more than nothing

This post is about an 11km walk from Sinop to Akliman. It was my first day of walking in almost two years, and I wasn’t just out of shape.

My friends made kuymak for breakfast, a cheese dish from the area of Trabzon. We drank tea and looked out the window, and I tried to drag out the moment for just a little longer. But I knew I had to go.

The Caboose was in her place in the garage. It took me about one hour to load her up with everything. Some of my old routines I had forgotten, others I still remembered. When everything was ready, I put on my hat. Then I pulled the Caboose out into the street and posed for a picture, wearing my optimistic face behind my face mask.

My friend walked with me for a few minutes. Then we said goodbye. He lit a firecracker behind me, and it made a very loud celebratory bang that startled a couple of old men.

walking, again

And so I was alone. It was just me with the Caboose and the road under my feet. I was walking. It was hard to believe.

I didn’t want to overdo it, so I had decided to start slow. The plan was to cover only short daily distances at first and see how it went. And so I slowly waltzed out of Sinop and toward the sea. The day was windy but quiet. I passed a few cows and some horses, a flock of sheep and a bunch of dogs.

One time near the airport I got stopped by two plainclothes policemen who wanted to see my passport. They asked the same old questions. From where? Where to? What was in the Caboose? And, most importantly: Why? At some point they smiled and let me go.

all is good when there’s a room

I arrived in Akliman in the late afternoon. There were a few guesthouses and holiday homes. I was a bit worried that they might all be closed, but I got a room, and it overlooked the sea. Then I sat on the balcony and drank tea.

I had walked 11,3km. This would have been nothing in the past. Now, it was a bit more than nothing.

pictures

Kuymak in Sinop:

One last view from the window:

Posing with the Caboose (and a mask):

Ruin on the way out of Sinop:

Turkish flag because why not:

Country road:

The Caboose on the walk from Sinop to Akliman:

Horses here and there:

Selfie with three students in Akliman: