me, and by the time the game was finished, I was pleasantly full and ready for bed. Tamasz and his family were heading home that night so as they were packing up the car a man named Kaan asked if I had ever had Raki. I said no and so he invited me to meet his family and enjoy some at his apartment. I agreed but said only for a few minutes as I was tired and wanted to say goodbye to Tamasz.

At Kaan's I met Vuslat, Kortay, Sema and Kaan's kids Nehir and Doruk. Kaan was one of those guys that did not take "no" very well and with a few drinks in him, he was very giving. A beer was in the hand before I could sit down and luckily Tamasz came and said goodbye to me because I feared I was going to be at Kaan's a bit longer than 5 minutes!

Here's where I have to say a massive thank you to Tamasz and its a shame I didn't get a quick picture or contact details because it was really all down to him why my day turned from boring/tired bike ride to amazing hospitality. So before I tried the Raki I had to finish my beer, during the time it took to finish my beer, Kaan was getting a bit more drunk and a lot more giving. Next thing I know i have 3 kofte (meat balls) 4 pieces of pork, some bread, roasted peppers and some roasted garlic chucked in front of me. All of which "I haaad to try" as you could imagine. I tried some but I had just had my own rather large meal and finished off about 5 other people's whilst sat outside. I was developing food triplets, let alone just a single food baby.

As time went on, despite the guys being great fun and the kids were absolute cuties, I really needed to sleep. I finished my beer, now for the Raki. I took a sip, absolute rocket fuel!!!! Wow I need some water with that or something to mask the feel of acid burning my insides. Oranges and grapes helped with Raki but this was still food and my belly didn't have much stretch left. I finally had a very nice small dessert made from suet and egg I think and the remainder of my Raki. 

After being very forceful but in a polite way I managed to get out but Kaan insisted he walked me to my tent. I said my good nights and he insisted that I should sleep in his apartment as the tent was wet. (It wasn't wet it was just cold and Kaan was coming to the border if not over the border from annoyingly generous to generously annoying - I had to start getting short with him) When he left I went to go to the toilet and as I was en route he was on his way back with a blanket. For goodness sake, I thought. I didn't want to seem unthankful to a man that can drink 40% rocket fuel like its water but then again all I wanted to do was sleep!

We went back to the "wet" tent to put the blanket down. I was doing it all wrong so Kaan took charge. Here's where I will thank Kaan for a memory that I will keep forever as exactly one day after my 27th birthday I found myself getting tucked into my tent with a big checkered blanket by a very drunk Turkish man. 

Just another day you could say. I was just happy to be alone and safe eventually but must say thank you to everyone I met that night for making it so memorable!