Value Box
Notes on My First Stage Experience, Part 2
October 15, Alınca – Ge Köyü – Bel Köyü, 15 km
“If you only walk on sunny days, you will never reach your destination.” Paulo Coelho
We hit the road after breakfast and morning sports in Alınca. The biggest problem with that day's itinerary was that we had to go down almost all of it. Safety was our top priority as our path lay through rocks and cliffs. As luck would have it, as soon as we set off, it began to rain, but despite it, after a careful descent, we ended up in the village of Ge, where we had lunch. The funny thing was that the village was located on a mountain top, and the local restaurant where we sat was called "Ge 7". At the end of lunch, after heavy ups and downs, we reached the village of Bel. Although the lack of telephone and internet there, at first glance, seemed like a hindrance to communication, in fact, it was an excellent opportunity for us to get to know each other better as a team. And the Vampire and the Villager game we played was on everyone's lips until the end of our adventure.
October 16, Bel Koyü - Karadere Park Orman Patara, 12 km
Here we come to the last 2 days of our hike. No matter how tiring and difficult it was, I was in a good mood, only the threshold of the end of the adventure caused sadness. After leaving the village of Bel, a 12-kilometer half-day hike awaited us, at the end of which we planned to set up camp and enjoy the sea. We got used to walking. Having passed a more comfortable track, compared to the ones we had on previous days, we reached our campsite in the afternoon. At that moment, we were all sad at the thought of parting with people whom we did not even know four days ago. We all got used to each other more than we expected. Just like when you start a new job, everyone around you is a stranger, however, after days go by, some become friends and some become family.
Although the Mediterranean was not calm, we stubbornly swam against the waves. Then we lit a fire. It was there that we experienced perhaps one of the most unusual phenomena. Around the campfire, everyone took turns talking about the changes that had happened to them. At first, we did not notice that, in fact, none of us was the same person that we were at the beginning of our journey. In the old days, they said: "The road changes people, improves them." That day, I once again realized the truth of that statement. As long as the rain does not get heavier...
October 17, Tour of the Ancient Cities of Letoon and Xanthos, 5 km
As far as we learned the next day, no actual walk was planned for that day. The ancient cities of Letoon and Xanthos were on the agenda.
We were incredibly lucky to be able to visit both ancient cities with a guide in charge of the excavations at Letoon Ancient City. From him, we learned what the city was expected to look like after it was dug up. I can already tell you the good news that the entire region will change for the better in the coming years. Maybe this will be an occasion for you to come and see these beautiful places with your own eyes.
October 17, Homecoming
In the afternoon, we entered Fethiye to prepare for our return to city life. The moment of separation was truly bittersweet. We really became like a family, with both our leader and the team that supported us every step of the way, and the people we became friends with. At first, we were just colleagues or people sharing the same hobby, but our adventure showed me, once again, how big the Borusan Cat family was. We were this big family that accepted everyone and, most importantly, knew how to enjoy every moment spent together.
The hike is over, but we have dozens of memories, uniquely beautiful landscapes, friendship, dusty shoes, dirty poles, and muscle fatigue. None of us complained about fatigue, on the contrary, we remembered it with a smile. We parted ways but agreed to meet again on April 6, 2022, on the Kalkan - Kaş route.
Some notes for those who are attracted by the road:
- Hiking, trekking, scientific expeditions, climbing, mountaineering, and camping are all sub-sectors of the mountaineering discipline. All such activity is aimed at survival in harmony with nature, which we are not a part of in the full sense of the word, and going beyond one's limits. For this reason, we must not leave behind anything that does not belong to nature. Let us not forget that even seemingly natural waste can harm endemic plants.
- It is said that "the greatest journey that a person makes is the journey to themself." After all, finishing a walk in nature, you are no longer the one who started the journey. The more you go beyond your limits (of course, considering your health and safety), the more you expand your comfort zone, and the more you develop and become stronger. Going through this experience and discovering all these impressions on my own was a pleasure for me and an experience that I find challenging to describe.
Goodbye. Stay close to nature, and please leave behind nothing other than your footprints. If you are one of those who are passionate about roads, you can always ask me any question that interests you, and together we will find the answers.
With love,
Click for Walking in My Dreams: The Lycian Way - Part 1
Emrah Gürel
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Has been working as PSSR in Borusan Cat Ankara for 10 years. Is also a certified mountaineer and assistant cook. Amateur hydroponic farmer. Plays basketball and billiards, and goes hiking. A young climber. Camper, a lover of outdoors and animals, who is happy to be a part of nature. Married and has two cats.