(^6) TURKEY
3 053 Kilometres - 53 Days
Aleppo, Syria – Reyhanli, Turkey – 74 kilometres
Nervously, Ernest and I biked from Aleppo, Syria towards the Turkish border,
wondering if visas on arrival were issued. It wasn’t possible a few months earlier,
and I had to apply at the Embassy beforehand. This time, though, rumours had it
that procedures had changed. Mercifully, this was indeed the case and, without
delay, we were granted a 30-day Turkish stay. So delighted were we, we parked
off in the nearby border town of Reyhanli.
Turkey was surprisingly different to the previous countries cycled. Thank goodness
we were finally out of the desert, but the smidgen of Arabic picked up was of no
use any longer. The incredible Turkish hospitality came as a welcome surprise, and
it seemed, they continually wanted to feed us.
Our first night in Turkey was spent camping in a town park near a lake, resulting in
regularly served tea. An invitation to a nearby restaurant was a fascinating
experience. Not only were we treated to a meal, but I also had my first lesson in
making Gözleme, a traditional savoury flatbread made with unleavened dough.
The dough was rolled super thin and topped with various toppings. It subsequently
became one of my all-time favourite snacks in Turkey.