The First Taste of Turkey & A Feeling of Freedom 🇹🇷

Part 2 :- The First Taste of Turkey & A Feeling of Freedom 🇹🇷

After our long and exhausting journey from the airport to the hotel, we finally went outside that night. By then, we were really hungry.

We started looking for a restaurant, but since it was our first time in Turkey, we had no idea what the food would be like. We had heard that Turkish people use less spice in their food compared to what we are used to in Pakistan, so we were a little unsure about what to order.

After looking at several restaurants, we finally found one that felt right and decided to go in.

The people there were so kind. When they saw our dressing, they asked us where we were from. We told them we were from Pakistan, and their reaction was so warm. They welcomed us with genuine kindness, and for a moment, being so far away from home didn't feel quite as strange.

There is already such a beautiful friendship between Pakistan and Turkey, but experiencing that warmth personally was something special.

We ordered some Turkish food and a traditional Turkish sweet.

The taste was different from what I was used to, but it was a good kind of different. It was unique, and I actually enjoyed trying something completely new. Since it was our first time, we tasted everything little by little, enjoying the experience more than anything else.

After dinner, we went back to the hotel.

We were completely exhausted, so we didn't do much else. We simply went to sleep.

A Slow Morning and an Unforgettable Walk 🌧️

The next morning, we woke up quite late because our bodies were still tired from everything we had gone through the previous day.

We had breakfast, got ready, and before we knew it, evening had arrived.

That night, we decided to take a walk outside our hotel.

It was nothing extraordinary. Just a walk.

But somehow, it became one of those moments that stays with you.

The weather was beautiful. A soft breeze was blowing, and after a while, a light drizzle started. The temperature slowly dropped, and I could feel the cold against my skin.

Normally, you might expect the cold and rain to make you uncomfortable.

But for me, it did the complete opposite.

It brought me peace.

I still remember taking a breath and feeling that cool air fill my lungs. After all the stress of the airport, the broken luggage, the taxi struggle, and the exhaustion of my first day, I suddenly felt calm.

And somewhere in that quiet walk, I had a thought:

“Maybe this is what freedom feels like.”

It felt as if something inside me was telling me:

Forget your worries for a while. You are here now. Enjoy this moment. Enjoy this freedom. Live this phase of your life without restrictions, because one day, these moments will only be memories.

And perhaps that is why I still remember that walk.

I wasn't standing in front of a famous landmark.

I wasn't doing anything extraordinary.

I was simply walking outside my hotel in a new country, with a little rain in the air and a little cold on my skin.

But in that moment, my heart felt lighter.

I realized that sometimes the most beautiful travel memories are not the places you plan to visit or the pictures you take.

Sometimes, they are just a quiet walk, a cold breeze, a little rain, and a feeling that you wish you could hold on to forever.

And that evening, for the first time since leaving home, I didn't feel scared about being away from my family.

I simply felt free. 🤍