Day 5: Waiting to Leave

Day 5: Waiting to Leave

Weather Update 🌧️ Rain | 🌡️ High: 7°C

🏔️ Elevation Above Sea Level: 69m

A Better Start to the Day

I rose from my bed at 8:30 AM and found that breakfast was much better than at my last hotel. With a full stomach, I spent the morning blogging and updating my website map to keep people informed about my whereabouts and journey.

A Rainy Day, A City Trip

Since the rain limited my options, I decided to take a minibus into the city. While there, I booked my flights and a hostel in Istanbul for a five-night stay.

A Frustrating Café Experience

Looking for a quiet spot to continue my updates, I returned to Le Shenars Restaurant, the same place I had visited the other day with the gentleman from Ukraine. Unfortunately, the experience wasn’t as pleasant this time. I asked if I could sit upstairs to avoid the cigarette smoke near me, but since I had already ordered a beer, I felt obligated to stay. As more people around me started smoking, it became increasingly difficult to focus.

When I requested to move upstairs again, the staff told me it didn’t open until 4 PM. I mentioned that smoking indoors is illegal in New Zealand, but the response was simply, “This is Turkey. People smoke.” That was my cue to leave.

A Final Climb Back to the Hotel

I took a minibus back to the Forum and to Big Yellow Taxi Benim and then made my way back up the hill, I had another chicken kebab sandwich from a different place and took it back to my hotel. Beofre I ;left in the morning I asked for a taxi for 5.45 in the morning to transoport me to the airport. When I returned in the evening it hadn't been done, so I asked again, no problem ebvery thing will be Ok.

Elevation Above Sea level:

While Trabzon sits at 39 meters above sea level, my altimeter read 68 meters at the height of the Hotel, but it feels its much more higher then that.

Early Departure Tomorrow

Tomorrow marks the next stage of my journey, with an early start—5 AM at the airport. Time to get some rest before the adventure continues!

Richard Matthews • 19 Feb, 2025

"This is Turkey. People smoke." lolololol.

Andrew • 20 Feb, 2025

Yep, they do but you're sitting at a table, and someone is smoking next to you. No one was upstairs, and she could easily say I could sit upstairs away from other smokers. I was there on my own when people started arriving and I told her that I didn't like the smell of cigarettes and I would go upstairs, she told me I couldn't go upstairs, her reasoning was upstairs does not open until 4 pm, that's when the upstairs bar opens but its a room full of tables and chairs customers should be able to use. I told her that I would leave and find somewhere else to do some web work away from the smokers. They were only in there out of the rain drinking tea. I was spending 3 times as much as 5-6 of them. She wouldn't let me upstairs because the bar up there does not open until 4 pm even though you have to go up there to use the toilets. I caught a minibus to the forum where I could work in peace without the constant smokers. I told her in NZ you cannot smoke in doors you have to go outside.