Kirklareli – Safalan – 96 kilometres
By morning, I couldn’t wait to start exploring. Turkey is not flat, and
the best part of the day was spent cycling up and down hills, heading
toward Istanbul. We ended the day's ride at a picnic area equipped
with a restaurant and restrooms.
Safalan – Istanbul – 137 kilometres
We packed up early because a long distance remained to historic
Istanbul. Cycling into bustling Istanbul—Turkey’s economic, cultural,
and historic centre —was a nightmare, with horrendous peak-hour
traffic. Unfortunately, none of the campsites indicated on the map still
existed, and by 21h00, we opted for alternative accommodation. But
at least I had my first glimpse of the Mediterranean. As stressful as
the ride was, I was happy to be in this beautiful, historic city.
Locating a backpacker hostel in daylight the following morning was
far easier. It was well situated in the tourist part of town, close to the
Blue Mosque.
Istanbul is an immensely popular destination, and most budget
accommodation was filled to the brim. The only beds available were
on the hostel’s roof, where beds were piled in, leaving no spaces
between beds—resembling a huge communal bed. It was, therefore,
no surprise to run into the Baltic Cycle Group.