Improvise Hitchhike Tour

by Ali YILDIRIM (Turkey)

I didn't expect to find Turkey

It was a warm and inviting June evening when 3 young men chatting about their imaginary but financaly unrealistic trip around the aegean coast of Turkey, just after the final exams in the first year of their faculties. Yellow was telling how wonderfull and cheap the beaches of Çanakkale with tent. Eventhough staying in tend you must have some money. What is worst if you don't have any tent it could be just a day dream. But imagining is free, it just needs your dreams and power of imagination and be brave enough to realise it depends on your balls. Thunderbolt didn't credit the idea and went down to his room one floor below. Yellow knocked the window of Thunderbolt with a 2-meter bat. It was 1993, no mobile phone was in use at all. Yellow didn't know English yet. But when Thunderbolt look towards to him Yellow asked in English "Now or Never" nothing else, less then a moment of a speed of a light Thunderbolt replied "Now". No time was wasted for thinking. He knew that "you decide if you think"... Thunderbolt traveled to upper floor with a speed of ligh or he was just teleportated. Yellow and Lightning were transformed to a different level of happiness while they were changing their pyjamas to denim trousers. Their mouths almost reached to their ears. Thunderbolt also adapted himself to this new dimention of "what the hell is going on we don't have any idea man mood". The room was full with the energy of spontenousity. This was their journey main characteristics having no plan, no preparation, no money. The only planned action was as if they are going to visit Çanakkale, the land of tragedy it was the high and right time to read Odesia and Illiada by Homeros. Some minutes later the trio was on the road to move but not sure where to go. It was around 23:00. A truck stopped at traffic lights. Trio asked him if he can drive them to where they have more change to find some public transport. Also the driver asked how he could pass the second bridge of the bosphour, it was recently opened. Thunderbolt showed the way. After they passed the second bridge of bosphour, without any plan, a lorry driver waved his arm and they stopped. Trio asked this lorry driver where he goes and if trio can join him. He was heading to Izmir. He was very kind and hospitable. In Turkey if you are student people generally do favour to you. He welcomed trio. They asked him if they can go with him untill Izmir, and acompanied him. Travelling by a lorry was more confortable then a bus. Almost at 9 in the morning trio got off the lorry in front of Eagean University campus. Spontenously, trio meet with nice girl and she explained them about Izmir, it was their first time to be in Izmir. Trio went to Çesme, where is super expensive and luxury but very beautifull and historical town. Trio wanted to swim. But they did not have Money, towel or any swimsuit. Yellow and Lightning cut off their denim trousers like a short, because they both have slip underwear. Thunderbolt luckily had boxer underwear which looks like swimsuit. Trio phoned one of their family to inform them they were 900 km away from Istanbul and need Money. One brother send them some Money. Trio were extremly economic about buying for meal. Cheapest but healtiest food to keep them energic. They sleept in park and beaches where they could. Trio search for cheaper place to stay and hich-hiked to every where. One coast was full of mosquitos and was impossible to stay outside. They went to police station and asked their help. The superintendent send them to a local hotel and slept there free of charge. When they were passing villiges and asked the villagers if they have some bread they were preparing a meal table. This is typical for hospitability in Turkey. We had 2.000 km road, 8 nights 7 days and spent almost 20 € for all of us including food, accomandiation, travel, drink everything.