The first in a series of guest posts from Ania and Jon at the Hitch-Hikers Handbook on their latest adventures… First off, how do you get by in Turkey on only a fiver a day?
How much would you pay to learn local dishes from local people, visit places off the beaten path and have a guide in every city you visit? What about if you got to witness mountains fall into the sea and plains stretching as far as the eye could see?
There are many different ways to enjoy Turkey. Some head to Istanbul, drinking in the architectural splendour of the country’s premier city. Others head north, to the unexplored Black Sea coast, while the more intrepid head east into the heart of conservative life in the country. Still more, head south and west, making a beeline for the beach and good times that the shining sun and golden sands offer. And if I were to say to you that you can experience all of this for £5 a day, would you believe me?
The first step to seeing all these things and still having some cash in your pocket is simple. Rather than heading to the bus station, negotiating a ticket to what you hope is your destination from a surly man who speaks no English, head to the road out of town. With a strong pair of shoulders and even stronger sense of adventure, walk a little further, turn around and stick out your thumb. Hitchhiking is not only stupidly easy in Turkey, it is also the most enjoyable way of travelling from A to B. The money you pocket for one trip may seem negligible at first but once every trip is added up, you will find that the money you save on transport runs into the hundreds of pounds.
Secondly, hospitality websites, like couchsurfing, are a great way to save money on accommodation which, as every backpacker knows, is probably the greatest expense while on the road. Not only is it economically friendly, it is also a wonderful way to meet local people, seeing them in their daily lives away from the tourism industry that looks remarkable the same the world over. We can honestly say that our best experiences have been had while couchsurfing, hanging out with such a variety of people, learning new cultures and new viewpoints on life. If you can’t find a host, the next best option is camping, so always bring a tent with you! Using the tent only three times will mean that you have saved enough money to justify the original purchase and it is always comforting to know that whatever happens, you can sleep with a roof over your head.
Another positive aspect of staying with local people is the joy of learning new dishes from your host. Cooking, rather than eating in a restaurant, is another key factor to keeping expenses down, and what better way than mastering new foods that you can cook yourself later in life is there?
By following these three simple steps we have managed to see the whole of Turkey for £5 a day, learning lots of traditional dishes and meeting dozens of locals who were kind enough to open their doors to us and teach us all about their culture. You can follow our blog to see what we have learnt so far.
Ania and Jon