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Smokin' tyres in Turkey - Turkey
by Colin | Date >
2004-07-15 | Country : Turkey | City : Istanbul
| Area : Everywhere |
| If you look at a map it’s almost a full circle from Athens to Athens via Istanbul and the Greek Islands, the year was about 1975 or sometime about then, I was about 24 and on my first backpacking trip on my own, though I did not record the trip it is indelibly on my mind.
Starting from Athens armed with a backpack, sleeping bag, very little money and intending to hitch till twilight then sleep on the beach. Got to Thessaloniki without a hitch (not literally), then just outside the city got picked up by an Englishman John driving an old combi heading to Istanbul, but via those 3 pronged peninsulas jutting out to sea. Well they were weird, windswept lonely places dotted with old monasteries and castles (I understand that now holiday resorts have been built there). John lived on a diet of olive oil on French bread, so we shared and having no particular schedule took our time, but there was one thing he neglected to inform me as about 5km from the Turkish border he stopped to change into a suit, Why-“Oh yeah my wheels are full of maruanja”. I remember going through and seeing cars, trucks, vans and bikes in a hundred thousand little pieces. (The first film I saw after the trip was Midnight Express, and will never forget the floods of relief I felt coming out of the cinema). Got to Istanbul, parking outside the renowned backpackers Mecca “The Pudding Shop”, don’t know if it’s still there, but all travelers went there to catch up with news and eat some delicious puddings (No internet cafes then). John and I went our separate ways after a few days in that fascinating town, his tyres still high on dope (No chance of a flat there). I headed south deciding to catch the overnight bus/coach to Kusadasi. Going to Ethesis was well worth the effort as the ancient ruins are some of the best preserved I’ve ever seen, Then to Samos, boarding a ferry and getting off at Ikaria a really weird place with only one foreigner there who advised me to try the other side of the island (My B.O was getting to him), Cafes sporting original WW2 posters (didn’t have the heart to tell them its finished), tumble weed blowing down the street, a good selection of Black Widows (Old Greek Women whose husbands have died) deserted houses, one of which I broke into to sleep in and call home for a couple of days.
Got back to Athens then to London to start saving for the next adventure.
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