Many of my fears of traveling alone were quelled in Selcuk. There I fell in with a group of four solo travelers, each heading off on their own after a few relaxing days at Atilla's. Each of them gave me a little bit of confidence - Nick (also known as "Bus Stop") urging me always to engage with everyone. The more people you talk to, the more fun you'll have. His friend Paul was relaxed about everything- just because he lost his passport, didn't mean he couldn't have a good time! Just because I'm not a hairdresser didn't mean I couldn't cut his hair (although it was not his wisest decision to give me the scissors). Keir, an 18 year-old solo backpacker had been camping all through Italy and Greece - he showed such confidence and maturity for his age, and it rubbed off a bit. And Tonielle, has planned to travel for at least two years by herself, is five months in to her adventure. She said that at first she'd worried about traveling alone, but having a blog was her way of sharing her experiences with friends and family back home. Each of them gave me certainty for my onward journey.
Some of my fears were faced in Selcuk. How would it be to get sick on the road? Well, now I know. Having been told that the local water was "totally safe to drink," I found myself violently ill after taking a water from the hostel borehole on a hike. On top of that, I suffered severe sun-stroke on my last day, and had to get on a plane yesterday feeling more like I was being run over by one. I keep telling myself that it will just make me stronger... But I'm finding this hard to believe after finally regaining an appetite after three days of eating dry toast.
I'm also fighting the inevitable battle of the money versus worth. On the one hand, there are so many opportunities to see so many unique and wonderful places. But how much can I really be willing to spend? Sometimes you've got to drop $50 to get to, get into, get food at, and get back from a place. Worth it? I don't know. I'll decide tomorrow when I've explored the underground cities of Cappadoccia, hiked the Ihlara Valley and seen the Selime Monastery. And busted two days budget in the process. On the other hand, some of the best experiences cost nothing. After a group of us hiked up to the Basilica of St Mary, we were all rather skeptical about paying the (albeit puny) 10 lira entrance fee, so instead we hiked back down the mountain and across to find our own ancient ruins. The crumbling walls of Ephesus were tranquil reminders of a glorious past. From there the views across the ruined city were magnificent. We sat in awe of a history we would never know, away from the crowds and tour buses, in a world much our own. It was magical. And Free!
There's much more to write, and I'll post more about this part of my journey soon. There are photos from the Southwestern part of Turkey - lots of ruins :) I'll spend the next two nights in Cappadoccia before taking an overnight bus to Syria on Sunday!!!!