My first international trip. I decided to spend two weeks in Istanbul, Turkey. I am travelling alone and everyone I have met has told me that I am brave, or absolutely mental. It has been great either way.
It took a lot of planning for me to get here. With a minimal budget and hopes to have a mellow yet memorable time away, I made it.
All packed and ready to go. I left Durban on Thursday evening (11 June 2015). I was excited with fluttering and spasms all over my body. Oh, my poor nerves. I may have checked whether I had my passport, e-visa and plane tickets about 500 times. I honestly had no idea what to expect and I forgot to ask the avid travellers for advice. The Durbanite that I am, I was “winging it”.
It was a first for many things. My first Gautrain experience to take me to the OR Tambo International airport. Escalators with a 20kg suitcase was a bit of a mission. Why did I pack five pairs of shoes?! I am only taking a backpack with me on my next trip!
The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure to unknown lands. This! No one will ever understand the happiness the moment I received my boarding pass. I cannot describe it to you but a moment I will always hold dear to me forever.
I sat next to a friendly South African girl (my age) that was travelling to London to meet up with her friends. Her boyfriend was also in London and she lived in Johannesburg and her parents in Zambia but grew up in Zimbabwe. I felt pretty average after that! haha.. There were some drunken Saudi Arabian guys that barely spoke English but they annoyed the stewardesses immensely. Shame. We drank red wine until we could fall asleep. I will do the same upon my return. Hah!
Doha Hamad International Airport! I mean, I have not been exposed to many airports but wow! Was this even built by humans? It’s like walking in to the future. Or, I am just from Africa…
Naturally, with a 9 hour lay over, I picked a bench to rest on. It was cold and I didn’t have my luggage with me so I curled myself up in to a ball and slept on my laptop backpack.
I could not pass out between Doha and Istanbul. The view from the plane was just too breathtaking. Flying over Qatar and the deserts of Saudi Arabia. Perfect!
Adventure is worthwhile. All of it. I arrived at Sabiha Gocken International airport at 14:00 on the 13 June 2015. Hot. Humid. Sticky. I sat next to yet another friendly South African, Dilnaaz, engaged to a Turkish gentleman who helped me get the Havatas bus that would take me to Taksim. This is when the real adventure began.
I should have learnt more Turkish.
More to come.
With Love, x
“No place is ever as bad as they tell you it’s going to be.”
Mare & Itis 
All I can say is WOW, you are truly brave.
How do you know they are Saudis?
Hi,
They tried to speak to us and one of them told us that they had just spent a great holiday in South Africa and that they were going back home to Saudi Arabia 🙂
I would not make that up. I write about my experiences and therefore what I also observe.
Thank you for stopping by my blog 🙂 x
Would you still mention in your account the nationality if they were, say, Americans?
Oh yes, of course. I notice people and I write about them not because of their nationality or race.
It is rather sad that one gets questioned for using a nationality as a form of description. There are no negative motives about this post. You might like to read my previous posts and I have surely mentioned nationality if it is the first time encountering people.
This is my account of the trip. Does it answer your question?
And you would add claimed facts such as ‘barely speaking English’ and ‘annoying stewardesses immensly’, and qualitative judgements such as ‘shame’ as well?
Yes. They tried to speak to us.
The stewardess rolled her eyes as we saw what what was happening so she made eye contact with us. Things like that. It was a series of events that are factual.
Shame. It what we say in South Africa if we feel empathy for someone. It is not to say that they men were shameful, if this is what you assumed.
Does my entry offend you? Do you find that it is one sided? Do you feel that it is written with intolerance. If so, please do let me know so I can understand your side? I would like to discuss it with you. It is not a case of me vs you. I am here to learn and if it is offensive, racist, I would like to know why you think that.
Also, barely speaking English is not a negative remark. Speaking or knowing English is not a sign of intelligence or superiority. English is certainly NOT my first language or home language. I have met intelligent, eloquent people that speak five languages and English not being one of them.
What about description of your drinking experience vis-à-vis theirs?
Please elaborate your ideas. As I asked you before:
Does my entry offend you? Do you find that it is one sided? Do you feel that it is written with intolerance. If so, please do let me know so I can understand your side? I would like to discuss it with you. It is not a case of me vs you. I am here to learn and if it is offensive, racist, I would like to know why you think that.
It could be better written. This is an account of your personal history by you. Try to keep it spotless.