Boots, Bikes and Border Crossings
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When Words Are Forbidden: Gaming Nights in Ankara
In Ankara, gaming isn’t just a hobby — it’s practically a social institution, loved by everyone from students to seasoned pros. Vildan has been running these game nights for years, and the formula is beautifully simple: post an open invitation, name a café, and let people sign up. Apparently, if a foreigner is involved, interest
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Crohn’s, Courage, and a Bubbly Soul
Getting to know Vildan is like opening a book you can’t put down — equal parts brilliance, resilience, and infectious laughter. She is incredibly intelligent, wonderfully endearing, weathered by life yet still bubbling with joy. At 42, she jokes cheerfully about being a “42-year-old virgin still waiting for the right man,” delivering the line with
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Booked, Blessed and on the move
All booked right through until I return to Mexico on the 23rd of March — it’s amazing how quickly the calendar fills when life is lived on the move. For now, I’m happily settled in Ankara with Vildan, soaking up a moment of calm before launching into sightseeing tomorrow. From Ankara, I’ll be flying north
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Soft Footsteps in Sacred Spaces: The Room of Tombs in Konya
Yesterday morning I wandered through the Mevlana Museum, and honestly, it took my breath away. Once the lodge of the Mevlevi Order, the museum is centred around the mausoleum of Rumi (Mevlana), the 13th-century poet, mystic, and philosopher whose words still ripple across the world. The room of Tombs, with their rows of beautifully adorned
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No Doors, No Streets, and a Very Good Museum: Çatalhöyük
Yesterday afternoon I wandered through the ancient ruins, sample houses, and museum at Çatalhöyük — a place that quietly shows off just how long humans have been experimenting with community. The site itself feels calm and expansive, while the museum neatly fills in the gaps your imagination can’t quite reach on its own. Çatalhöyük dates
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Konya Markets and the Joy of Simple Food
Konya’s produce markets were a joy to wander through — more traditional and noticeably cheaper than anything I’ve come across before. The meat in particular stood out: incredibly affordable, looking fresher, and neatly packaged. There was also a much wider range of cheeses, including what seemed to be their version of gorgonzola. My father would
Visited Countries
Interactive World Map
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Route Plan (Eastern Europe)
Here’s the planned route PDF. Download below.
Route Map
About Me
Happy, grateful, and full of joy – that’s how I see my life. Growing up in the small country town of Karaka, New Zealand, I was a curious little girl who dreamed of seeing the world. At 14, I took my first trip overseas to Fiji, and since then I’ve explored 66 countries, each adventure filling me with wonder at new cultures, unexpected moments, and the thrill of discovery.
I’ve leapt from planes, dived into unseen depths of the ocean, pedaled across borders, and roared through deserts on motorbikes. From crossing the Gobi Desert on two wheels to cruising down to Antarctica, from riding through roads less traveled to moments that took my breath away, I collect memories, not possessions.
Contact Me
Have a question or want to collaborate? Drop me a line.