Everyday Treasures

The first couple times I visited Turkey, long-distance buses were pretty much the only way we got around.  Only the biggest cities had airports, and airfare was spendy.  We never really knew where we were going next until the day before we left, so being able to buy last-minute tickets at the local bus station worked with our spontaneous travel style.  The seats weren’t always comfy, and eight hours sitting behind a chain-smoking driver was enough to make me want to hijack the bus.  But a full day of headphones and a book always helped this introvert like her travel companions more when we got where we were going.  It was fun to try to guess what was happening in the (badly dubbed) movies they’d show.  (I swear they use the same male and female voice for every character in every film...)  And I could always look forward to a Nescafe and a Pop Kek when the snack cart made the rounds...

By the time I moved here, more airports had sprung up and several budget airlines had appeared on the scene, making it usually more economical to fly than to take the bus.  Nowadays, pretty much the only time I choose land over air is when I’m leaving the country and my luggage weighs more than the kilos allotted for a domestic flight.  And while I love the convenience and time saved by flying, there’s something I miss about my bussing days...

The view outside the window.

I love soaring over puffy white clouds and miniature mountains as much as the next person, but there’s just no way you can know a country by looking at it from 30,000 feet.  You can’t read its billboards, see what’s growing in its fields, observe what its people are wearing, or discover what houses look like from one town to the next.  To really see a place, you...even if just from the highway.....you have to be at eye-level.

While a bus window makes for a great way to see the countryside, obviously the combination of "view" and "freedom to stop when you want to" makes a car the ideal choice for a Turkish roadtrip.  And so, fuel prices aside (I don’t wanna hear any complaining from across the ocean - we’re currently paying $2.20 CDN a litre over here!), here are ten reasons you should drive instead of fly this summer.

Top Ten Roadside Reasons to Drive Instead of Fly

1.  Fantastic Statuary

No town square is complete without at least a bust of our nation's founding father, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.  That's a given.  But the other statues gracing roadsides and roundabouts give the traveler insight into the "favourite sons" of a city as well as herald the goodies the town is famous for.  

2.  Colourful Companions

Half the run of a road trip is checking out the people in the lane beside you.

3.  History Lessons on the Fly

Find yourself driving through a place you've only ever read about in your kids' school books?  Turks are fiercely proud of their history and the countryside is thick with monuments and markers of famous battles and events.  Road trips are a great way to connect the dots and see history come to life.

4.  Impromptu Dance Parties

The Turks are a nation of dancers.  It's in their blood.  And when their feet feel the rhythm, they are not above pulling the car over and starting up a halay.  Could be that their football team just scored a goal.  Could be that they've just caught sight of their hometown after a long absence.  Or it could simply be that a good song came on the radio and the spirit moved them.  So, hop on out and join the chain!

5.  Pit Stops That Beat a Bag of Peanuts By a Mile

Domestic airlines that serve actual food (unless you're willing to cash in your gold) are down to a precious few.  And even then, the standard fare is a cheese and tomato sandwich and a bit of eggplant salad and some olives if you're lucky.  But a car gives you the freedom to follow the LED signs to whatever you might be craving.  Pide (flatbread "pizza"), kebap and köfte (spiced meatballs) are available countrywide, but roadside restaurants are a fun way to sample local specialties without having to go all the way into town.

6.  Fruit of the Land

When driving a Turkish highway, an empty trunk won't stay empty for long.  There are too many yummy things to buy along the way!  Whether it's snacks for the road or a hostess gift you forgot to buy before leaving, the purchase of a few kilos of fruit will give you a taste of the local flavour as well as make some farmer's day.

7.  Language Lessons a la Billboard

8.  Hot.  Fresh.  Now.

9.  Road Trip Games

10.  Freedom to Detour

Perhaps the best part of traveling by car is the freedom to stop and look at every random thing that tickles your fancy.  If you're not pressed for time, every exit sign is an invitation and every "Hey, what's that over there?" an opportunity to see a snatch of the country you would've otherwise never seen.

So, what are you waiting for?  Load up your HGS Card, fire up your GPS and hit the road!