Another twelvemonth was rapidly coming to an end, as well as I industrial plant life myself staring at a map as well as a calendar, trying to figure out where to identify myself for a predicted eve of unrivalled festivities. For the firstly fourth dimension inward 7 years I would hold upwards riding solo for the vacation season.
Alesha as well as I had made the conclusion to pass some fourth dimension apart, as well as that left me upwards to my ain devices. Drawing an imaginary draw of piece of occupation from my hostel inward Kutasi, Georgia, I read out dates as well as placed my fingers inward random towns across Turkey as well as the Balkans, forging my possible trajectory towards 2016.
Istanbul, Sofia, Bucharest, Skopje, Athens; these cities seemed every bit exotic to me every bit anywhere I had previously been. The choices of where could I hold upwards for New Years Eve was overwhelming, as well as I eventually turned to the powers of social media to aid brand my hear up.
I threw out the inquiry to a selection of well-travelled as well as well-partied friends, hoping to cause got someone brand the conclusion for me. It worked.
“If you’re going to hold upwards anywhere inward Turkey for New Years Eve, brand certain it’s Olympos.”
It was a definite as well as corporation answer from Bridgy, a practiced friend of mine from years back, whom I wholeheartedly trusted to ship me inward the correct direction. He should know too – he worked every bit a tour guide inward Turkey for years, as well as he liked to party. So without anything else to say on the matter, I knew I was going to Olympos for New Years Eve.
But where the hell is Olympos??
A quick fleck of Google-powered inquiry led me to the jubilant realisation that Olympos was known every bit a fleck of a Mediterranean hippie hangout, amongst ancient Roman ruins, a broad sandy beach, stone climbing as well as a curious eternal flame, all surrounded yesteryear dense deciduous forest. It also was famous its tree identify accommodation. I was sold!
By coincidence my practiced buddy Will from The Broke Backpacker was heading inward my direction, on his ain cross-continent overlanding adventure. We made plans to run into inward Republic of Bulgaria as well as go through to Olympos for the starting fourth dimension of 2016. Our hope was to uncovering a nature-inspired adventure, something that spending fourth dimension inward a urban center is difficult to accomplish.
It had been some fourth dimension since I had had an introspective awakening, as well as I hoped this jaunt would hold upwards only what I needed. We spent Christmas inward Sofia at the happening Hostel Mostel (which incidentally is a kickass place), drinking vino amongst a raucous assembly of travellers.
When our plans for Olympos came up, our duo doubled inward size (as these things tend to do when travelling) as well as presently our novel quartet was drifting southwest towards the bottom of Turkey. Accompanying Will as well as I would at nowadays hold upwards a immature Australian daughter named Lilia, as well as an ex-British Marine yesteryear the cry of Lord Disney. I shit you lot not. That is his existent name. I couldn’t brand it upwards if I tried.
Keen to acquire inward in our hippie hamlet as well as secure our accommodation, I separated from the grouping a twenty-four lx minutes menses early on as well as committed to a mammoth mission from Plovdiv inward Bulgaria. 26 hours as well as iv buses later I was finally inward Olympos as well as its fabled sky-high accommodation, passing through Istanbul as well as Antalya on the way. I had read an Antalya go guide as well as the identify seemed quite cool, so I knew I would furnish inward the novel year.
I jumped out of the shuttle double-decker exterior of Kadir’s Treehouses as well as wandered in. H5N1 hand-painted sign greeted me, declaring, “I came, I saw, as well as stayed, as well as stayed, as well as stayed!” I looked roughly as well as noticed a collection of Turkish millennials splashing colours across planks of timber. Every wall, chair as well as tabular array was adorned inward tasteful graffiti. Clearly fine art was an of import characteristic of Kadir’s, as well as people tended to acquire “stuck” here. It’s these kinds of places that I tend to autumn inward beloved with.
The affable manager, Gokhan, met me as well as gave a personal tour of the property, enthusiastically claiming at that spot would hold upwards over a K people tending the celebrations on New Years Eve. With roughly 130 bungalows, treehouses as well as dorms, a restaurant, 2 bars as well as a burn pit, it was good laid upwards to host scores of revellers. But this far out of summer, the identify was almost empty – excluding the handful of artists as well as staff sprawled out.
I wandered the one-road village, explored its few supermarkets as well as stopped to scout some unusual climbers tackle bolted routes inward a higher identify the dried-out river. The town was all but deserted, amongst accommodations closed for the flavor as well as restaurants shut. I could consider how inward summertime this identify would hold upwards cranking. I reached the Roman ruins as well as turned around, dorsum to Kadir’s where the solely people I had encountered, climbers excluded, were hanging out. The firstly eve went yesteryear inward a hazed flurry of dinner, drinks as well as music yesteryear the burn amongst novel friends, as well as saw us retiring unopen to sunrise.
Waking to a rainy day, it was all too slow to skid into a hungover state of laziness. Lord Disney had arrived belatedly inward the evening, as well as nosotros spent most of the twenty-four lx minutes menses perfecting the fine art of doing non much.
Will arrived belatedly on the 30th, amongst his blood brother Alex inward tow as well as accompanied yesteryear Lilia. The next morning we made plans for how the eve would play out. Kadir’s was yet more-or-less empty, as well as nosotros had piffling hope that this massive political party would eventuate. In the early on afternoon nosotros started drinking rum, as well as industrial plant life ourselves inward the solely other hostel opened upwards at the destination of the village. Beers, vino as well as to a greater extent than rum flowed, as well as our buzz was good as well as genuinely underway. As dusk turned to twilight, Will, Alex as well as I swore to stick to our master copy invention of nature-based escapades.
Kadir’s hosts a large buffet dinner included amongst your stay, as well as nosotros made it dorsum only inward fourth dimension for it. Now the numbers inward the eating theater counted nigh fifty, but was yet good shy of the m or so Gokhan had promised. It appeared that also a long-term Castilian couple, nosotros were the solely non-Turks inward the place. Even though the vibe was jovial, nosotros decided to pack our alcohol as well as caput towards the beach inward our quest for nature, as well as perchance some other party.
The eve temperatures were dropping rapidly, as well as nosotros industrial plant life ourselves wandering the ancient Roman ruins trying to uncovering shelter from the wind. We pushed on nearer to the beach but the mercury continued to drop. At this quest Lord Disney as well as Lilia decided to furnish to Kadir’s inward search of warmth. Our remaining trio knew a burn had to hold upwards made, but nosotros needed supplies as well as to a greater extent than suitable clothes. Alone inward the dark, nosotros trekked dorsum towards Olympos.
The hamlet was lively, but far from pumping. We decided that the burn could wait, as well as nosotros began to climb high into the wood inward a higher identify Olympos. The drifting waves of Turkish techno dissipated betwixt the branches as well as presently nosotros were inward total silence. The higher nosotros climbed the to a greater extent than inward melody our senses became. The fissure of twigs beneath our feet, the wafting fragrance of pino leaves, the shapes as well as figures of every private tree coming to life every bit our eyes adjusted to the darkness; each sensation was heightened every bit nosotros trudged determinedly towards an unseen summit.
At some quest nosotros realised the precarious seat nosotros were putting ourselves in, amongst no lights or protective gear to guide us every bit nosotros clambered over jagged boulders. We industrial plant life a apartment stone to prevarication on, as well as instead made base of operations as well as discussed amongst excitement what the New Year's Day held for the 3 of us. Will declared amongst gusto that 2016 would hold upwards “our year”, as well as inward our confident sense of drunkenness nosotros felt the same way.
Suddenly, every bit tin can solely hold upwards described of fireworks, a kaleidoscope of rainbow flares scattered across the tinted sky. Faint thanks of joy echoed upwards the valley every bit people far below us celebrated the destination of 2015. We had lost rails of fourth dimension as well as later missed the countdown. But for us it did non matter. Perched on our high stone surrounded yesteryear the soothing yet wild nature, nosotros were just where nosotros wanted to be.
Once motivation had returned nosotros scrambled dorsum downward the mount as well as onto the dried riverbed. We remembered our invention of edifice a burn as well as returned to Kadir’s to assemble equipment. Just after midnight at that spot was a noticeable growth inward attendees, but no impressive numbers every bit nosotros had expected. Sneaking into our room nosotros packed our bags, grabbed some nutrient as well as water, as well as got ready to depart in 1 lawsuit more. We decided to acquire for a walk to seek as well as uncovering Lord Disney as well as Lilia, as well as had no luck. In the eating theater at that spot was perhaps a half-dozen people, but nosotros noticed a current of curiously dressed partiers wandering upstairs to the bar. In a finally bid of hope, nosotros followed. What nosotros encountered was mesmerising.
Every foursquare inch of infinite was teeming amongst intoxicated as well as ecstatic Turkish people, simultaneously pes stomping to “Cotton Eyed Joe”. It was similar the scene out of Fear as well as Loathing inward Las Vegas, where a hallucinating Thompson walks through a casino bar, confronted amongst dinosaurs as well as monsters happily grooving to the throw of die as well as cards. At Kadir’s at that spot were no monsters, but hundreds of costumed locals dancing as well as cheering, sporting human face masks as well as glitter pigment as well as frilly hats. Transporting from our solitary post service on a stone high inward the mountains as well as into this bedlam was intense.
We did a loop of the bar as well as straight off became separated. Guys shook my hands as well as girls danced amongst me. I was passed a bottle of unknown alcohol as well as took a heavy swig, much to the elation of the randoms who had passed it to me. I bumped as well as jived as well as twisted my means dorsum towards the stairwell where I met upwards amongst Will. H5N1 conga draw of piece of occupation bounced past, as well as Alex was tagged onto the dorsum of it. The political party was wonderful, but on a grade nosotros were non prepared for. An older human grabbed my arm as well as started screaming inward Turkish. I couldn’t enjoin if he was angry or only drunk. I smiled as well as pushed yesteryear him, making a quick conclusion to exit. This political party was cracking, but inward our hearts nosotros knew nosotros had to hold upwards dorsum out inward nature, every bit nosotros originally intended.
Lord Disney as well as Lilia materialised inward our room only every bit nosotros were exiting. They opted to remain as well as avoid the unnecessary cold of a winter’s night. H5N1 trio in 1 lawsuit more, nosotros skipped to the beach.
Through the millennia-old ruins as well as along a marked path nosotros finally reached the river mouth. We climbed some rocks as well as industrial plant life that our passage to the beach was blocked yesteryear the incoming tide. In our inebriated as well as freezing states, nosotros industrial plant life ourselves some other ledge to sit down on as well as listened to the splash of the nearby waves. The clouds cleared as well as nosotros were rewarded amongst the mystical sight of the infinite Milky Way, stars darting across the canvass as well as our imaginations delving deeper into the vivid galaxy above. Nothing makes you lot experience to a greater extent than humble than staring into the black sky, as well as for what felt similar an eternity, none of us uttered a word.
Disturbed yesteryear a bone-shivering breeze nosotros hastily exited our exposed stone as well as delved deeper into the forest. We industrial plant life ourselves towered yesteryear ancient churches as well as archways, amongst unusual script carved into glistening marble pillars. Stumbling across a clearing, nosotros gathered fallen branches as well as kindling, piled stones into a circle as well as animatedly built our fire. As the flames grew inward ferociousness our bodies tenderly warmed. Embers flew as well as danced into the night, pirouetting along amongst the wind. We sat hypnotised yesteryear the twirling inferno. Having satisfied our mission of edifice a fire, as well as having no watch what fourth dimension it was, nosotros allow it extinguish as well as doused the cinders inward water. We began to sober up, as well as amongst our set out energy levels dropping it was fourth dimension to furnish to the party.
It was only yesteryear 4am when nosotros returned, as well as thankfully for us the effect was closing down. Taking this is a sign that nosotros should do the same, Alex, Will as well as I went for a concluding walk into the evening.
For each of us inward our ain ways, 2015 had been a twelvemonth of growth as well as change. We took turns talking nigh what nosotros had learned, as well as became enthusiastic when nosotros revealed what nosotros envisioned for 2016. It may only hold upwards an arbitrary appointment that people operate every bit an excuse to brand changes inward their lives, but for me at least, the destination of 2015 came at a specially welcome time. And amongst an invisible Sun starting to creep towards the horizon, nosotros returned to Kadir’s as well as passed out inward our beds.
The firstly twenty-four lx minutes menses of the New Year's Day was overcast but bright, as well as I woke feeling surprisingly rejuvenated. After breakfast I industrial plant life myself dorsum at the beach, sitting on the sand as well as staring out at the Mediterranean. I wondered how Alesha’s New Year's Day had been. Normally she would hold upwards my side, but non today. There was yet 3 to a greater extent than weeks to overstep earlier nosotros would hold upwards reunited again. We cause got achieved a lot together, as well as 2015 had been both the most rewarding as well as testing year nosotros had always experienced.
I stared at the sea, trying to convince myself to accept a dip, every bit I ordinarily do at the start of a New Year. Instead I picked upwards a volume as well as began to read, something I had non done inward almost all of the previous year. I flicked through the pages, alternating betwixt beingness completely engrossed inward my novel as well as beingness tremendously deep inward personal thought. H5N1 few chapters inward I started to experience inspired, as well as picked upwards a notepad as well as pen; scribbling downward the firstly story that leapt into my mind. The words flowed effortlessly as well as I began to acquire electrified thinking nigh what Alesha as well as I would accomplish this twelvemonth together. Inspired – I hadn’t felt this inward months. Perhaps 2016 was going to hold upwards our year…
A large thanks to Kadir’s Treehouses inward Olympos for hosting us during our stay. All thoughts as well as ramblings are of course of didactics my own.
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