My visit to Istanbul is winding down. I am not yet at the point in backpacking (having really only started three days ago) at which I'm okay with hanging out in a random city. I need to be seeing and doing things to make the trip worthwhile. Therefore, it is imperative that I leave soon or risk never sleeping or relaxing again.
The highlight of the day occurred in Kadıköy, which is on the Asian side of Istanbul. First of all, I was in Asia for two hours wandering various markets and shops. Second, I broke the zipper on my money belt on Monday (was somewhat distressed about it) so I've been searching fruitlessly for a replacement. In Kadıköy, a bag vendor repaired the zipper free of charge. He gave us tea while we waited and would not accept payment of any kind.
I haven't been eating properly. It's too hot to have much of an appetite. Chris, my Istanbul travel partner, has been eating as though food will soon disappear. Every time I stopped to take a photo (fairly frequent), he would buy a snack. He has consumed so much corn, I figure he will sprout. He noticed late yesterday that I hadn't eaten anything of substance since morning. We are definitely walking too much in too high a heat to make this a manageable existence. However, I've been drinking litres of water at a time and thus have not keeled over. My arms and face are incredibly dark. I look quite odd stepping out of the shower.
I will have time to really think and write about Istanbul in the next couple days so I'll update about the sites then. Tomorrow, I'll wake up in Bulgaria.
Bo, Sweetheart! You're doing the right thing, of course, by staying hydrated. Don't forget the electolites. That is, water is essential but add some salt and sugar too - sweeten your tea, or keep a bit of salt in a shaker and add that too. Or a spoon of each in your litre of water. Forgive me if I'm giving unneeded advice but there you go. The blog is great. Stay safe (I know you will). Love Leah (& Michael)
ReplyDeletei understand the feeling of needing to be seeing and doing things..it was something that drove me crazy in some places where there wasnt a lot to do. Sometimes tho, its nice to just hang out in another city, and kind of, soak in the atmosphere. It was hard tho, because I think we're both people that like to be on the go. I also lost a huge amount of my appetite when I was travelling, but It'll come back, trust me.
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