I packed my things away, said goodbye to a good friend, crossed the Bosphorus and entered Asia again. The difference this time is I don’t know when I’ll be returning to Europe.
As I rode away I knew I would return, I hope Ceyhan will come and stay with me one day so I can return his hospitality. We discussed meeting up somewhere on my travels, maybe contact Oli and meet in South East Asia?
As I rode I reflected on the many people I had met in Istanbul, some I will never see or communicate with again and others I hope will remain friends. It reminded me of something a friend said to me many years ago (I can’t remember the context) ‘I have enough good friends, I don’t need any more’. My friend doesn’t know the influence he had on me that day, I couldn’t have disagreed more and over the years I have thought about what he said and I am at opposite ends of the spectrum with him on this one, although he probably hadn’t thought this before he said it or after, I doubt he would remember? It was one of the many experiences in my life that has led to these travels. My whole life is about people, those I have met and those I have yet to meet.
I rode more miles than any other today, 324, as I had already been on the same route with Steph 10 days ago. I arrived in Iznik late afternoon and checked into a pretty grotty hotel, having been in a luxury apartment I’ll have to get used to ‘roughing it’ again.
I rode out for an hour as the sun was setting and what a beautiful city it is, I believe the 3rd largest in Turkey. The city wraps itself around a massive bay and the houses and apartments rise up the mountains surrounding it. A lovely chilled place and it doesn’t seem touristy at all.
