Kat & Mat's big bike trip
Day 95 Istanbul
Right up until boarding we weren't convinced we would be able to get on the ferry with our bikes but of course it was fine. There were no other bikes (limit of 3 per ferry) and nobody batted an eyelid.
As we approach Istanbul, we've been reflecting on our immense gratitude for this trip.
We're grateful that we have the means to do it, something we've worked hard for but also the result of privilege and good luck.
Thanks to our friends and family for their support and interest. It has meant so much to receive messages of encouragement, and to know that so many people are following our progress. It feels like you're all here with us!
We're very grateful to our clients, many of which we count as friends, for their confidence and patience. Working on the road (sometimes literally) has been surprisingly easy and we are excited to know we can travel and run our business effectively. Of course we're planning future trips!
It's been wonderful to meet so many fellow cyclists along the way, sharing tips and experiences. Sometimes our contact was only for a few minutes in person, but we've stayed in touch with several and met up with a couple further down the road. Even the ones that we just pass going the other direction give a friendly wave and cheer which really buoys us up. It feels like we're part of a real community.
To the countless apartment hosts, hotel workers, pharmacists, cafe and shop owners, bus drivers and everyone who has shown us a million acts of kindness, and the random strangers who have expressed incredulity and fascination at our trip, the road users who have driven around us carefully (in most cases) and often given us beeps of encouragement - it has felt like we've been carried along the whole trip on a wave of love and kindness.
Our faith in humanity and love for our fellow humans is sky high. Thank you everyone!
We experienced the perfect example of this just now - from the ferry port to the hotel was under 2km, but Kat still managed to get a puncture! (In the indestructible inner tubes we bought in Spain). We stopped to change the inner tube and a station worker (we were next to a railway) immediately got involved and tried to take over. He didn't seem to know exactly what to do, which didn't dampen his enthusiasm. Mat carefully made sure it was all ok but happily let him pump the tyre up. Thank you random stranger!
Love, Kat & Mat x
On the day
💧 1 espresso
💧 1 cup of extremely strong turkish tea
🔧 1 puncture
🎲 1 friendly station worker
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