Sleepless in Dallas

AAhhhh. I am unable to sleep. Can't stop thinking about Istanbul...about all of the Turks enjoying Victory Day, running the Nike Human Race over the Bosphorus Bridge, singing and drinking and dancing to the best music ever (Turkish). I really can't stop thinking about the Fragrance (as I will now call her). I got home at midnight last night (Aug 30th), went to bed at 1am, and woke up at 4am...just tossing and turning. Asking myself why I left...why didn't I just stay. I know reality though. It isn't that easy. It takes time for these things to work themselves out as it takes time for everyone to adjust. I shed tears when I think about what I left behind. I am soooo excited about the future, but that's just it...it is the future. I guess I am a bit greedy at the moment. It's as though I need to smell, hear and see her to sleep now..to function really. I put a little of the perfume she gave me around my neck and on my pillow to see if it would help and, actually, it did. Everytime I took a whiff of that intoxicating Fragrance, I felt much more relaxed. Some things I am doing to help me relax: sending emails, uploading pictures of the trip to facebook, listening to some songs that remind me of our relationship, replacing the wallpaper of my computer to a picture of her with these beautiful flowers we picked up at the Polat Renaissance Hotel in Istanbul (after we got bumped off our flight), and writing about it every second I get! (like now :)

I feel so lost at the moment. As though the engine of my boat is elsewhere. The fuel is missing. I'm pretty sure all of this will change once I hear from her, see her..the most special Fragrance. Maybe then, I'll get some sleep, drink some apple tea, have some Turkish Delights (the ones she bought me at the airport) and, finally, be boosted by all of this.

I'm still so confused as to how I am here in Texas though...everything that has happened over the last 36 hrs is lost on me. It feels like an absolute blur. My bags packed, little sleep, very very sorrowful goodbyes, being bumped, then another last night, then more sorrow, then the actual departure to jfk...then movies, music, food, a few hours of sleep, crazy man next to me always complaining about blah blah blah, then jfk, wait wait and wait, and finally a tiny plane to dfw and then wait an hour on the ground with my bags and finally the family picks me up..then trying to not sound as though I'm disappointed, explaining my stories to deaf ears (how terrible a thing when no one really cares...)..then I see the emails and am excited for a few hours..then off to bed but not really and no real sleep..now it is the 3oth..the human race is today..I want to run it, but I have no energy...no one is running around here.. bummer...ok, eat some food, get some sleep... got woken up by a phone call...now I'm here. Uploading pics, again, to facebook and writing this post on my blog. Still in a state of confusion...aahhhhhhhh. Help?

Keep it a secret then. The future is bright. We have been blessed by God, our relationship can't be described..how beautiful it is. That's it. Just don't dilute it. Keep it within ourselves and our best friends, if that, and continue to work on growing and establishing a better way to communicate across the world. Eventually we will meet again and dance through the streets again and embrace each other again...feel that existential high. Que rico siento! Hold onto the things we have so tight. Keep the memories we have so close. Keep our eyes even closer. Mi amor, yo veniendo! muah. - to my Fragrance and my inner self; to anyone who has someone so very special across the world.

We Made It!

Well, after these 4 weeks, it looks as though both Jb and I have avoided the Greek and Turkish jail systems, all of our limbs are fully functioning, and we still have a little (very little!) cash in our pockets. From the bustling city of Istanbul to the fairy chimneys and caves of Goreme to the magical waters and ruins of Olympus and on to the Blue Cruise from Olympus to Fethiye with 13 crazy French/Aussie/Portuguese/American passengers to Saklikent and Pammukale and then to Selcuk and Ephesus and off to the Greek (Party) islands of Samos, Mykonos, Ios, and Santorini and finally back to the enormous, cultural capital of Turkey, Istanbul, we have survived and even picked up some souvenirs for you guys!

Besides the motorbike accident, the hospital visit, the refugee situation and my slugfest with the motorbike owners (along with the police ride), we made it alright. That isn't to say we weren't depressed after running 7k with our bags across Mykonos only to be shutdown at the port and watch our ferry release its ropes 30 seconds before we got there or not ever getting picked up at our hotel or ferry in Greece or paying out of our rears for ever disco, club, ruin and toilet? (yes, toilet) out there. But we counterbalanced those pay-me-now situations with our own lawless instincts developed in the backwaters of Texas (i.e. walking through a swamp literally in the Roman ruins of Olympus to avoid going through a tollbooth or walking into other hostels and having breakfast or evening acting like a local by cartwheeling or dancing in the street to make some extra cash, etc.).

Overall, it was one of my better trips with all of the adventure, partying, cultural exchanges and excursions, and, of course, the donner kebap! (lots and lots and lots of donner and souvlaki..many times a day or night if you catch my drift) That isn't to say that I didn't spend the most money I've ever spent on a trip or regretted using an overpriced travel agent help us poor backpackers to stay at equally overpriced hotels (budget: $3000, reality: $6000, ouch!) Lesson learned here folks. Do NOT use a travel agent if you have half a brain. The mistakes are a part of the joy of traveling. At least when you make mistakes, you can blame yourself, and if you do something great or see something unique and fabulous, you can thank yourself and adjust your travel plans accordingly.

So let's see...adventure, partying, cultural yoohoos, and, oh yes, the most important event on the trip...the women! Turkish women are amazing. They have this exotic flare to them, belly dance and cook a great meal to start. Of course, I am speaking from my experience here with my "fragrance"...your results may differ, that is if you have results. ha.

Ok, so, yes, if you need any guidance, Mr. Amor is here for ya. I got the lay of the land backwards and forwards from Istanbul to Constantinople..wait a sec...Istanbul is Constantinople! right right. Yeah, but regards, I'm your man.

Mama loves you babies! t r a v e l b e a u t i f u l , prem

Live from Istanbul

I can feel the end coming closer, by the second, as the wind brushes through the blades of grass in the park close to the Aya Sophia. Four weeks of bliss. Four weeks of pain. Four weeks of discovery. Four weeks of sickness. Four weeks of love. I have lived all of those at one point or another. Luckily, this time around 'luck' is now on my side (most of the time). Love is now the word in the air. Full-fledged, passionate, can't-stop-thinking-about-you, I'll-do-anything-to make-you-smile, you-are-my-only-one, dancing-in-the-streets, sleepless, exhausting, energizing, fulfilling, sweet sweet L-O-V-E love. I won't mention a name. Simply a fragrance.