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DAY 29: Küçükköy – Dikili (Turkey)

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DAY 29, 5:00 AM. I can hear the sound of rain outside my window. Thankfully, many people follow my journey online every single day. I’ve been receiving messages of support and comments—something that wouldn’t have been possible back in the analog era of the Showa period. Today’s route takes me from Küçükköy to Dikili, a distance of about 30 kilometers. This area is a summer beach resort, but it’s quite quiet during the off-season. Rain gear is a must again today. According to my schedule, a month from today I should be finishing my journey in Antalya and heading back to Istanbul by plane. I’m set to fly back to Osaka on a late-night flight on December 3rd. Whether I end up laughing or crying, there’s only one month left. I’d be happy if I could keep smiling every single day! Started at 7:45 AM. Shortly after, Mustafa—whom I was supposed to meet yesterday—came by my accommodation this morning. I’m being interviewed for a radio program. After leaving the D550 highway near Altınova, I’m h...
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DAY 28: Burhaniye – Küçükköy (Turkey)

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On Day 28, I woke up at 4:30 AM to the sound of thunder and flashes of lightning. It looks like I might encounter some rain again today. November has begun. My goal is to reach Antalya by the end of this month. Although I didn’t cover much ground in the first half of the trip, I intend to keep moving forward at a sustainable pace. I want to make sure I never lose my sense of gratitude, excitement, and wonder. Today’s destination is Küçükköy, about 30 kilometers away. There’s such a wonderful, happy feeling when putting on a shirt or jacket in the morning that’s been freshly washed—no trace of sweat-odor… Breakfast this morning. *Ayran* (a salty yogurt drink), muesli, a banana, dried fruit, and nuts. I set off at 7:40 AM, just as the sun was rising. Heading south along the D550 highway. Around 11:00 AM, while stepping down from a sidewalk curb, one of the inner spokes on my rear-left wheel snapped—yet again. Sidewalk curbs in Turkey are twice as high as those in Japan, and many lack pro...
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DAY 27: Edremit – Burhaniye (Turkey)

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On Day 27, I woke up at 6:00 AM. Today is a short day—only 15 kilometers to Burhaniye. There’s a fairly large bike shop in Edremit (close to my hotel), so I plan to buy some new tires. I’m hoping they have the Schwalbe "Marathon" tires—I’ve used them before and really like them. The shop doesn’t open until 10:00 AM, so I’ll be getting a late start. It’s mostly cloudy, but it’s warmer near the coast, away from the mountains. Breakfast at 8:00 AM. I checked out at 9:30 AM and headed to "Bisikletce" in Edremit. They didn’t have the Schwalbe Marathons, but I picked up some other tires and puncture-protection liners instead. A commemorative photo with the shop staff. Taking a break in a quiet park in Çıkrıkçı. Blue skies for the first time in a while! It’s a crisp, pleasant autumn day. I took country roads instead of the main highway, but part of the route turned into a muddy dirt path—my shoes got soaked! I didn’t end up completely covered in mud, but I’d definitely pre...
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DAY 26: Küçükkuyu – Edremit (Turkey)

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On Day 26, I woke up at 5:30 AM. I had been jolted awake three times during the night by mosquitoes, which I then had to deal with.  The sound of the surf crashing against the shore even started to sound like a washing machine going through its rinse cycle. Perhaps because I’m close to the D550 highway, I can also hear the occasional rumble of large trucks and semi-trailers. I’m a bit short on sleep, but that’s alright—it’ll do. There might be some rain today, but the route follows the Aegean coast and is mostly flat for the next 30-plus kilometers. This journey occasionally presents me with hardships and trials. I suppose it’s as if the universe is telling me, "Don't get too comfortable." The Aegean Sea on a quiet morning. I’ve made it all the way to Turkey, cycling along, surrounded by mountains and the sea. There’s something mysterious about it all. It feels less like I chose to come here myself, and more like I was guided—perhaps by a memory from a past life, or somet...
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DAY 25: Ezine – Küçükkuyu (Turkey)

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Today is Republic Day in Turkey. It is a major national holiday commemorating October 29, 1923, when the Grand National Assembly of Turkey declared the nation a republic and elected Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as its first president. Celebrated annually, the holiday traditionally begins at 1:00 PM on the preceding day, October 28. This year marks the 103rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic, with ceremonies and parades scheduled to take place across the country. With celebrations and events planned nationwide, government offices, schools, and banks will be closed or operating on reduced hours. DAY 25: I woke up at 4:30 AM. There is a light drizzle in Ezine, though it doesn’t seem too cold. Today’s destination is Küçükkuyu (I always struggle to remember the name!), located about 40 kilometers to the south. There is a mountain pass with an elevation of around 400 meters, about 30 kilometers into the route. The path involves a gradual ascent from the start, followed by a descent fo...
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DAY 24: Çanakkale – Ezine (Turkey)

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Day 24 began with a 4:30 AM wake-up call. It looks like another chilly, rainy day ahead. Taking two days off makes the body feel sluggish. Rather than feeling refreshed, the temptation to just say, "I’ve had enough of this hard work," starts to creep in. Still, I keep moving forward because the journey brings so many encounters, discoveries, realizations, and lessons. Today’s target is 45 kilometers. I’ll make sure I’m well-prepared for the rain and cold before I head out. I set off just before 8:00 AM, handling the self-checkout myself. Come to think of it, the owner here left for Thailand yesterday for work. After leaving the city of Çanakkale, I passed through what was essentially a continuous stretch leading into the town of Kepaz. I followed a back road along the coast for about 9 kilometers before merging onto the D550 highway. I had traveled this route by minibus two days ago to visit the ruins of Troy, so I was already familiar with the lay of the land. I managed to c...
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DAY 23: Çanakkale 2 (Turkey)

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I woke up around 6:30 AM to the sound of the *adhan* (call to prayer). Usually, I wake up around 4:00 AM, but since it was raining and I had another day off, I decided to indulge myself a little and stay in bed. I took a shower and had breakfast—or rather, a meal consisting of hot coffee, a banana, some nuts, dried fruit, and granola. Fortunately, these kinds of food items are reasonably priced in Turkey, which is a nice bonus. After getting some work done on my PC—editing my newsletter, organizing data, and checking my route for the coming days—I headed out into the town a little past 10:00 AM, amidst a light rain. The temperature was 11°C (52°F), but with the wind, it felt much colder—reminiscent of a daytime in Osaka during December. If I were running, I probably wouldn’t feel the cold as much, but looking around, I saw people bundled up in down jackets and coats. Between the rain and the wind, my body just kept getting colder. Having spent the period from last year through this spr...
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