Change of Plans

Kavala -> Izmir!

Distance: 25 km
Time elapsed: 1:45:00
Average speed: 14.3 km/ hr
Max speed: 48.7 km/ hr
Temp: 46 C
Weather: Blazing hot. Then A/C.

So... We started out yesterday morning in Kavala, intending to head across the highway to Alexandropolis and then hopefully across the Turkish border. Now we're in Izmir! Here's what happened:

Kavala, sadly, was the end of our coastal road, and we got on the long highway stretch toward Alexandroupoli. Ugh and yuck on to these major highway stretches with racing cars and reflecting heat, especially this road through the 'industrial area' factories. We ended up getting a short lift to a small town in between, then once again we attempted the highway, but Chris' chain broke. He flipped the bike and was fixing it when a Greek road worker pulled over and offered us a ride to the nearby town of Komotini. We took up his offer, fixed Chris' chain in a city park, and once again hit the highway.


Urban camping along the port.. final morning Greece


Morning tea to get us going...

Nowhere near Alexandroupoli, let alone the border, we took a pushim and stuck out our thumbs. Already 4 pm-- will we have to spend another night here? Then a semi pulled over! This guy was heading to Istanbul and did we want to go along? Heck yes!

His semi was empty so we tossed the bikes in back and hopped up front with him. I love hitching in semis because I'm amazed at how some of them are so shwanky, with plush interior beds and dozens of hidden cupboards for all their stuff. Some even have mini fridges under the bunk. Usually the interior decorations hint at their home country (flags, cross or Quranic tablets, etc.), and they always have an interesting supply of music.

So anyway, Hamet is Turkish and delivers textiles to Albania every three days. Albania! We start speaking Shqip and really hit off. At the border Chris and I get out and cross alone on bicycle, then meet him again on Turkish soil.


We made it!

Welcome to Turkey!! I'm so excited to be back. I had a great time in Greece but really I'm in love with Turkey and have been eagerly waiting to get back. I like the food and (can I say this publicly?) the people much better, and somehow it's like a breath of fresh air to be back in a more chaotic, less hoity EU country. Am I actually claiming Greece is more organized and developed? My opinion, yes.

Earlier in the day Chris and I decided we would bike straight down the coast and not over to Istanbul yet. We can take a train there later and break up the trip a bit. Plus Istanbul is super hot and crowded still, and staying seaside in the heat sounds much more appealing. So we told Hemat we'd get out at Keşan, and head down towards Canakkale, yes it's a plan..

On the other side Hamet tells us his friend Ramazan is heading down to Izmir, and he speaks shqip also. Ramazan's semi is packed full so we strap the bikes underneath with the spare tires (scary!!) and when we're all sure they won't fall down or get hit the three of us pile up front and get moving. I didn't realize how far Izmir really is from the border. We talk with Ramazan for a few hours, learn all about his Albania-Turkey supply route (he delivers exported spices from Laç to Turkey!), board the ferry and cross the channel at Gelibolu, and kept riding into the night.


Get them bikes hooked in nice and tight...

At some point I fell asleep, waking for a midnight pit stop at a çorba (soup) place. We hadn't eaten since maybe 2 so Chris and I were starving. Ramazan ordered me a yellow vegetarian soup, Chris got grilled chicken, and we stuffed ourselves silly with delicously hot, fluffy pide bread. So yummy. Ramazan refused to eat it because he would get sleepy, but my theory was Yeah bring on the carb coma and I'll see y'all in the morning!

And that's just what we did. Somehow Ramazan tanked on for several more hours, only pulling over around 2 for an hour of sleep before starting again and reaching the city at sunrise. It was so fun to sleep in the semi! Chris climbed up into the bunk above me and Ramazan stretched out across the seats; such a funny trio!

He dropped us at the outskirts and we hesitantly rode up on the crowded freeway to get ın closer to the center. We found an awesomely grungy, cheap hotel room overlooking a beautiful street full of fruıt stalls and men playing backgammon. The building seems to be some formerly dazzling mansion that has completely fallen in ruins, and there are many Turkish-Syrian families living there permanently.


Hotel lobby, elegance for a mere 10 TL per night


Our beautiful room! haha but a good view!

After lovely bucket showers Chris and I wandered the city for hours, through the pazar, around an amazıngly restored han that now is full of workshop studios and bustling cafes, down by the waterfront to watch the ferries come and go... And of course we couldn't help getting on our bikes and climbing the steep neighborhood streets to the castle overlooking the city.


Bustling cafe inside the caravanserrai


Near the water front


Pizzaboat lunch!

We missed sunset, unfortunately, because we couldn't get away from pestering kids, but did get to sit at the edge of the road and listen as all the city's mosques as they did the night time call to prayer.



Hilltop fortress from Alexander the Great, now covered in colorful buildıngs


We dragged our bikes up some seriously steep streets, getting funny looks from the locals


Chris with the city view behind

After flying back down the mountain we cruised over to the Kulture Park to see the summer nights festivities, then to the waterfront to find an internet cafe. I think the streets must be empty by now, and we better get back to our room soon. Tomorrow we're hoping to get an early start out along the coast toward Teas... Posting ın a few days!