Bodrum
Trip Start
Jun 21, 2008
1
19
23
Trip End
Jul 24, 2008
Bodrum,
Turkish Aegean Coast,
Turkey
Friday, July 18, 2008
That is what I said when I first arrived, but after just one day I was ready to leave. It was too much for me... Turkey is so bloody EXPENSIVE that it's killing me! Really. I found myself longingly wishing to return to Amman or Damascus.. where I could get my felafel meals for 20 cents. Bodrum is also super touristy which also isn't my cup of tea. I've never been a real beach person.
I stayed at Bodrum Backpackers, met 2 badass Turk guys and partied with them the first night. The next day I island hopped over to Kos, Greece. Also not my cuppa, but an experience nonetheless.
Turkey.... eh. My plans to see the country have kinda been squashed as the trip has progressed... people kept telling me about how expensive and touristy it was, I'm really glad that I decided to spend so much extra time in Jordan and Lebanon. I'm not really feeling Turkey. It's incredibly easy to travel this country. It's so modern and developed, they have actual bus stations and it almost kind of takes the fun out of things! There are so many tour companies that go everywhere... it's expensive yes but very accessible. Most of the tourists are coming from Europe.. thus I've met all too many Americans on break spending their nights getting thoroughly trashed. The scene is so different. My plans to see Cappadocia, Ephesus, and Pamakkule have pretty much gone to sh!t. After hauling ass for so long after Lebanon, I just wanted some peace and relaxation. I thought Bodrum would be the ideal spot for it, but the area has lost it's charm to boardshirts, Turkish Delight shops and hair salons. I had fun with those Turkish dudes, I certainly can't complain about the people of Turkey.. but coming from south gives me a completely different feel for the place compared with those who have come from the north. I guess I kind of miss the low key, mellowness of the M.E.
