Vagabonding

Ogos 2022 - Jun 2025
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Senarai negara

  • Georgia
  • Turki
  • Greece
  • Albania
  • Montenegro
  • Bosnia dan Herzegovina
  • Croatia
  • Tunjukkan semua (21)
Kategori
Sekeliling dunia, Basikal, Berkawan, Alam semula jadi, Fotografi, Perjalanan tunggal, Fauna
  • 18.6rbkilometer perjalanan
Cara pengangkutan
  • Feri1,154kilometer
  • Keretapi565kilometer
  • Pendakian28kilometer
  • Penerbangan-kilometer
  • Berjalan-kilometer
  • Basikal-kilometer
  • Motosikal-kilometer
  • Tuk Tuk-kilometer
  • Kereta-kilometer
  • Bas-kilometer
  • Camper-kilometer
  • Karavan-kilometer
  • 4x4-kilometer
  • Berenang-kilometer
  • Mendayung-kilometer
  • Motobot-kilometer
  • Berlayar-kilometer
  • Rumah bot-kilometer
  • Kapal pesiar-kilometer
  • Kuda-kilometer
  • Bermain ski-kilometer
  • Tumpang-kilometer
  • Cable car-kilometer
  • Helikopter-kilometer
  • Kaki Ayam-kilometer
  • 206footprint
  • 1,038hari
  • 1.0rbgambar
  • 188suka
  • At Emin's in Seki

    19 April 2024, Turki ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Before the trip, I read 'Vagabonding' by Rolf Potts, who has travelled to many countries as a travel writer. The book gave me some inspiration for what travelling can feel like: wild, unplanned, adventurous, off the beaten track, full of surprises.
    It was my desire to immerse myself a little in foreign cultures, to interact with others, to connect with other people in a short space of time.

    I have not yet managed to create this adventurous feeling reliably and permanently, but in recent months I have managed to do so more often and the more foreign the cultures become, the greater the chances of exciting encounters.
    The key to this is travelling with enough time, with an open mind, with little planning and off the beaten track. (I believe total immersion in the adventure also requires leaving out all kinds of distractions and 'anchoring': If one were to forgo books, music, contact with friends and everything familiar it would be true immersion).

    Now I've ended up here in this small mountain village called Seki. The village is 60 kilometres from Fethiye in the mountains. There's not much here and life seems to be centred around the village square.
    I'm the only non-Turkish person here and I think it's great. My English doesn't help me any more and when I order something I never know 100% whether I'll get what I want. 🤷‍♂️
    I go to Emins Té every morning. It's not really called a café, as 99% of the drinks served are tea, so I call the shop Té in reference to the cafés that serve coffee.
    I am greeted with curiosity, work a little and watch the older men play Rummikub. (I never thought it would be so easy to find a games café).
    It won't be long before I'm playing a few rounds myself. 👍

    There are old Renault 12s and light Mondial motorbikes driving around on the roads. The Renaults were built in the early 70s and the Mondials look like they could be from the 80s. Today someone drove into the café on his tractor.... 😂

    From nightfall onwards, I hear nothing. Nothing? Well, there's this one nightingale that sings the whole night through for me.
    Instead of sheep I count her verses. 🎶
    Baca lagi

  • Out of the city and into the green

    18 April 2024, Turki ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    I've been working since Jolanda and Andreas left. I went to the same café in the morning, worked there for hours, drank coffee and listened to music. I returned to my standard sleeping place in the evening and started all over again the next day. How boring. 😮‍💨
    Today I set off spontaneously after work. After a quick shop and without much preparation, I chose the route into the mountains that promised the least amount of tourism.

    After the first 20 minutes outside the city, I'm back in the adventure. everything is new, everything is strange. I discover unknown terrain and am later rewarded with a great spot by a stream that really refreshes me. 💦

    In the evening, I try my best to keep the nearby ant colony from working. They are still very busy after dark and I try to break the will of the collective with mulberries raining down from the sky. Take that! 🍇
    Baca lagi

  • Visiting the Hamam

    10 April 2024, Turki ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Our time together with Jolanda and Andreas is coming to an end and we round off this section with a visit to the hamam. This is the first time for all of us and fortunately we are guided through the procedure by professional hands. Out of ignorance, luck or a lack of alternatives, we visit the hamam on the last remaining day for the two of them, which coincides with the Eid at the end of Ramadan. We are looked after by the master almost alone. ✌️

    Once you've experienced the procedure for yourself, every step suddenly makes sense, but during my previous research I was quite confused by the many steps, to say the least. My compulsion not to be unpleasant almost tempted me to memorise the sequence in order to be prepared.📚

    Without a list, the three of us sit here in the steam sauna. I'm almost a little cold, because I'm used to saunas at around 90 degrees from my family and it's much cooler here. On the other hand, the minty scent really tweaks your eyes 🥹

    Andy is the first to go and is led to the centre of the room. He is then scrubbed and soaped up. The master swings this giant cushion in the air and then squeezes it over Andy, who largely disappears in a bubble of foam. Somehow the master's hands find Andy, who is now thoroughly scrubbed.
    His hair is then washed.
    Luckily, he wasn't quizzed, so I don't have anything to worry about without a to-do-list. 😅

    I will remember the soaping in particular. It feels like being tickled by a cloud.
    Baca lagi

  • Hiking the Lieschen trail

    7 April 2024, Turki ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Tam da sıkıcı olmaya başlamıştı ki Split'ten Jolanda ve Andreas ile tanıştım - aslında İsviçreliler ama onları Split'te tanıdım.

    Oh - so sorry, I forgot that the blog is written in English 🤭

    I was about to get bored just before I met Jolanda and Andreas from Split - they're actually from Switzerland, but I got to know them in Split. They are doing workaways on their trip, i.e. they volunteer for board and lodging in various projects.
    Their next travel project is the Lycian Trail, which they plan to hike over the next few days. And as I'm always happy when someone takes on responsibility, I just tagged along. 😊
    I don't have to plan anything, they've already done that. I get to sit back, relax and make silly comments from the second row. 👍

    The route runs along the coast and stretches over 500 kilometres. In between are the butterfly valley, the blue lagoon and lots of nature.
    We were also able to experience flawless tourist areas, so we got the whole package. 😁

    The real highlight was finding a truly magical waterfall in the middle of the forest. In front of the waterfall, the water collected in a natural pool in which we took a dip. 💦 The forest was a little lighter here and was framed by mountain slopes to the left and right. What didn't quite fit into the idyllic picture was the group of young Turks who had turned this place into their training camp. 😅
    Exercise music drifts through the forest and one of the boys was eager to organise his power workout. 💪

    I will remember this trip for a long time. We reminisced about campfires, messing around together, identifying star signs and birds.
    Baca lagi

  • Pyrospectacle at the Barber

    2 April 2024, Turki ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I have an important job to do today: I have to get rid of my hair. 🧑‍🦱

    I went to the hairdresser and was kindly informed that they only serve ladies. (Small but subtle difference here: Men go to the barber, women to the kuaför).
    I was kindly escorted to the nearest barber. There I had a Çai and then we got down to business. It was quite an experience.
    I briefly explained what kind of hairstyle I wanted and the boss got started.
    My hair was washed, then cut. He asked if I wanted the beard off.
    - No, thank you.
    Should it be shortened?
    Now I had the feeling that he didn't want to let me go half-done and wild, so I agreed to the shave.
    He rubbed his hands together and the magic began.

    The first step was to apply the foam. A great feeling, it was really fine and soft and the first experience of this kind for me. He started with the knife, often taking some skin between two fingers to tighten the skin for cutting. So he tugged at my facial muscles and in no time the beard was off.

    Then he applied a soothing after-shave lotion, which was rinsed off after a short time. I was bent over again and his hands ran over my face to wash everything off. In his tight grip with his hand in my face I felt like a child again being washed by my parents 😜.
    I leant back and he dried my face.
    I had taken my glasses off so I couldn't see clearly what he was preparing behind me.

    Two cotton wool balls were plucked up and he cleaned my ears in one swift movement. 😮
    I hadn't gotten over it yet when he was already preparing the next stage of escalation. I squinted my eyes to see it better: A wooden stick with...
    Whatever it was - now the thing in his hand was on fire 🔥!

    He held my head with one hand and with the other he flicked the burning cotton wool into my face with a wooden stick.
    The whole thing must have looked pretty funny from the outside, but I had to pull myself together - at least in my head it looked funny.
    After the fire bath, a soothing cream was applied and a little gel was put in my hair.

    His hand massaged my neck, then my spine, then my arms and finally my hands, which he pulled on briefly until my fingers cracked.
    Now he was done. And I was feeling like a newborn.

    What a show! It's even worth coming back with snacks and watching the show! 🍿
    Baca lagi

  • A pottpurri of impressions

    31 Mac 2024, Turki ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    That was probably the second most relaxed of all my border crossings so far. I'm standing between all the other passengers with my heavily laden bike, blocking the aisle of the small customs building.
    The man at the X-ray machine kindly asks me to put the large black bag and then any other bag of my choice on the conveyor belt. 🤭

    I actually wanted to find an official campsite, but they have all closed and I get the impression that everyone is very relaxed, so I camp wildly on the first night. ⛺️

    Over the next few days I wonder what happened to Ramadan. Exactly a year ago, I used to hide away to eat and drink in Morocco, but Ramadan doesn't seem to be such a strict affair here.

    The first chant of the Muezzin in the morning wakes me and also positive emotions and memories of my time in Morocco. It males me feel safe somehow.

    In the first few days, I gain a lot of impressions.
    Now I can finally say that I drank tea from an ekoçai 201!!
    There's one thing that brings tears to my eyes here: the pollen flying around 🤧
    Baca lagi

  • <24hrs in Rhodes

    30 Mac 2024, Greece ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    I'm on a short stopover in Rhodes and very glad that the season hasn't started yet.
    Some of the restaurants here are still closed, which gives me the opportunity to enjoy the area in peace and quiet.

  • Mátala (Tourist Trap!)

    28 Mac 2024, Greece ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Mátala is one of those places where something cool once happened and has been mercilessly exploited ever since.
    In the 60s/70s, the small fishing village was a magnet for hippies who lived in caves from Neolithic times.
    There is certainly not much of the original charm left, as there are now 3 shops for every cave and so the small village is teeming with restaurants, souvenir shops, cafés and the like. Naturally, admission is charged to visit the caves. Even the supermarket has adapted its prices to tourism and charges a hefty surcharge for the goods. 😱

    Now I can at least count myself among the travellers who can say: "I 'did it'." .
    I was there, I took photos and then left again. It took me about 15 minutes in total, but I sacrificed 170 metres in altitude 😭

    bye bye 👋
    Baca lagi

  • Hinterland Experiences

    25 Mac 2024, Greece ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    The day starts well with breakfast in my wind-protected guardhouse. 🏰

    The first hills soon appear, but overall it's easy to make it to Plakias. There, a children's parade passes me accompanied by marching music. They are all dressed in traditional costumes and try to walk in step. It seems strange. Today is the national holiday of liberation from the Ottomans.

    A little further on, I catch a glimpse of a heron sunbathing. That makes for some great motifs 📸

    The next highlight (or low light?) is the Preveli palm beach. 🌴
    I don't understand where exactly the path runs through the palm trees and how it can be used, as there are prohibition signs with ambiguous statements on both sides of the river. 😵‍💫 The right side of the river looks unkempt and points to the left side of the river, the left side of the river is under water and even more unsightly.
    1/7 points for Gryffindor.
    I'm still taking photos and am about to turn back when three geese get in my way and want a piece of my apple. They threaten me with their necks stretched out and slowly come closer. The biggest one keeps nipping at me to get something and I feel like I did back in the school playground. They get something and I take advantage of a moment of their inattention to slip away.

    We go up more hills. Somewhere on a bend, a daring crab sits on the carriageway. When it sees me, it raises its claws to fight. I carry it to safety and build it a stone cave where it can hide and think about its life.

    Then there are another 1000 mountains and journeys through small mountain villages through which hardly any cars dare to pass: Drimiskos - it's a dead zone. Time stands still, not a soul to be seen. The alleyways are narrow and unclear, everything is a bit crooked. As I have now broken through the cloud cover, the town is still shrouded in fog and the feeling of loneliness intensifies. Feelings like in Silent Hill come up. I do come across one or two people. At the end of the village, a flock of sheep is eagerly waiting for me and comes trotting up bleating. These are actually the first sheep that don't immediately run away from me. 🤗
    I'm sure they haven't seen anyone else today and are happy to have company.
    With their yellow fur, they look quite friendly and sniff at my hand.

    In the evening, I camp on an old bridge directly over a river. I hear all kinds of animal noises, something I haven't had for a long time. A little paradise. 🥰
    Baca lagi

  • Vacation on the beach

    24 Mac 2024, Greece ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    I’ve got so much time today.
    I spend the first half of the day half dozing, half reading in the sun. My clothing is dangling on the washing line.
    I doze off again. 😴

    In the afternoon, I round off the exhausting day with a slice of chocolate cake and watch the hustle and bustle.
    Outside, warty ducks are having fun on the café terrace. The owner comes out every few minutes and kindly drives them away. He shoos them around the corner, which is less than ten metres. As soon as he turns round, these disrespectful creatures do the same and waddle back outside the café. I watch the scene about ten times before packing up my things. Meanwhile, the endless cycle begins again.
    Luxury for today: there's a strong wind but I've found an abandoned room that gives me shelter. If someone had told me five years ago that I would one day finish my studies and then be happy to sleep in an abandoned house with no door - I would have found it hard to believe. But here we are. 😁
    Baca lagi