A Bus Called Forward

Would I like the people on my tour? Would I be popular? Would my group eventually drive me to drink? Would the challenges of living with strangers for 15 days be worth it? [Read More]

KONYA WAS FREAKING me out, and that made me feel a little guilty, a little shallow, a little spiritually bankrupt. I was in the famously devout, conservative city to visit the Mevlana Museum. Mevlana (master) Celalledin Rumi was the 13th century founder of the Mevlevi order of dervishes popularly known as whirling dervishes for their practice of spinning in a ritual to connect with their divinity. Me? I was uptight. [Read More]

OUR PILOT IS LATE. We’re standing in an uneven cluster, stamping our feet against the chill of 5am, and all around us balloons are taking flight. They float like bubbles in oil, slow and imprecise. The dragon’s roar of a dozen nearby burners shatters the morning stillness as crews shoot fiery plumes into their envelopes. We watch as the airships rise, silhouetted against a rapidly lightening sky. “Where is he?” someone asks for the umpteenth time, anxiously eying the approaching sunrise. “I’m about to miss the best view of my life.” [Read More]

Oh yeah, Cappadocia's all dreamy and magical with its cave dwellings and fairy chimneys and shit, but right this second I can't see a single thing other than the backs of the heels of the person walking in front of me. That person happens to be Robyn, one of the women in our group, and her easy gait and the fact that she's not raggedly panting indicate to me that's she's just fine. Carefree even, no doubt recklessly craning her head around to take in the panorama. Ancient stone hermit holes be damned -- I know that if I so much as flick a glance to the left I'll end up on the valley floor. Damn Robyn, and damn Iskender too. [Read More]

I write three names in clear block letters on a piece of paper: Çıralı, Patara, Kalkan. I fold the note and put it in my pocket, hoist my pack, and walk to the nearest busy street. My stomach is tense. I scan for an Internet cafe -- I want to send a message to my people to let them know where I am -- but all I can find is a convenience store. I buy a small water and a Mars bar. [Read More]