Winter caught us in Turkey, and we had no choice but to keep pedalling through a snowstorm. Those weeks were a constant battle against the elements — and the fight only got harder in the mountains of northern Turkey.
Our cycling route along the Black Sea coast took us through cities like Zonguldak, Samsun, Ordu, Trabzon and Rize. But what stays with us is the hospitality of so many of the Turks we met along the way. Especially at petrol stations, where people would welcome us with open arms and invite us to sit by the heater with a glass of tea.
We never went without a place to sleep in any town. When we used Couchsurfing, even at the last minute, someone always invited us in and introduced us to their friends or family.
Months later, it's not the cold or the snow we remember — it's the warmth of the people in Turkey.
When the cold traps you in your sleeping bag and you crawl out of your hiding spot to find yourself buried under snow… take it with a smile!
Incredible landscapes that caught us off guard. When the sun goes down, red takes over the sky… and sometimes the ground too.
A Turkish breakfast like this one is something you never forget. Ever. We were invited by a pastry shop owner for dinner and breakfast and stuffed ourselves with every kind of traditional sweet and savoury you can imagine. We tried everything — lucky the road was flat afterwards, or we'd have been rolling backwards.
Despite being a majority-Muslim country, in northern Turkey you can find beautiful monasteries like Sumela. There's a catch though — that part of Turkey is traditionally a Georgian region.
We camped in tunnels and abandoned buildings, spent nights at petrol stations and prayer rooms. After our very first night in Turkey, we never pitched the tent out in the open again. There was always an alternative — somewhere sheltered — so we never had to lug a soaking tent the next day.
And, as always in situations like these, sooner or later you run into others doing the same crazy thing as you. What better way to beat the cold than with a big smile!
