FiVe HuNDReD MiLeS

I am sorry I cannot let you see any pics from Istanbul, as I haven`t taken any. Actually, I haven`t seen anything either. The trip was not a total flop though. I saw plenty of cars, Besiktas stadium, Balkan disco and a Hospitality club volunteer`s flat.

The journey from Alexandropolis was pretty calm. The back row seats made a good bed. Just a small problem came up. I went to Constantiopolis and ended up in Istanbul. That`s life.

But the transfer from Otogar to the Taksim square was a reminder of old nightmares, which I happen to suffer from in traffic jams. If I get to hell once, it will be made of concrete and asphalt with crowds of nervous driver stuck in a jam. Luckily I am going to India, which has more shit than jam. But there are traffic jams too. But Indian jams look more human with all those pedicabs, bikes, pedestrians, cows. The car planet {= Europe} is crazier.

I reached my host`s place alright in the end. It was a cold and rainy evening, so we went to warm up to a disco. Do not damn it right away! It was a great Balkan disco and if the music would be played here, you would all dance. The locals were dancing to the max and some looked terrific {with a slight pink flavour, though} All in all, it was more European than Europe. At least some girls did not seem to come from a country ruled by Moslems. We did not party a lot and the beer was expensive. So I got a good sleep too.

This time I opted for the safest way to the airport - a van of Havas company. I cost a bit, but I saved my nerves, unlike the last time. The weather was bad I was too lazy to look for the right trams, boats and buses of Istanbul public transport. Everything went fine this time. I waved to some pilgrims to Mecca, drank a bottle of wine left from Greece, hoping this would not give me a bad breath. It was just half a liter, watered and in a thermo flask. It worked. Couple of hours flew like the wine and I was still standing.I met a girl reminding me somebody flying to India too. I later learned she was flying with me to Athens too.

Thanks to India experience I took a free row of seats and slept through over the Emirates in a horizontal position. Some shopping followed and then another landing in the promised land…