Whilst trying to extricate myself from the situation at hand my new found friend was too busy describing to me in his best English slang terms we use for people offering dubious lifts into the city:
"How you say my friend, they are a tea leaf, wide boy and my favourite...scam merchant! :D"
I didn t have the heart to tell the gentleman he ticked all of the above boxes!
I politely made my get away and found myself heading into the city.
The road snakes along the sea front, as you look out to sea a army of ships and tankers sit in wait, as if stuck in giant game of naval chess no one wanting to take the first move. Lights gleaming in the dusk an armada laying in wait.
A fleeting thought crossed my mind, the Bosphorus seemed to be a pirates paradise, after toying with the idea of hi jacking an oil tanker and making my millions, the thought of a life in the not so safe haven of Somali deterred me from this quest.
To my hostel I arrived, sitting under the watching eye of the Hagia Sofia, A mere 100m away. I sit here in the roof top terrace drinking in the not too unimpressive view!
My taxi journey was not without incident, half way to the city we stopped on the side of the busy motorway, the taxi driver got out, opened the bonnet and with a cloth and spanner rummaged around for a minute or two before jumping back in exclaiming "no problem!" And with that we set off again!
"Sir, do you want some money!" The phrase that greeted me as I stepped out of my taxi :) realising the literal meaning may have been lost in translation I declined the offer and paid for my journey .
On showing me to my room the attendant asked:
"Are you Muslim?" I don t know maybe the beard growth made him question me :) on hearing my negative reply I was met with a broad smile and a hearty handshake :) make of that what you will!
And so begins my journey through Turkey!
Hahaha a scam merchant!! Frábaert!! skemtu þér Pravin. atlarðu að setja in myndir líka?
ReplyDelete