TURKEY
881 Kilometres – 18 Days Bulgarian Border – Kirklareli, Turkey – 50 kilometres
I have spent nights in some unusual places, but never in a hospital.
So, before leaving, I felt it was necessary to ensure that all my
organs were still intact.
Eddie and I arrived in Turkey, a country with a long and fascinating
history, at the end of August and in sweltering heat. Once across the
border, we headed towards the nearest town and bike shop as Eddie’s
bicycle rim was cracked, making it impossible to continue.
Turkish people are exceptionally kind, and offered us tea,
watermelon, and coffee while we waited. Unfortunately, the rim took
longer than we had envisaged to repair. It was raining as the repairs
were completed, and we decided to stay overnight in Kirklareli.
Turkey is a transcontinental country straddling eastern Europe and
Asia and was bound to throw us a few surprises. Still, I was amazed
to learn that our first town, Kirklareli, was one of the first settlements
in Europe.