The journey to the Middle East!

This is just my prep for CPE exam which I'm going to take soon. I Thought that it might be interesting to some of you since it's truly authentic. Enjoy.

It was a mutual idea, that came out spontaneously in my and Richard's heads. Both of us have already explored the west –particularly Spain, so this year's summer holiday we focused on the other side. Turkey? I can clearly recall even now –after eight years –how this name popped out when we were sitting in my room. As single travellers we had to make sure that a trip together would suit us both. It wasn’t much of a problem, we just concluded that everybody does everything necessary without the dependeningt on the other.

We set off Thursday early morning. Even the start was a classic. Richard was late, so we missed the train. Never mind, we wanted to hitchhike anyway, so why not start from Galanta straight away. Since the beginning we were determined that if it’s not going to work we will split and meet again on predetermined meeting point. Oh, but it did work. we didn't expect it to run so smoothly, as if it was preplanned. The following night we entered the land of Ataturk, the border between Europe and Asia.

This was the travellers’ heaven and we were totally aware of it. Moments of excitement were mixed with on overwhelming feeling of the unknown and unseen. Everything was for the first time, everything was new. We were imprinting all of it into our untouched brains.

Hitchhiking was the best part of it. A never ending source of countless new experiences, it brought us to very many interesting, exciting and useful situations –sometimes even a tad dangerous. But we didn’t mind. We were young, reckless and thirsty for adventure. It was the trip of our dreams, on the edge, beautiful and unique. We travelled on the very minimum budget. It was a test of our endurance and mental challenge as well.

The most vivid story is probably the one from the city Van, on the shore of the lake Van, near Iran’s border. Richard desperately wanted a carpet. A matter of a few minutes if one has money, but it took us the better part of an hour to cut the price to one within our reach. It was worth it and I’m pretty sure that the shopkeeper must have remembered us for ages –westerners who fought for every penny!

This trip was a real journey. It showed me the wonders of travelling and therefore it won’t be replaced. There were bigger ones, there might be more extreme ones, but there is not going to be one like this!

Nottinghams streets

Just few notes...


What a wonderful miracle is hidden in the presence of your loved ones. Same town, same time, same people but one! and what a difference it makes!


Was is to happened that I would find my self in the middle of this little big city on my own and the whole experience would be about something else....


Few details like nice weather, enough food to eat, peaceful state of mind and person you really like and the whole universe looks gorgeous.

Change just one of these factors and the same trip can turn out to be a disaster.




It is the same with almost everything. Why do people say that this town is lovely and that one is not? Why do they say that one country is excellent and another is horrible? Why someone says that this person is lovely while someone else says that the same person is disgusting?


It's all about personal experience!!!


So even sleeping on a fire escapes staircase platform can be perceived as wonderful night. While some different day or different people around... staying in a luxury hotel might be nightmare... or maybe just a boring night.


The odd thing is that one never knows and the same conditions but just a tad change in some details, for example ones mind, and the night turns into a dreadful experience.



Why I am writing all this? Well except of few other dozen similar experiences, which inspired similar thoughts in the past, one just happened few weeks ago.


But I have to say that I have never before slept in the middle of a big city, during busy Saturday night... with minimal gear -that is to say no sleeping bag, no matres... Just some cartoon boxes, elevated platform and the warmth of other human being.


I will not forget so soon the aimless wandering between all the party people. They were getting drunk and we were looking for cartoon boxes!


Me and Martina and the streets of Nottingham in a spring. Not bad!