20/1/25
We didn’t sleep that well. The room was too hot and stuffy. Opening the window only let noise in, and not much air. It wouldn’t even be an option in the summer, surely. The smell of food wafted up the corridors at half past 8. They offered breakfast on a donation basis. When we went down to see it was we were a bit disappointed. It was all egg and or cream based dishes. We had some tea but it was incredibly strong and made us feel a little sick.
Bertrand was there having some breakfast. We discussed possible campsites and looked at each others prior routes as we were heading in opposite directions. He gave us the number of the family in Bergamo. He said they were lovely but he was against the gender roles they strongly exhibited. It was getting on and he was leaving too, so we said brief goodbyes and we didn’t see him again.
We went upstairs to pack. We wanted to leave and had no desire to stay longer than we had to in İzmir. We didn’t think there was much to see and the hostel was a little dingy. We both felt a little lost. We’d been on the road long enough that it was hard to know what we were really doing. It was probably partly because we were unwell but it was really hitting us today. We had to try not to dwell on it, it wouldn’t help.
It was midday by the time we got downstairs. We heard an English voice in the kitchen. He was possibly talking about car culture in Turkey, not sure. When we popped our heads in to say ‘hello’ he was quick to confirm we were British. Chris was from Bristol. He had been drifting around the world but at least 5 years or so, we gathered. He’d been all over and enjoyed a drink and a smoke. For some reason the song, ‘I took a pill in Ibiza’, seemed to be an appropriate vibe. Chris lived off renting his houses out back home, and did nothing now. He’d managed to get stuck in the hostel for 4 days. It was a soul sucking place for sure.
The bakery just next door was famous according to Chris, so we nabbed 4 sesame rings before we jumped on the bikes and rode out of the city. Ha! As if it was that straightforward. We’d anticipated the route to take us the wrong way down one way streets, much like the day before, and planned round it. Fools we were. We ended up on a massive road, staring longingly at the cycle path on the other side of a massive central reservation. It took a horrific amount of faffing, going up and down side roads, to get over the other side. We almost gave up at one point but thank god we didn’t.
The cycle path ran next to the D550. Now we were finally on it, we were at least segregated from the four lanes of hell, even if it was still painfully loud and smelly. The path was suspended on some metal grids at first, it felt like we were bouncing up and down. Some of the panels had peeled back and rusted. For some insane reason there were little gardens with bike racks. Right next to a huge motorway. No one in their right mind would sit there.
It went on for miles. It was lucky we’d managed to get off the road. Eventually it peeled off and went along the coastline. It was a pleasant path, past multiple monuments, and continuously well marked. It was pleasantly flat. It was busy, probably because it was the school holidays. It got quieter and quieter the further we went. There were some odd wooden boardwalks and structures, but it was a nice part of the city.
We rode round a large development. Huge tower blocks and some very fancy new apartment towers. Still on our azure path of dreams we went back to the road to cross a channel of water, then back out to the sea again. We were crossing the Gediz Delta. A huge coastal wetland, with an enormous array of different bird species. 10% of the world’s flamingos live here. We didn’t sea the salt flats up close, only from afar, but a third of Turkey’s salt is also produced here.
We rode along the edge for miles and miles. It was perfectly flat and straight. Numerous other cyclists passed us, in both directions. Eventually we reached a water plant of some kind and the path turned back towards the road. It ran along the road for a stupidly boring distance. It was nice to have a path though, and at one point a huge chain of cyclists came past. Always nice to see. There was a big gated park on our left, but we’d left so late in the day that we didn’t feel like stopping was a sensible option.
We paused in Tuzla to buy some groceries, it was probably the last town we’d be passing through before camping. Some young children tried to engage in conversation but they didn’t like talking to the phone so translation was painful. A dog ran into the shop when the door was ajar, the shopkeeper struggled to remove the poor boy. At the end of the village was a turning into the Important Bird Area. It’s also a Ramsar site, a treaty on wetlands signed in Iran in 1971. We immediately saw hundreds of flamingos.
The road was long and straight, there were many signs forbidding parking, dropping litter, picnicking, smoking, tooting your horn, fishing and shooting. We saw all but the last two taking place. There was less rubbish but not none. At the end of the road was a gated area. Cars were forbidden. We were hoping to travel further down this road, about 6km, to an ancient city and find a campsite. But upon enquiring with the locals, we found out the gate was set to shut at 7pm. It was too risky.
It was already 5pm when we left along a narrow, less used road, heading north. We were in a very agriculturally heavy area. The village of Süzbeyli was effectively just farmhouses and related buildings and equipment. From there we passed through endless fields. We were back ‘home’ again. The further we went, we became more dubious, and concerned, about the likelihood of finding a suitable place to camp.
We managed to shortcut down some rougher roads to avoid going through Seyrek. But we were now on a bleak, busy single carriageway road. At rush hour. As it was getting darker. We put our flashing lights on after a moron overtook coming towards us on our side of the road. We kept looking for somewhere to come off the road as we reached Villakent because it finally had some elevation. It looked like the town was basically a construction site. The lower slopes were covered in rubbish or being built on. Nothing looked inviting. The exact opposite.
Further on were a couple of archaeological sites marked on google. We tried to remain hopeful as the mound of rock came into sight, but it was no use. There was nowhere suitable and camping right next to the road would be foolish. Up ahead were some trees. Perfectly planted and a little too far apart. On the left hand side was a massive wind turbine manufacturing plant. At least that’s all it looked like. In actual fact it was all part of the ‘İzbaş İzmir free zone’, a fenced in, deregulated area. The turbine manufacturer is Enercon. A larger German firm. There were so many blades stacked up and they are huge.
Just past the free zone was a steep track that led up to what looked like an abandoned quarry. This was going to have to be it we decided. It was too late to carry on. It plateaued not far up, but it was mostly an unofficial landfill. We were overlooked by stadium like lighting from the turbine plant, but there was small area of grassy ground. It was covered in rocks, and even after clearing it, once we got in the tent there were more spiky bastards to keep reaching under the tent to remove. A popped mat would not be in our interests.
It was like being in moonlight, but far less romantic. It was helpful though. We ate our bread with red pepper, tomato and some salsa. All sprinkled with peanuts. We still had some sesame rings to have with halva, tahini and dried fruit. We felt pretty low here. This was far from a fabulous campsite and we’d still retained that feeling of being lost. A busy road at dusk through flatlands had done little to help.
Surly They Won't Make It 