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On March 3, 2005, Jessica and Tim set off on an epic 18-month round-the-world adventure. That trip may be over now, but the storytelling has only just begun!
This website is here both as a record of our trip and a resource for other travelers. Please feel free to leave us a comment at the bottom of our journal entries!
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We started our adventure in Turkey with nearly two weeks in Istanbul. There, we visited many amazing sights: the Blue Mosque, the Aya Sofia, the Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, and the Hippodrome. We even took a day trip out to a nearby island, returning as the sun set over the city.
From Istanbul, we traveled to the under-visited region of Cappadocia. We spent a magical seventeen days in the village of Göreme, walking among the fairy chimneys, exploring old rock-cut churches, and taking a balloon ride! Next up: the village of Patara, where we saw ancient ruins on the beach and visited the birthplace of Santa Claus.
During our second month in Turkey, we traveled to Fethiye, a beautiful port city on the Mediterranean Sea. Something particularly special happened there: we got engaged! :)
After spending seventeen days in Fethiye (we seem to like the number seventeen), it was off to the port city of Marmaris for a brief visit. Then we made our way north to Selçuk, where we visited the magnificent ancient city of Ephesus.
After that, we returned once again to lovely Istanbul. Time was spent seeing a few more sights and buying the ever necessary Turkish pillow (rugs are a bit too big to send home). One more thing we bought: plane tickets to our next stop, Athens!
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Homeless in Istanbul
When we started out on our trip, we found a certain amount of humor in the fact that we were officially unemployed and homeless. As time went on, though, we came to realize we weren’t acutally homeless at all. We find ourselves a new home in every city and town we visit. [read more...]
[10 comments]
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Thankful in Turkey
When Tim and I started to plan our trip, we never had plans to visit Turkey. In all of our initial daydreams, Turkey never made the list. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to come here, it’s just the idea of visiting Turkey hadn’t even occurred to us. [read more...]
[11 comments]
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On Bended Knee
Jessica and I made each other a promise before we left home: we both agreed that I shouldn’t propose to her during our trip. It was a promise I never ever intended to keep. [read more...]
[56 comments]
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Floating
During the summers when I was young I remember walking outside of my house and seeing hot-air balloons in the sky. I used to dream of being able to fly in one of those balloons…but I never imagined that it would be over the most gorgeous landscape in all of Turkey. [read more...]
[17 comments]
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Three Reasons to Visit Cappadocia
Jessica called it a “playground for grown-ups.” We felt like two kids in a candy store, excitedly exploring structure after structure. We were completely alone in this alien world, having little adventures in and amongst a setting beyond anything I’d ever dreamed of as a child. [read more...]
[11 comments]
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A Day in Göreme
Walking up the hill to the church, we see a small sign pointing to a nearby cave, indicating a ticket office. When we reach the door, a Turkish man in his 40s or 50s opens it and welcomes us. He has a weathered face filled with character, a full Turkish moustache, and a smile in his eyes. [read more...]
[10 comments]
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26 Hours
Two of the most important things that Tim and I have learned to abide by on this trip (in addition to being flexible) is to (1) always listen to our instincts, and (2) to not be afraid to question assumptions. [read more...]
[6 comments]
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Patara: Pirates, Politicians, and Presents
Patara is probably a wonderful place to visit during high season, when I imagine there are as many as four or five people there. In November, though, it’s basically closed for the winter. [read more...]
[9 comments]
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Curling Up With a Book
Like Punta del Diablo and El Bolsón, Fethiye was a place that was very difficult to leave. We absolutely fell in love with our magnificent room and the quirky little harbor town around it, and saying goodbye to them was incredibly hard. [read more...]
[10 comments]
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We started our adventure in Turkey with two weeks in Istanbul. From there, we traveled to Cappadocia, to the village of Göreme, where we walked among the fairy chimneys. Next up: the village of Patara, where we saw ancient ruins on the beach. From there we worked our way along the coast to the cities of Fethiye and Marmaris. Afterwards, we headed north for a quick stop in Selçuk, to walk in the ancient city of Ephesus. Finally, we returned to Istanbul and boarded a flight for our next destination: Athens!
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