Famagusta, Cyprus - Mersin (Mainland Turkey) - By Ferry
Early in the morning, I loaded my bike and headed to the harbour,
expecting to catch a ferry at 8:30 a.m., as per the email I had
received. However, I was surprised to find out that the ferry was
scheduled for 8:30 p.m. instead.
With the entire day ahead, I decided to explore Famagusta and its
Salamis Ruins, which date back to the 11th Century BC. Despite
being destroyed by enemies and natural disasters such as
earthquakes, an impressive amount of the ruins remains intact. Later
on, I went back to the harbour, where I met two Nepali guys who
were on a biking trip around the world. I couldn't help but question
whether they were truly cycling or simply relied on public transport to
secure free accommodation and food.
Mersin – Atakia - By Bus
The ferry was a shocking sight—best described as a rust bucket. I
was sceptical about its ability to reach the mainland, but at least it
had seats suitable for sitting or sleeping. The trip didn’t take the
expected nine hours as mentioned on the ticket (not surprising, given
the state it was in), and we only slinked into Mersin the following day
at 9h00 a.m. En route, we had our fair share of drama as a man fell
overboard, but the crew, despite the poor condition of the vessel,
promptly spun around and picked him up. Not an easy feat in the
dark. Hats off to the captain!