On the road again

Eventually I left Istanbul. The total traverse of this huge city of 15 million inhabitants took me some 75 km!

After 18 km, a lost a screw from my low-rider, and one of my bags landed in the middle of the road, but I was able to recover it with no damage (On the bag and on me) Then I fixed my low-rider with some wire, strapped my front bags on the back ones and cycled to the next fuel station. People here only spoke Turkish, but understood my problem, and helped me to fix it. Then they gave me a few spare screws, just in case.. All this without talking together, but sometimes a smile says more than many words. For sure, these men were happy to help me.

I finished my day here in Izmit, where I am the guest of Ferit and Mehmed, two forestry professors, who showed me around their town.  When we climbed a hill offering a great view on Izmit, a man and his wife sitting there invited us for tea. We were happy to accept and left them only two hours later, than we to drive to a nice restaurant, where I was invited once again.

If I would not do such stupid things like losing my laptop or missing my plane I would have problems spending my money in this part of Turkey. These people have an amazing hospitality.

Invited for tea. To the left is Mehmet; he lost his wife under dramatic circomstances: Sitting in a bus, she was killed by a bullet from a gunfight between two mafia gangs