DAY 21: Lapseki to Çanakkale (Turkey)

Day 21—I am now in my third week of traveling through Turkey. Today, I’m covering the 30-plus kilometers from Lapseki to Çanakkale.

I plan to take a rest day in Çanakkale and visit the ruins of Troy.

Each day, my mind wanders to many things—sometimes I find myself trapped by the past, or anxious about the future.

But I must always face the reality that I am alive, right here, right now. I must give my all to what I can do in this very moment.

Just as this thought crossed my mind, the *adhan* (call to prayer) began to echo through the morning air.

111 years ago, the very place I am visiting today—Çanakkale—was the site of a fierce war.

It is known as the "Gallipoli Campaign."

Throughout human history, conflicts have occurred everywhere.

Even today, wars are being waged across the globe—driven by religion, ethnicity, or territorial disputes.

When John Lennon sang "nothing to kill or die for" in his song "Imagine," he wasn't merely expressing an ideal; he was stating a fundamental truth. Every single precious life has a name, a face, and a unique life story.

What matters is that we all truly understand, from the bottom of our hearts, that "we are all connected."

It is about believing that "peace is not something to be achieved—it is already there."

In a world where egos collide, conflict and war can always arise.

What we need now is for everyone to set aside their egos and embrace a more "eco-conscious" way of living—a way of life that is harmonious and sustainable.

"I am you, and you are me."

...And the realization of *oneness*—that on this Earth, we are all one.

At 8:20 AM, having finished breakfast, I set off from Lapseki.

I’ve turned off the D200 highway and am now following a quiet route along the coast. The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, spanning 3,563 meters, connects Gelibolu and Lapseki.

While building a bridge across a river might not seem too difficult, constructing one over the sea strikes me as a significant technical challenge.

It goes to show that even things which seem impossible can become achievable with the right ingenuity.

Humans possess truly remarkable, hidden capabilities.

I only wish that some of that potential could be directed toward making the world a better place.

Back on the D200, I traveled 16 kilometers before stopping for a break at some picnic tables near the entrance to Saltık Mevki.

Given the name, I wonder if it has some connection to salt? The wind is cold, but the sun is hot.

I reached the outskirts of Çanakkale around 2:00 PM, though it’s quite a long way to the city center.

Naturally, traffic has increased, and there are more people and shops, making the area much livelier.

Moving suddenly from a small town to such a different environment brings on a bit of culture shock.

At 3:30 PM, after covering 33.2 kilometers, I arrived at my hotel in Çanakkale.

I had tried taking an unpaved route, but encountered some muddy patches, so I returned to the D200.

The hotel owner is quite talkative—the check-in process ended up taking about 30 minutes!

I plan to stay in Çanakkale for three nights.

Since I haven’t had a proper meal lately, I picked up some takeaway from a shop near the hotel.

I ordered liver and chicken, but the portion turned out to be massive—it cost 900 Lira.

It came with a variety of vegetables, which is a nice bonus.

I’ll split this into two meals: one for tonight and one for tomorrow morning.

While I waited, I was served some *çay* (Turkish tea).

Tomorrow morning, I plan to visit the ruins of Troy. The forecast calls for rain later in the afternoon. Distance traveled today: 33.2 km

Total distance traveled from Istanbul: 497.5 km

* Click here for photos taken on this day

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