Siberia

Siberia

Before we started travelling, we researched about South Asian countries a lot; but we didn’t think that someday we will go to Russia. We hastily write how to read Cyril letters on a paper; we can read almost everything even we can’t understand what it is. Irina, with whom we met on the plane, takes place in our story as a young Russian woman graduated from a university in Shanghai, visiting her family in summer holiday. As a fluent English speaker, she gives important tips to us about Lake Baikal during the flight. By chance, we learn that her house is close to the house of the couple who will host us via Couchsurfing. When the plane lands on the airport of the city dominated by Brezhnev blocks, we leave her to wait for a wheelchair as we got used to in South Korea. After everybody gets off, at the end of our long waiting we understand that staff of the airport has a totally different idea! Without using even the stairs of the plane, we get on a truck from the emergency exit and get off on the other side of the road which would take less than a minute by walking. It wasn’t necessary, really, but we can not explain it to the staff. When we get off, waiting for a wheelchair, we find ourselves queuing with crutches in a building looks like a train station of a small city. “What is all about?” We ask for help from a passenger to carry the bags and pass the passport check. According to the paper given to us,...
Thailand (Bangkok and the North)

Thailand (Bangkok and the North)

We leave Nepal, where we came on foot, by walking again; in the beginning of May. There are two days for our India visa to expire and we take the train from Raxaul to Kolkata to catch our flight to Bangkok. We spent only one day in Kolkata in full thanks to Pankaj who hosted us via Couchsurfing. We meet Ganga River here again, after Varanasi, before she is washed to the sea. This city, the capital of West Bengal, is the cleanest and the most modern city in India we have ever seen.  The city, where the British took their first step in India, is full of English architecture. One day is clearly not enough to explore. We land to Bangkok on 5th of May. Now we are in a totally different culture, in Southeast Asia. The officer in the airport checks our passports, stamps and gives them back. That’s all. We step into Thailand for 30 days without visa, for free. We watch outside through the window while going to the center by subway. Very tidy, very clean, exceedingly modern. Thai people are also very good looking. Beggars’ clothes are cleaner than ours. Everybody looks like they are living in prosperity. People are smiling, transportation is easy… It is also easy to hitch-hike on interprovincial roads. Most of the vehicles in traffic are pick-ups that make it great to travel with the wing in hot weather. Drivers are respectful for bikers, and in Bangkok, there are even bicycle roads. We go to Banglamphu first, the touristic center of Bangkok, to find a place to stay. After finding...
İndia; More Spice?

İndia; More Spice?

In Chennai, where we took out first step to India, we had the chance of meeting one of the most important part of this culture; Indian Cuisine. India is a vegetarian friendly country due to the necessities of Hindu culture. On the package of every product, there is either a red or a green dot. The products with a green dot are vegetarian. They don’t contain meat or egg. In most of the restaurants, vegetarian foods are in majority. Pastries and fries are prevalent and the dishes are prepared on wood fire. Creppe like foods called Dosa, Uttapam, Idly are served with stews in small cups, and they are highly filling. Of course there is a lot of spice in almost everything. It’s needed to get used to eating spicy food and also to eat by your hands without using forks and spoons. And sometimes even without a plate. In southern India, food is served on banana leaves in some restaurants. Papaya and pineapple is widely available. We run into hawkers who prepare mixed fruit salad and fresh juice on streets. Another thing that you can drink is coconut! It is served with a straw. Walkşng around with a huge fruit is very enjoyable. The thing we got addicted and eat almost every day between meals is banana chips. It looks like thick potato chips. A salted and fried sweet fruit might sound weird, but it tastes amazing. After five days we spent in Chennai, trying to know Indian culture and its cuisine closer, we move towards the south, to Mahabalipuram. The town, also known as Maamalapuram or Mahabs...
Jade Farm

Jade Farm

                We are on the way again after two weeks we spent in Istanbul.                 In the evening, we reach Maksudiye village in Adapazarı, at Sakarya basin. It’s a clean, tidy and green Cherkessian village. There are small fields and animals feeding in the village. After looking around in the village, we run into an elegant, wooden garden gate. The green well-kept garden behind the gate is Jade Farm. The founder of the farm is Berin Jade. Jade stands for jadestone in Cherkessian too.                 We park our caravan under a pear tree and meet with Berin and the people who work here. Hundreds kind of plants around us…                 Jade’s farm is on a land larger than 100.000 m2. It’s changed a lot in 13 years with Berin. In the past, it was a place full of just apple and pear trees, but now there are plants for the first time we heard of. Also there are different types of each plant. There is an intense work all day long. We sow seeds carefully with workers and harvest the product. We ask questions to Berin about everything we see, like kids. She answers with patience until the last day.        Everyday, we join the work as much as we can with the guidance of the villager women. We arrange raised beds, sow seeds, place the pipes for drip irrigation, comb out wild herbs. One of the most beautiful things is to eat anything we want to taste without washing or cooking. No GMO, no pesticide.                 Also there is a work...