“My most lovely journeys have not been crossed yet”

Coming back from each trip, my mind and heart are full of enchanting images, stand-out moments, flavors and amazing scents. I feel like I visited and met a magical place, a beautiful country, perhaps the most beautiful ever seen.

As the days go by, being completely detached from my last journey, the first thing that crosses my mind is the wonderful poem of Nazim Hikmet, "The most beautiful sea".

And this is how I start planning for my next trip; paraphrasing the poem, having a plain thought that "my most lovely journey has not been crosses yet". Each time is like the first time. I have chosen not to be just a tourist but an adventurer, planning from scratch every detail, every travel path alone; learning about the culture and country from ahead. I like reading about the history of my destination, and when I finally reach it I always seek meeting the people, talk with them to see if what I've read was true. I want to know as much as I can about their day-to-day life, their customs and traditions.

Every country, every city I visit is unique for me. No bias or superstitious or bad judgments get in my way, because I want to live to the fullest each and every day in the place I chose to be, distance myself from my familiar norms.

"The most beautiful sea" poem of Nazim Hikmet, translated by J.Ritsos