Austin here with an update from a sunny beach surrounded by the ancient Lycian ruins of Patara. Today is day eight, and we are lounging with a well WELL deserved rest day. The last three days have been ten mile plus days with late arrivals into our camping spots. We are feeling surprisingly strong, blisters and sun rashes (and a ankle issue for me) aside. The trail is breathtaking and varietous, with dramatic mountains, turquoise ocean waters, sleepy beaches, and scrub filled, history laden trails (with lots of rocks, Kindra's favorite!). For instance, for the last two days we have been hiking literally beside or on an ancient Roman aqueduct! The sun and quiet are our constant companions, except the quiet part is replaced by sometimes obnoxious Turkish men saying Hello Hello in the touristy towns. The tucked away villages are better, full of kind, sweet villagers ever ready to help us find my daily desire of a liter or two of raw cow's milk, or who are generously sharing their food and company with us. Turkish is an amazing advantage for us on the way, being without it would be a tremendous challenge.
My dad sent us a GpS, and that has also been a life saver. Many times trail markers disappear, and the rocky goat trails are a nuisance to navigate.
Our relationship is finding a new rhythm, one with early mornings to avoid the heat and long coversations about simple normally assumed staples like food, water and camp spots. A huge inspiration to us has been the TV miniseries Long Way Round, where Ewan Mcgregor an Charlie Boorman motorcycle journey the long way round the globe, and face constant challenges and excitements. Our journey is similar: we find unexpected terrain, amazing ruins, frustrating ascents, and much more. More than anything, we have discovered a new face of Turkey, one that challenges the beauty of places like Zion National Park and Croatia, and reveals the sacred, simple life of Turkish villages. I confidently say that we will be so much more culturally and experientally rich after this month on the Lycian Way.
Tomorrow we return to the trail, with a grueling nine plus hour day (hopefully not our norm!). Until a week or two, gorusuruz!
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