the route i've been considering lately has a lot of interest to me. i could spend a few weeks traveling Ege Deniz (the turkish aegean sea coast) and take advantage of many offers i've had to stay with various people i know. these offers came from students and friends who are from Ege and i've also had an extraordinary offer to stay at a friend's hotel for free in Bodrum for as long as i'd like. this would save a lot of money and i could focus on diving. this would also give me an opportunity to be within a short flight from my dive instructor, nevcan, who i've thusfar been working with. essentially, to stay for free in a gorgeous spot on the aegean while having perhaps the best connection to an instructor who already is in my favor to help me. there are a lot of advantages to this option, the first of course being the money situation. saving money allows for a longer summer and a few more travels even if not dive-related. on that consideration i've been deeply thinking about traveling to sicily from turkey via ferryboat. there is a beautiful port in cesme, turkey that goes directly to mainland italy. from there i'm sure i could find my way to the origins of my family in a southwest sicilian port city called Mazara del Vallo. its a beautiful option really and as of now i'm leaning slightly towards this direction. i might even have some options to explore a few other mediterranean locations afterwards from here.
the map above shows a rough sketch of my first plan. to get from istanbul to the point of turkey where Ege and Akdeniz (mediterranean) meet is not a problem at all. i'm actually quite versed now in how to travel the coasts of turkey as last year i learned how to get from istanbul all the way to the georgian border via Karadeniz (black sea).
the map below, however shows my original plan; something i've been stewing for quite a long time.
in this map i have planned an immediate flight from istanbul to sinai, egypt at the dawn of may. i would lock myself into a beach-side hostel location somewhere in Dahab, Egypt to set up camp for an extended stay. my plan would be to pursue diving in perhaps the most beautiful location in the scuba world, the red sea. i've contacted many dive shops and a few friends who have offered me really nice deals to use their boats and needed equipment. this could be really nice.. sinai also allows for travel into israel, which is somewhere i've been really interested in visiting for a long time. this plan struck a dead end last month when uprising in egypt cast a big shadow over my stewings. i'll go anyway someday whether this summer or later in the future but for now its seeming that this year is going to reveal itself to be a mediterranean adventure.
having options is a blessing and not a burden.. dont forget that..
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