For as long as I can remember, my dream was to go to Cappadocia and get myself on a hot air balloon, so once the Sun Island famil came up, I jumped at the chance.
I then wondered, if this was a bucket list travel item, why hadn’t I already ticked it off (I have done almost everything else!).
I’ll admit, Turkey was so unknown to me. It was so close to the hot spots of the Middle East and perhaps, I panicked it may be a bit unstable….. it was anything but.
I had basic images of Turkish coffee, hookah and mosaic tiles and glass. Turkey was so much more than this.
From the moment I walked through Istanbul airport, I had a good feeling. It was bright, clean, so organised and rivalled Singapore for its efficiencies.
Then out of the airport and into the melee of the city which was a perfect mix of Asian chaos and the relaxed atmosphere of an Arabian desert.
It seemed like there was unlimited restaurants and shopping scattered around ancient buildings and world-famous monuments. When the sunlight hit the mosaic tiles in the blue mosque, it was remarkable.
Perhaps the best of Istanbul could be saved for nighttime. The way the lights reflected off the water, the bridge that connected the Asian and Middle Eastern sides and the hustle and bustle in the Grand Bazaar all seemed like the city was asleep and only awoke once those lights turned on.
We then travelled through the countryside as our next destination was the famed Cappadocia and it’s paddocks full of balloons.
It was cold, it was early but the sky was electric blue with hints of pink as the sun rose and spotted full of colour. A picture barely does it justice. To see the spectacle in real life really did justify it being a bucket list travel item.
The icing on the cake was then going to a unique and luxurious cave hotel where you were taken back to a much easier time.
It seemed like at every turn there was something that seemed unbelievable.
The amphitheatres and library at Ephesus that were constructed by shear grit and determination, the relics and newly discovered ruins at the Temple of Artemis and the preserved remains at Troy all display the Turks appreciation and understanding of their history.
Perhaps though, it was the smaller townships of Konya and Sirincie that captured my heart.
These towns had the small family-owned shops on every corner, streets to wander down and some of the best homemade food, still served by Grandma, that I have ever tasted.
Sadly our tour was coming to an end and the last stop was Gallipoli and all things ANZACs. I love history, I love the stories, the why and how…but I was not prepared for this.
What no one tells you, nor do you read about, is how one country which was invaded could find a way to preserve a piece of history that neither ridiculed nor belittled either side.
The people of Turkey have respectfully created monuments and a recount of history that all Australian and New Zealanders would be proud of.
It was here at Gallipoli that the most touching moment in Turkey happened. A young student asked where I was from. I paused, as I was unsure if this was a loaded question.
When I answered Australian, she came in close and said “we fought against each other but found a way to be friends. How can the rest of the world not do the same?”
It was in this moment that I realised Turkey was much more than coffee, hookas and mosaics. It is a country so proud and steeped in history that it captivates all of your senses.
