At Turkey’s Salt Lake I met a cyclist from London, found calm after chaos, and learned that chance often knows exactly what it’s doing.
Day 20: Morning starts quietly. The road hums beneath my wheels, and for the first time in days my mind isn’t racing.
Dogs? They don’t bother me anymore. That ultrasonic dog repeller changed the game — suddenly I’m not the hunted, but the one who rides on without fear.
A Meeting on the Hilltop
Halfway up a short but brutally steep climb, I spot another cyclist approaching from the opposite direction — same setup, same loaded bags, same stubborn look.
His name’s Simon from London, heading from Istanbul to Tbilisi, while I’m riding the exact same route — just in reverse.
We meet right on the summit. Breathless, sweaty, and laughing. We trade stories, road tips, and that strange kind of traveler’s energy that doesn’t need words.
Then we shake hands, smile, and part ways — two strangers who’ll probably never meet again, yet somehow already know each other.
The Magic of Tuz Gölü – Turkey’s Salt Lake
By afternoon I reach the Salt Lake (Tuz Gölü) — an endless mirror of white and light.
It feels like stepping off Earth. The horizon disappears; sky and ground melt into one silent dream. Every pedal stroke echoes. Every breath feels amplified.
For a moment, it’s just me and the universe.
“This,” I think, “is exactly why I travel.”
No idea what this salt will do to my bike — but that moment, that silence, that stillness… totally worth it.
Traveller’s question of the day
What’s the most unexpected or magical encounter you’ve had while traveling — the kind that only happens by pure chance? Share it to the email. 🙂
