I`m dreaming of spring...

Needed to get back on my own two feet and oh boy, am İ in the right place for that! After getting ill in İstanbul, İ`m not sure if Erzurum`s altitude did me much good. (İn spite of my saviours..) Fact is, that İ started feeling better after İ set eyes on Datça Peninsula again, breathed and felt it`s air on my skin and was able to do what İ like best, pretty much: live outdoors. Which doesn`t explain by far why İ like it here so much and decided to come back after eight years of absence. İn spite of the city of Datça bursting out of it seams: it must have at least tripled behind my back.
Ever smelt pine trees in hot weather? Listened to a deafening chirping cricket orchestra? Stayed in a place that resembles, according to local poet Can Yücel like the "faraway giraffe of Anatolia"? Looked at the landscape and been able to imagine it would crumble under your fingers if you chose to touch it? Which would be impossible, history has proven the place has been there since ages! Besides, Unesco keeps an eye on things as they identified the region as one of a hundred spots on earth in need of protection. Have you ever praised yourself lucky you left your stiletto`s at home cause they wouldn`t survive the cobblestones in Eskidatça, which is called home during your stay? Suffered a wild busride of an hour, just to get there? And then the Blue Voyage, which ofcourse can be taken anywhere at the Aegean or Mediteranean Coast here in Turkey, but which shouldn`t be left unmentioned as it gives me unmentionable pleasure each time İ take one! Can`t wait for the next one.....
Perhaps that next time could be spring.. Spring is apparently the time flowers here burst from under every stone. Explains also why the region is called "Anatolia`s Book of Medicinal Herbs". The weather won`t be as scorching as it is during summer. Yes, from now on İ`ll be dreaming of spring.

Apologies again for the lack of distraction in the form of photo`s. And also for spelling errors, which there must be in abundance as the system only does Turkish spelling. Not to mention the Turkish keyboard...

Sick.

"I am the girl of a hundred lists, from what shall I wear, to who I have kissed!" That good old Gogo's song was playing over and over again in my head when I took off to Turkey. (Was also going to add the clip, for all you eighties fans but for some reason YouTube has been banned here...) Didn't really mind the clothes or kisses (double yuk!) but had a loooooong list of places to visit and things to do during my month here. Though I will always, always practice the policy of being flexible about plans when leaving for a certain destination. After all, life is what happens to you while you`re busy making other plans..



Good job I did.
Already on my second day in Istanbul I became quite ill. Woke up before dawn having to empty my bowels, feeling like I wanted to puke (which is quite hard on an empty stomach), sweating like there was no tomorrow and hardly able to carry my own weight.
No worries, these things happen when one's traveling and mineral water works miracles! Unfortunately the next morning, I didn't feel any better. On the contrary.
As I am a firm believer in breakfasts, dragging myself upstairs to the terrace seemed like a good idea. Only two flights of stairs but İ didn`t manage in one go. Gave the poor breakfast girl a fright by making a somewhat zigzaging entrance. Downright freaked her out after İ spilt the contents of my stomach into a plastic bag that she managed to hand me over right in time. Two people had to help me get back to my room, cause İ decided sleeping was a much, much better idea... Don`t remember much of the days after it. Only that İ couldn`t eat, couldn`t walk and sounded if İ were drunk as soon as İ tried to say something. For the record: no alcohol has entered my body since İ entered Turkey.
Had to postpone the flight to Erzurum with one day. Only then did İ feel capable of traveling. Not that İ was better: not by a long shot. My kind hosts took me to see a family doctor who decided at first glance that there couldn`t be anything serious the matter with me. Example of healthiness! İt took only a little bit of blood to reveal the truth: some infections, more than likely caused by food poisoning. İ probably claimed on more than one occasion that this would never happen to me, so İ`ll hereby eat my hat...




Getting back on track by relaxing in Datça. Did some yoga this morning and no, The Dog (a yoga position, google it if you wish cause İ`m on a holiday and İ`ve been ill!) didn`t make me collapse. İ`m doing just fine.
Looks like İ`m back on track.

Leaving on a jet plane.

Travelling to me is all about the anticipation. To think about a destination, get started on the reading up, do research and make notes on places I'd like to visit.. I draw a little map and take pictures of my trip in my head! Never mind what I'll end up doing,the plan is a loose one. Perhaps I enjoy this preparation part even more than the journey itself. Well... almost.
After all, one's travellings might just end up in a rather stressful manner!
- Will I make it to the airport in time?
- Let me think, did I forget anything or not.. Passport: check. Ticket: check. Creditcard: check. Never mind the other stuff, it will more than likely be available no matter what the destination is... If not, I'll just have to make do.
But than the arrival: it can definitely make the whole thing start off on the wrong foot. There's no impression like the first one so better make it a good one. Consequently: where shall I stay that very first night at my destination and how will I get there? I don't want to deal with annoying cab drivers and certainly don't want to have them drive me around to an unknown destination in the dark of night when I'm shattered by the journey. I think I'm past that...

No worries! Some people like crosswords, I like making a plan. An initial plan. A loose plan. Just to get me started. Than I'll take things from there. Without a doubt, I'll have a great trip.