Welcome to where the east meets the west. This place feels like a fulcrum point of ideologies, cultures, and essences of existence. This place is very Islamic which makes it feel Middle Eastern, but at the same time it is very western in its own ways. When someone speaks English, they have usually mastered it. They will speak without any discernible accent much of the time.
One of the leaders converted the characters in the language to English, so you will find yourself reading a sign and thinking that you have forgotten how to read. You will quickly snap back into it and realize that it is Turkish.
Here is where there have been numerous empires and civilizations over the aeons. The people here give a new meaning to soothing. If you say “thank you” then you will hear a sweat and delicate “you’re welcome” without accent.
Speaking of swine flue, yesterday I hung out with 4 English guys and girls, one of which had just recovered from it. The next morning, I felt a little under the weather, but I think it is a typical cold.
Here in Turkey, I have met many more adventure packers than anywhere else in the world. Two 19 year old American Girls who had been living in former Yougoslovia just for fun and then decided to jump on a bus last night to Bulgaria at the last moment. Two Scottish 18 year old guys who sleep out in the streets or bushes because it is more of an adventure. I know that it is a classic case of a small set of people that I have spoken to. If you meet 4 beer backer groups in a row, then you would assume that that region is full of them.
Did I just introduce a new Backpacker? Yes; the adventure packer is the Rock Star of the traveling community. Truly and authentically fearless, they make me look like a complete tourist. When I say I don’t have a plan, I mean it, but not exactly “NOOO” plan. I kind of induce chaos in a controlled manor at times. Is that possible?
An Adventure packer is summed up in the next few statements.
“I could just get a bed in the hostel, but that’s boring. I thought I would find a place behind a Mosque or something. ”
“Do you want to go to Asia tomorrow? I thought it would be a good day trip.”
“So I thought I would go down to Africa, brought some string, walkitalkies, and a mirror because I know it must be dangerous.”
“We had to renew our visas so instead of doing all of the paperwork, we thought we would just jump on a bus that night to the next country to get stamped and go back. Hitch hiking of course. We don’t really have any money.”
These backpackers are ultra spontaneous and completely fearless.
This is the golden age of backpacking. These are the types of people who end up in Jail, but talk their way out.
An adventure packer is basically a Fate Packer (ME) on steroids with a death wish. Well, maybe not a death wish, but they do seem to taunt fate at times.
Pushing over to the less attractive end of the spectrum are the vagrant packers. I met a vagrant packer in training in Inverness (Scotland). He had been traveling for 3 years, held jobs as a Scuba Dive Instructor, AND, a sky dive instructor, among others. He just got done camping for 3 weeks and thinks that the complete and total goal in life is to be able to live abroad indefinitely, switching countries as you please.
Vagrant packers are always runing from something, as they don’t see any value in where they come from. This vagrant packer in training carried multiple weapons on him at all times as well. He had three pocket and hunting knives on him as we ate breakfast in the local Mall.
I think that this type of Backpacker is about as attractive as the beer packer.
And while we are on the subject of backpackers. In case I never managed to mention these few: the Senior Packer and the Lonely Planet Packer.
The Senior Packer is the guy or gal who is covered in grey hair and leathery skin. Traveling alone, they often have their original backpack from 1972 that they used on their first trip though Europe (probably as an adventure packer). It is unclear weather they have remained a vagrant packer for the last 40 years or not, but you can see that there is less bright and shiny in their voice than there used to be.
The Lonely Planet Packer is best summed up in one phrase : “But the Loney Planet Says….” This is the reference to the wolrd’s most popular guide book: Lonely Planet. There are aditions for every country and region of the world. This book will take care of everything from Where to stay, what to eat, and even what to think. It is really a chance to micro plan every adventure out of your stay. Lonely Planet Packers often refer to the book as “The Bible.”
By now I have been abroad for 5 or so months. My backpack has become very comfortable indeed. I have really gotten used to climbing up stairs with it on as well as walking long distances in it.
I’m thinking that I will be doing 2-3 weeks in Turkey and rushing through Bulgaria and Romania, but that could all change tomorrow.